Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/ stay night and Fire Emblem: Awakening. It's really that simple.

Beta Reader: RedRat8

Kintsugi no Fusei

Book 1: On Fields of Fate

Paralogue 2: Yesterday's Friends, Today's Enemies

In another place, another time…

Dark and heavy clouds had nearly devoured the shine of the setting sun. What little light there was left now was only accompanied by the raging flashes of lightning and the deafening roars of thunder. Soon enough, it seemed as though the heavens itself would have wept.

This was not far from the case. In that turbulent weather, a dragon with verdant hues on its pale body flew as fast as possible, even as tears fell like streams from her ruby red eyes. Tears caused by the knowledge, power that filled her being in droves. But with it, a most terrible burden had been placed upon her. Though it was against what she truly wished deep in her soul, she understood the need for the looming sacrifice.

Wreathed in divine power that gave her an ethereal blue glow, Tiki was a light that carved her way through the darkness even as it surrounded her and chased her relentlessly, as if it sought to stop her from her task. Yet another reminder of the events that had come to pass, one of them inconceivable, enough to break her heart.

But despite the tragedies, the divine dragon couldn't stop, too much was at stake if she did. All it would take was one. One life would decide the fate of a nation, perhaps even the world itself. The preparations were finished, all that was left was to arrive and correct a mistake. She was far too late to prevent the death of one innocent, that much she already knew, but there were still so many things left to do.

Tiki shook her head and focused entirely on her flight. There would be a time for grief later but she had to hurry lest the sacrifices that had been and would be made was all for naught. She was the Voice of Naga and her will, the truth, shall be heard for all. Say'ri, hold the fort my friend, I am coming. With that thought, clouds parted around her as she unleashed another burst of speed towards her destination.

Ylisstol.

Wind whipped around two figures in flight on a Falicorn as its wings flapped furiously in haste. From the battlements of the castle that they approached, arrows and spells tried to reach them, but the winged beast's master saw their glare in each flash of lightning above. Hands tight on the bridle, rider and mount worked together as they bobbed and weaved through the dangerous salvo. Meanwhile, the other passenger held on tightly (but not too tightly) on the woman's hips and the equine's form as to not fall off with such outrageous death-defying maneuvers.

"Sumia, drop me here now!" With all seriousness, Gaius delivered his command, knowing that this was not the time for jokes or nicknames. Not when the life of Robin's daughter was at stake while their comrades were risking their lives in battle against the Shepherds.

They hadn't stayed long when it began, not when they realized that Stahl had given them the opportunity to rescue and hopefully escape with the young princess. They were the only ones who could do so in short notice with Olivia's Pegasus still in the pegasi stables. Despite this fortune, it still grated at their hearts to leave their friends behind. It would not be long before they were eventually outnumbered and defeated, or worse, even executed like their dear tactician. You better not die Stahl.

"What about your escape Gaius? There has to be a dozen guards there." Sumia inquired as they neared a vacant balcony and he knew that she had a point there. The very young heir of Ylisse– though that was now heavily in doubt with the declaration that she be killed– was probably in the heart of the castle where guards were stationed in its perimeter to guard her…and the Exalt's new wife, to prevent any threat from getting in…or out.

Damn it. Months of that drivel they kept on spouting is annoying! It's starting to affect my thoughts! It was maddening. Not only was Robin considered a volatile mine ready to explode even with the already horrible treatment she suffered, but her daughter was secretly seen as one just for sharing the same blood. He had heard the drunken slurs out of their mouths. The infuriating questions on why she still had a cushy life.

The thief noticed the falcon knight stare worriedly at him from the corner of her eyes and he was quick to flash her a grin. "Hey, have a little faith in me yeah? I may be a Swordmaster right now but I'm still a thief."

Not to mention that he'd been memorizing the layout of the castle for more than months when he had the opportunity. Secret passages, hidden alcoves, and deceptive switches, he knew every little detail needed to sneak in and out undetected. His only regret was being unable to explore the dungeons. If I had, I could've…

Well, it was no use now. Gaius could only do what the present required him.

The Falicorn landed on the balcony with the click-clack of hooves on stone and the ginger-haired thief was quick to dismount. He would have gone ahead already if not for the last minute hold of the light brunette on his shoulder that prevented him. "Sumia?"

"Please, come back to me Gaius. Save Little Light. I-I don't want to lose anyone else." She was fighting hard not to let any tears drop and the sight made him drop his rare scowl.

He gave her cheek a gentle pat as he grinned for her sake. "I will, promise. Now you just wait for me at the place we've discussed. We're going to hightail it out here once I get her after all."

"Got it. I'll see you there Gaius." Though her face told him that there was more that she wanted to say to him, she just settled for giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze instead. If not for the urgency, he would've convinced her that she should have. That being done, they backed away from each other as they went on to do their respective parts of a hastily constructed plan.

With a powerful wingbeat and a gallop of the Falicorn, Sumia was soaring in the air once more where she belonged, more so than the ground she often tripped on. She would be a distraction, one that would persist till light expired, after which she would escape under night's cover.

Meanwhile, a near-soundless sprint had Gaius dive into the darkness that grew ever larger within the castle confines, back within the element he had abandoned. Though he was confident of his chances in stealth even in the blue colors of his Swordmaster outfit, it was imperative that he remained unseen.

"Quickly! The intruder was seen near the balcony!"

"Spread out into groups of three and cover any entry point!"

"Understood."

Guards. He snorted as he swiftly ducked into an alcove that had a statue of Naga as he heard nearby footsteps and voices from the corner of the corridor. He took cover behind the statue, thankful of its large size as he kept his form as small as possible. They passed his position, unaware that he was there. Pfft. Amateurs.

To be fair on them though, most of them were likely the new recruits due to the bloody war effort. It would have been a lot less bloody had the damn enraged idiot they had for a General used his head. He could understand that he lost his wife and unborn child literally by Robin's hand (like she had any choice in the matter), he really did. But it was still no excuse for disregarding any effective tactic she had ever devised in favor of suicidal berserk-like charges against enemies.

So many soldiers and several Shepherds were lost, some might even be deliberate out of suspicion of trying to aid the tactician. The worst examples were the fates of their Plegian allies, Henry and Tharja…

A young albino was impaled on his stomach by a spear. Even in death, he futilely reached for the prison gates. Flux tome burned to ash from overuse, around him were the corpses of the guards who tried to prevent him from bringing food to the dungeon's only prisoner. Food that was now scattered on the grounds and stained crimson.

A raven-haired sorcerer lay broken and lifeless on the ground, a streak of blackened tears smeared her face. Though she died on impact from the fall, a hand still held on tightly to a bottle. Its contents made to counteract the ill effects of being imprisoned, chained for so long. Now, it mixed with the blood around her, never to be used for its purpose.

Teeth gritted at the thought of lost comrades...no...family, his hands then pressed on a seemingly inconspicuous brick at the base of the statue. It sank, the sound of gears as it turned filled the air, and a burst wind blew as a small section of the wall opened behind him.

Knowing that he only had a short amount of time, the ginger-haired thief turned around and slid himself inside the hole. It closed just as he did so, and he began to crawl forward. Eventually, he reached its end after a dozen feet wherein a small chamber lay. Said chamber had enough space for him to stand and walk around.

The fall of Ylisstol nearly two years ago had done some damage to the castle, courtesy of the Mad King Gangrel's forces, but it provided Gaius with a unique opportunity to fine comb the palace for any secrets he could use. Case in point, this chamber was something he claimed for himself (not that anyone knew of course) and now held some of the tools he needed for the rescue.

Gaius removed both of his swords– a Killing Edge and a Steel Blade– from his waist, knowing that it would only weigh him down, hinder his movements as he used the hidden passages. Even worse, he would be carrying a kid around as he ran for their life, and he couldn't be confident that she'd remain quiet. Sure, he could do that one-handed but still, it wasn't as if he was going to remain defenseless.

