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“May we meet again… in a better life…”
“Daddy? Are you ok?”
Chrom blinked, greeted by his young daughter’s worried gaze. “I’m fine, Luci. Just remembering Mummy.” He assured her, patting her head firmly before turning back to his surroundings.
Her last words still haunted his mind, following him wherever he is.
“Come now, Chrom. Wipe that gloomy look of your face.” Lissa cuts in, riding her horse close to Chrom’s. 3-year-old Owain was seated in front of her, giggling as butterflies flew past him. “It’s Lucina’s birthday. We can’t have you sulking on this special day.”
“Aunt Lissa is right, Father.” Morgan speak up, his horse right behind his father’s. “You’ve worked hard trying to find Mother, so let’s all relax today.”
Chrom smiles, knowing his son was right.
Today was Lucina’s fourth birthday, and rather than having an extravagant party at the castle, the little princess asked for a simple picnic party with her family. Chrom was a little surprised by the request but granted her wish.
Frederick was a little worried about allowing the Exalt and his family to leave Ylisstol unguarded, but Chrom reassured him, giving his loyal guard time off so he could spend more time with Sumia, who was heavy with child. Lon’qu was expected to join, but an unexpected letter from Regna Ferox causes him to leave urgently. Lissa was annoyed, but her husband promised to get their niece a gift along the way.
As for the elder Lucina, Chrom last heard that she was exploring Valm with Owain, Severa and Inigo. The four have been close friends even before traveling to the past, so Chrom knows that his oldest was in safe hands. They were probably holding their own celebration together.
Even with a few people missing, the Exalt promises to make this day a memorable one for his daughter.
“This looks like a good spot. Let’s stop here.” Lissa smiled, tugging her horse’s rains.
After sliding off their mounts, Lucina and Owain instantly ran off into the fields, wooden swords in hand. Morgan pulled his hood up and began chasing after them, adopting the role of an evil dragon who devours naughty princes and princesses. The adults were left behind to set up the area.
A large red blanket was set on the grass before Lissa excitedly sets her baskets on it, ready to showcase what she prepared. From one basket she laid out an assortment of cheese, bread, fruits, cured meat and sandwiches. From the other, Lissa revealed the mini cakes and pastries she had baked for the occasion.
Chrom smiled, knowing his sister was in her element. “It’s quite a lot for a 4-year-old, don’t you think?”
“I may have went a little overboard.” Lissa laughed embarrassingly. “But Luci did beg for her favorite strawberry cupcakes, and who am I to deny my favorite niece.”
The Exalt laughed. Now that he thought about it, the elder Lucina also had a fondness for strawberry-flavored desserts, often returning with them after a day of shopping with Robin. Robin herself had quite the sweet tooth, which Chrom found out when Sumia baked her famous pies for the Shepards, and the tactician kept going back for more. Fortunately, there was enough to go around.
Sitting himself down on the blanket, Chrom smiled as he and Lissa watched their children play. Lucina waved her sword around, attempting to save her cousin from the evil dragon.
“Kinda weird being back here, huh?” Lissa sighed, taking in the fresh air.
Chrom nodded solemnly. “Yes…yes, it is.”
They were back. Back at the same field where he, Lissa and Frederick found Robin. The very place where their journey began.
“Robin would have loved it.” Chrom’s words barely came out in a whisper.
Lissa smiled and nodded. “Yes. She would.”
Much has changed since the last time they were here. The grass was taller and greener with clusters of flowers blooming between them, giving the field much needed color and fragrance, especially on this very day.
It has been more than three years since Robin disappeared. More than three years since she sacrificed herself for the sake of the world.
Over the past few years, he focused on rebuilding Ylisse, fully embracing his role as Exalt while raising his youngest child. At the same time, he searched. With every clue he received or could find, Chrom searched for Robin. Remembering Naga’s words, Chrom held on to hope that his wife, his better half, would return.
His friends and comrades have offered to join in the search, but knowing they have lives of their own, Chrom kept their help to a minimum, allowing them to spend time with their families and loved ones. He did not want his own selfish desires to interfere with their personal lives.
“How long, Chrom?” Lissa finally asked. “How long more are going to search for her?”
Chrom turned to his sister as she continued. “It’s been 3 years and whatever information we got led us nowhere. I know Naga said there is a possibility of her coming back, but what if it takes decades, centuries, a millennium? What then?”
“She will return. I know of it.” The Exalt answered confidently, shifting his gaze towards the sky. “Naga said that if our bonds are strong enough, Robin would return, and her words never failed.”
“Chrom…”
“I can’t give up now, Lissa. I know she’s out there somewhere. Even if it takes me another 3 or 30 years, I’ll keep looking for her.”
The princess sighed, knowing how stubborn her brother could be. “Reasoning with you is so difficult. It’s like I’m talking to a wall.”
Ignoring Lissa’s remark, Chrom spoke once more. “Until that time comes, I’ll continue keeping Robin’s memory alive. Not just for myself, but for Luci and the people of Ylisse, so that they know how much they mean to her.”
Lissa stared at her brother, realizing why Chrom chose this very field.
Despite the bittersweet memories it holds, it carried memories of Robin. Hanging her portraits around the castle, his bedtime stories, it was more than just showing little Lucina what her mother was like. Chrom wanted to share that memory with her, ensuring that the love he has for her mother carries on to her.
Suddenly, said little princess came running into Chrom from behind, hugging him from behind. Owain followed, hiding behind his mother. “Daddy, please save me! The dragon is about to get us!” Lucina said dramatically as her cousin giggled.
“Come here, little girl~” Morgan laughs sinisterly, stomping towards the picnic area.
Chrom stands up, putting on a gallant act. “Well, seems like this dragon is hungry. Instead of princes and princesses, how about some of Aunt Lissa’s roast beef sandwiches for you, Mr. Evil Dragon?”
Morgan quickly lowered his hood, clear excitement in his eyes. “Oh, that sounds great!”
“The great king has tamed the dragon!” Owain announced, holding his wooden sword up. “Three cheers for King Uncle Chrom!”
“Yay!!!” Lucina cheered.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough fun for now, you three. Time to eat.” