Title: Robcina Week Day 3 - Sorrow

Description: For two years she had the same dream. Relived it again and again. Forced to experience the worst day of her life every time she fell asleep

Words: 1525

Nothingness. A void of mist. For a moment it was calm, but then sensations began to cut through the nothing. Sounds of battle, the roar of blades and spells. The beating of wings and the rush of wind. Lucina knew this place. She visited it every night. Without end, it always come

Like figures wreathed in smoke, the scene took shape from the fog. Gray visions she had seen before, time and time again. She knew the script, it never changed. Yet she was helpless, trapped in that moment, shackled to her lines. Nothing she could say or do ever changed it. She could only watch, experience every terrible moment as if for the first time. Helpless. A prisoner to painful memory.

She was on Grima's back, in those final moments where the battle was won and the future saved. The past again rushing to meet it's inevitable conclusion.

"Now, Robin! This is our chance! I'm going to finish it!" Chrom shouted, lifting Falchion to strike.

"...NNGH...AAAAUGHHH…" Grima roared as he reeled back, smoking from the many wounds Chrom, Robin, and Lucina herself had dealt him. He was helpless, wide open for the final blow.

For a moment Lucina felt her chest swell with hope. Now was it, they could defeat Grima, seal him away and end this madness! They could finally-

Then Robin stepped forward, moving between Chrom and Grima before anyone could react. In an instant Lucina knew something was wrong. What was he doing?! Why? Robin, let father do this, she thought in that instant. Then panic seized her heart as she realized his intentions. What he was about to do.

"...Robin?! Wait, what—" Lucina heard her father try to say.

She too began to shout, to demand what he was doing, to plead for him to stop. She tried to speak, crying out his name. "Robin?!"

Only it was too late. Before she or her father could say anything more, Robin half turned, swiping his hand towards them. A gust of wind rushed into them, knocking the two from their feet and forcing them to scramble for a hand-hold. The blast itself wasn't powerful, but with the already fearsome gale that tore over the Fell Dragon as it flew, it was enough. Enough to make sure they could not reach him in time.

"WHAT...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Grima demanded, hunched over his pain, the wounds Falchion had dealt him seeping inky darkness that dripped like blood.

Robin turned back to face him, his mirror self, the being he could have been. He raised a hand, conjuring crackling purple lightning, a match for Grima's own darkness. Lucina tried to again speak, only for Robin to continue, his attention fully on the Fell Dragon now.

"For once, I'm glad you and I are the same," he told Grima, his expression one of resolve. "Now I can give my life to protect those I care for…"

"...YOU WOULD...NOT DARE!" Grima demanded, no, pleaded. For the first time, the Fell Dragon sounded afraid.

"I would and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable... In some way, I—we share the blame. It's only right we meet our end together!"

"Robin! Please, stop! Don't-" Lucina screamed.

But it was too late. Robin's hand fell, launching the orb of fell magic straight into his dark mirrored self.

"NOOOOOOO!" the scream reverberated and shook through the dragon. The shadow wreathed form of Grima flickered, and burst into smoke and spewing light, then it too faded, leaving nothing in its wake.

For a moment time seemed to stand still. No one moved. No one spoke. No one even breathed.

Then Robin looked down at his hands. His whole body seemed to flicker, becoming translucent before his and everyone's eyes. Motes of light began to drift from him, each one seeming to take a small bit of himself with it. Slowly he turned back to look at them, his expression, before one of steely resolve, was now softened to a gentle, sad smile.

"Robin! No!" Chrom screamed.

"Robin!" Lucina pleaded, feeling the words tearing through her as though her heart was being ripped away with them. She scrambled to her feet, her father doing the same. They rushed towards him, trying to reach him before he could fade completely. "Please, don't. Don't leave me…"

"Thank you, Chrom. For...everything…" Robin said, regarding first Chrom with that sad look. The flickering became more pronounced, his form becoming more translucent as more and more trailing motes of light drifted from him. Then, even as he began to dissolve, scattering like smoke, he turned his eyes to Lucina next, carrying with them now a deep, sad longing. A longing for the life the two knew they would no longer share together. "Lucina… please… as I said before, on that field… promise me you won't be alone… All I ever wanted was for you to be happy…"

"I-I…" Lucina shook her head. She couldn't do it. She couldn't make that promise. How could she ever? How could she ever be happy without him?

Robin's sad expression deepened, though it remained gentle and calm. Even now reading her expression and knowing what she was thinking. He could always tell. She could never hide anything from him.

Lucina reached out, trying to gasp his hand. Hoping against hope somehow she could stop this, to make him stay, to not leave her like this!

Robin seemed to hesitate a moment, then slowly extended a hand. For but a moment her fingers brushed against his, their hands squeezing tight. Then she felt nothing, her hand passing through his as if it was not longer there, her arm falling limp as he pulled away.

More of his body drifted away, his form consumed by glittering light that danced into nothingness. The last she saw of him was his face, smiling sadly with his final words. "Tell the others.. Tell Morgan….my last thoughts were of them... May we meet again, in a better life…"

Then he was gone. Like dust in the wind.

"ROBIN!" Lucina screamed, she fell to her knees, the world crumbling around her. She was falling, falling… darkness rushing up to meet her. She almost welcomed it. Rather welcome the nothingness than to go on alone without him.

Then blackness claimed her, the only sensation remaining the aching wound that had been her heart.

. . . . .

The first thing Lucina was aware of when she woke was that she'd been crying. She could feel the tears, cold and wet against her face. She ran her hands over her eyes, wiping away the wetness, her fingers coming away silver where the pale moonlight caught tear-stained hands. It was still dark, morning still so far away.

Lucina shuddered, choking back a sob. She didn't want to go back to sleep, knowing what would great her. That dream. That same dream. Every night she relived it. Every night for almost two years, she relived watching the moment when Robin, her husband, the only man she'd ever truly love, vanish before her eyes. To relive the pain, the loss, the loneliness, again and again…

She rolled over, curling into a ball beneath her covers. Her chest tightened in a long aching pang as she was reminded just how empty the bed felt, far too big for just one person. Reminded how cold the nights felt. Reminded how lonely she truly was…

Let the dawn come… I can't bear to remember again… not so soon… Lucina pleaded silently, not knowing or caring if anyone or anything was listening to the prayer. Tomorrow will be…

She remembered then. Remembered what day would come with the dawn. What that sunrise would bring.

Tomorrow was the anniversary of Robin's sacrifice. Two years to the very day. Two years… two years of loneliness and sorrow.

This time Lucina could not stifle the choking cry that came forth. Wracked by sobs, she buried her face in her pillow, not wanting to wake anyone with her crying.

Not that many were there to be disturbed by her tears, for most of her family had already departed in searching for Robin as they often did to no avail. She'd joined them every time for the first year… but now…

Now she knew truly that her heart could not bear the disappointment as every effort came to sorrow. For every time, hope had only turned to sorrow.

She wished she could take it all back. Everything. Her old desire to save the world at any cost, her willingness to sacrifice anything for it. For now she knew. For even if she hadn't wished it in the end, she knew the agony of that very cost. She didn't want it anymore. She just wanted Robin back. More than anything.

So she cried, afraid to relive her pain and loss and dreading the fresh emptiness the dawn would bring.

She's gotten everything she'd wanted. The world was saved, at peace. A brighter future for her younger self and family, free of Grima's darkness. She'd gotten everything she'd thought wanted, and it had brought nothing but sorrow.