However, there was the fact that that was his thought as he removed his Swordmaster garb in favor of his even lesser armored Thief outfit. The irony of it all was not lost on him.

Now clad in his old clothes (sweets bear accessory included), he grabbed a belt that had all the tools and emergency armaments he needs. A lock pick in case his Locktouch skill couldn't handle the job, smoke pellets for instant cover, a few throwing knives, a short sword, and a padded buckler to defend with. He was good to go.

The redhead pressed a brick on the wall, one he had marked with a scratch. Like the brick before, it sank into the wall before an entire section of the wall receded and opened up to reveal a hidden passage that he was quick to get into. He didn't even wait for it to close as he ran for it.

Up ahead was a ladder that he was quick to ascend and upon doing so revealed another passage. The path followed, he descended on another ladder before he went on yet another passage. At its end, he turned left at the first corner of an intersection, as this was a maze to confuse any infiltrator. Right. Left. Right. Finally, he came across the last hurdle.

There stood another statue of Naga, arms and hands outstretched. At first glance, one would think it was similar to every other statue of the same goddess in a similar pose. But to the trained eye, one would realize that both her hands were held out in a certain way, as if asking for something to be given to her. For the Divine Dragon King to be portrayed as begging, he had to wonder if it was genius or stupid of the sculptor to do.

Still, Gaius wasn't one to look at a gift horse in the mouth, knowing that he already had on him what was needed. From a leather pouch on his waist, he retrieved two tear-shaped jewels both an azure with the hint of jade, Tiki's Tears.

He stepped closer to the statue, stepping onto the circular pattern on which it stood before he placed both jewels onto the hands. They emitted a glow before the platform moved as gears hidden below turned. One second he was in that hidden corridor, the next he was outside the prayer room that only royals had access to. A prayer room that had direct access to the royal's private chamber.

Silently, the ginger approached the door and pressed his hand, already clad with the yellow energy of the skill that thieves like him learned early on in their careers. Locktouch.

The door opened with nary a click and he had to grin at his success. Heh. I still got it.

And then he pushed it–

–only to see that instead of just two occupants in the room as he had anticipated, another was in there as she stood by the cradle. A rather familiar one with blonde locks curled into regal ringlets that went along with her clothes that signified nobility. A noble named– "Maribelle." He muttered with a bit of caution.

Said young woman stared at him in shock that eventually gave way to trepidation. She reached for the Elwind tome on the table, one that he knew had belonged to her late fiancé, Ricken. "Gaius." Maribelle replied, tense and ready for a fight.

"I didn't expect you to be here." His other hand, hidden underneath his cloak, reached for a smoke pellet. "This is the last place where I'd expect you, given certain…events."

"…so he did it then." It was awfully blunt of her to imply, he expected her to choose something complex.

"He did. Chrom murdered Robin." The thief made sure he stressed the word, something that caused the occupant he actually expected to be in the room to gasp in horror.

"Oh gods! How could he?" The aforementioned occupant was another blonde woman, garbed as modestly as a royal could be. Still, as expected of being (forced to be) a royal, the new…wife of the Exalt, her clothing's quality was still of a league higher than that she had as a simple village maiden selling flowers.

Gaius had no ill will against her, Arianne, he truly didn't. But the fact that she was here to care for a child that she was not the mother of (ignoring a certain princess' confounding insistence), rubbed him wrong and added salt to the wound. It should have been their friend here, alive and well to care for the child she bore into this world.

Her Little Light. Her Lucina.

He had to save her. They have to save her.

"Maribelle, I don't want to fight you." The redhead said as he approached. It was the truth. He knew not of her stance as she had stayed out of most of this conflict to grieve for her slain husband-to-be. He didn't want to fight her, not when he'd saved the life of her father from potential imprisonment because of a former employer of his. "Please, I just want to get Little Light out of here alive." He pleaded with her.

"Get her out of here?" A deafening pause as they stewed their thoughts and realized the implications. "N-no! Don't tell me that they would–"

"I heard him say it. We all heard him say it. Just right after he declared that he killed the Fell Dragon." The venom in his words surprised him, but it was not unfounded. It was an outrage that the Exalt had said so. "Please, let me save her Lucina."

Gaius saw the tome in Maribelle's hands tremble as tears threatened to leak out from eyes filled with horror and indecision. What would it be? What was her choice? Do her duties to the current head of House Ylisse, the Exalt, as a proper noble like her should? Or would she choose to help him?

"Gaius, j-just knock us unconscious."

Arianne's words cut through the tension building up, both thief and noble alike turned to her in shock. The former village maiden looked hesitant, fearful, but there was steel in her eyes that surpassed it.

"Take the choice out of our hands, make it look like that Maribelle and I were caught off-guard." She continued. "Then get Lucina out of here."

Huh. Maybe there is potential in her to be a queen as she's said to be. Reminds me of Sumia. He thought before he turned his gaze back to the Valkyrie, who actually looked relieved to be given that suggestion. "That fine with you?"

"…Lissa would never have agreed to and allowed any of this to happen. Miriel too. If they were still alive." She admitted before she placed the Elwind tome back on the table. "Can you–"

The pommel of Gaius' short sword had already made contact with Maribelle's temple before she could finish, delivered with just enough force to do as intended. Consciousness lost immediately, the noble flopped down ungracefully onto the floor and he made no effort to catch her. "Sorry about that. Had to make it look really convincing."

After the thief had said his piece, he then turned to his next blonde vict–err, volunteer. "Is there anything else you wanted to say? You look like you do."

Flabbergasted at his nonchalant act, Arianne took a few precious seconds to gather her resolve.

"I wouldn't say that I don't love Chrom, that I did not want to be someone worthy of his attention or love." The former florist began as she turned her gaze to the cradle beside her where the baby Lucina still slept, though she was now doing so fitfully and was close to crying. It was as if she knew what had happened to her mother. "But I never wanted it to be like this. I never wanted to take anyone's place. To be told that I should have been the mother of the crown princess, that I should have been the Exalt's wife like it was my destined fate." Her words turned bitter at the end.

"Neither did any of us." He affirmed as his gaze softened at her pained words. "But here we are now."

"I know." She said with a weary sigh as she backed away from the cradle, her eyes never straying from it." And I may not be her mother, but promise me you'll keep her safe."

"We will Arianne, I swear." His pommel met another temple, its target collapsing on the ground. "Thank you for caring for her when Robin couldn't."

Gaius sheathed his blade and approached the cradle. The baby was now fully awake, the glowing brand of the Exalt in her left eye caused her tears there to shimmer. Though it had been long since she'd seen him, he knew that she recognized him when she raised her little pudgy arms to reach for him as she gurgled incoherently. "Guh!"

She's sharp, just like her mother. He thought with a smile, reminded of sweet memories that had been embittered over the months. He took her in his arms with the soft blanket that covered her and swaddled her in it. "Hey there Little Light. Remember me? It's Uncle Gaius. I'm going to get you out of here okay? We'll keep you safe."

And he would. They all would.

For Robin.

Lightning heralded the crackle of thunder as the heavens above finally let loose the flood. Though it rained, the fighting on the castle grounds continued. If anything, it became fiercer than ever despite the hazard.

Steel empowered by the yellow moonlight of Luna clashed against steel clad in the blue energy of Pavise, a display of an unstoppable force against an immovable object. The two energies then nullified each other, proving to be a stalemate that frustrated the former's wielder. Nevertheless, Stahl pressed on with his attack, his blade seeking what weaknesses there were in Frederick's armor that was thwarted by said person's large shield.

"Give up Stahl! Cease this foolishness and obey our Exalt!" The heavy spear was avoided with a careful sidestep. One wrong movement and he'd have slipped on the wet stone.

"Over my dead body you murderer! You think I've forgotten what you did!" The brunet shouted as he adjusted his stance, waiting for the next strike even as part of him itched to make the first blow. Shepherds and soldiers alike lost. Friends executed, one deliberately and another by 'accident'.

A thrust of the heavy spear was parried by his shield. Despite the effort, the impact still left him reeling. "I was only preventing traitors from aiding the Fell Dragon!"

Traitors!? The word only fanned the fury raging within and allowed him to ignore the rattle of his bones. "Do you even hear yourself Frederick?! You lead them all to their deaths! You got Cordelia killed, MY WIFE! And for what? Just to spite Robin?!"

Stahl made to slash, only to disengage when a shield threatened to bludgeon his head.

The great knight knew he was at a disadvantage here. He wasn't on his mount, which would have enabled him to generate more than enough force with his Luna skill to bypass the general's defenses. Though he was also faster than him, his opponent had a lot more experience fighting on foot than he did. This was getting him nowhere.

"Shut up and listen! Please!"

Then there was also the fact that the general was not alone, as he was suddenly forced to parry a steel lance with his own shield. The superior reach of Kjelle's weapon prevented him from getting closer at certain times. And to his misfortune, he knew she was also capable of Pavise, countering his Luna.

However, he couldn't give up yet. All of them couldn't.

"You dare betray my mother Virion?! I knew you were not worthy of her devotion!"

Virion was keeping Gerome at bay with timely shots of his arrows, preventing him from mounting for his wyvern Minerva to pursue Sumia and Gaius. But he would run out of arrows eventually, and he wouldn't be able to stop Cherche's son from doing so, even if he tried to close in with his sword.

"Stay still Olivia!/Surrender now Olivia!"

Olivia fought Vaike and Sully with an Elwind tome that Robin had gifted her when she became a Dark Flier. With mighty bursts of wind, it was the only ranged weapon she had that could stalemate with the power that her opponents were capable of. Still, she had to keep moving or they would close in on her, only speed and skill keeping her safe even with such unstable footing.

"Get out of the way!"

Say'ri had to engage both Libra and Lucina in a furious combat of blades. Her Killing Edge sought to literally disarm the blond while her Side Edge parried the flurry of thrusts and slashes from the princess. She was making sure to keep the War Monk away from Chrom and heal him to join the fray. They knew that once he could fight, their little resistance would be defeated immediately.

They were outnumbered. And with the way things were going…outlasted. They knew that their fight was also drawing attention, soldiers. But they couldn't give up, not until Gaius and Sumia could succeed in their mission.

We need a miracle right now. Stahl thought with a grimace on his face as Frederick prepared his own Luna on his heavy spear. One hit with that and he was certain that he'd die.

Suddenly, that skill was forcefully canceled as an armorslayer cleaved the general's weapon in twain. Upon doing so, its wielder quickly slammed the heavy sword's hilt against the man's face, dazing him as well as breaking his nose. The intruder retreated and went by the great knight's side, weapon held at the ready. "Severa! What is the meaning of this?!"

At this, he had to agree with the young girl.

"What does it look like Kjelle?" The twin-tailed mercenary snapped at the dark-haired knight as she prepared to fight her. "I'm helping my mother's husband."

The words she said seemed to have a much deeper effect, one that confused Stahl. "He's not your father Severa!"

The incensed shout of the young knight drew the others' attention, something which was immediately taken advantage of by Robin's allies. Though it grated at them, one of them in particular, they knew they couldn't afford to be honorable with what was on the line. The time for honor was gone, not when their murdered friend was denied of it.

As the albino tactician had once said before, "It was time to tip the scales."

Distracted, Libra found the shorter sword of Say'ri now buried deep enough in his chest to go through the other side before it was twisted and ripped out. Blood dribbled out of the wound and his mouth as he fell to his knees, Killer Axe clattering on the ground as he dropped it. "Ungh, no…"

"Libra!"

The swordmaster would have gone to behead him had it not been for Lucina's Parallel Falchion breaking the woman's main blade with a mighty blow that forced her to leap backwards to avoid certain death. Still, the deed was done, the priest of Naga would bleed out and die. And Chrom would not be able to interfere any sooner.

"Elwind!" Incantation finished, Olivia launched a squall directly at Sully which sent her flying back to a wall. Hitting her head, the redhead paladin slumped. However, the tome reached its limit after such extensive use. Unfortunately, this left the dancer open for retaliation against Vaike.

Devil Axe ready to crack her head open, it was only through the last ditch effort of her son Inigo that prevented it as he tackled the much larger man away. Beside her, the pagasus that she tamed trotted by, wings spread and ready to fly. With a hiss of steel, his blade was drawn as the Warrior got up. "I brought your Pegasus here mother. Get away from here now! I will fight him!"

Nearby the sound of draconian wingbeats came, but the air whistled as four projectiles flew in the rainy air and accurately met its mark.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

"Minerva!"

With a roar of pain, Cherche's old wyvern fell to the ground, the joints of its wings punctured by two arrows each. The damage it sustained was critical and it wouldn't be flying any time soon.

"I'm sorry Gerome." Virion's eyes were teary and yet he held himself firm. His quiver finally empty, he discarded his bow and unsheathed his own sword. "Forgive me for what I'm about to do Cherche."

"I'll kill you!" Silver axe hefted, the usually stoic Wyvern Lord was snarling in rage.

"Not today!" With a dynamic entry (that was somehow a bit subdued than normal), a certain scion finally made his appearance on the battlefield. "I, Owain, shall be your opponent. Virion sir, leave this to me!"

…whoever was listening up there, thank you. Stahl thought graciously as he readied his next (and probably his last) order. "Olivia! Virion! Join Gaius and Sumia! Get out of here! We will hold them off!"

Though they shot him worried looks, they didn't dare argue as they both mounted the dark Pegasus and left the battlefield immediately. Meanwhile Say'ri, Inigo, and Owain quickly engaged their opponents in battle. And that reminded him that he had his own too, as Frederick finally got on his feet with a murderous glare.

"Thanks for helping us Severa."

The twin-tailed hero scoffed as she raised her armorslayer. "Hmph. Fight now. Thank me later."

And with that said, their blades joined the fray as thunder rumbled from above like the wrath of a god.

My responses to the reviews:

The Crowned Reaper: Robin actually said it last chapter. Two to three years before (canon). I can't wait for them to meet too *diabolical laughter*

Qrow454: To be honest, my hands just typed that while thinking from the character's perspective. Kudos to them I guess.

WhiteVolder: I see. Thank you for the review as well.

Seeker: As I've said before, while I can't wait for the inevitable to happen (GAR included), I have to say it technically hasn't been a day yet for the characters. It'll take quite some time.

Kayen1024: I appreciate the support.

SentinelSlice: Sorry to disappoint then. It's not quite lighthearted. Blame my inner Kirei holding the fluff hostage. And yes, I will write lighthearted bonding moments soon. Though there's been lots of hurt so far, I want to write comfort too.

RedRat8: She needs a Shirou. She's holding out for a Shirou 'til the end of the night. Jokes aside, yes.

warrior of six blades: Well, there's no confusion now yes? To be honest, I was surprised I wrote in that part before I shrugged and decided to keep it because of my keikaku. As for Morgana's safe house, I just went wild because I really like secret houses or locations.

Author's Note: I got disheartened at the news that one of my underclassmen in my previous high school died of a tumor last weekend. She was just in Senior High. I can't even go to the funeral because of quarantine.

So, another chapter that took a week even if the circumstances really hit me. At this point I'll just update once a week at the very least.

There's no Shirou and Robin here in this chapter but that's because I really wanted to show what's happening right now in her previous timeline. We'll go back to them in the next one with Morgana in tow.

Don't hesitate to tell me what you thought of this chapter in a review. Love it or Hate it, do tell me for improvement. I hope I was able to entertain you in these trying times.

Till next time, this is Will S. LaVi.

Now Rewritten as of September 13, 2020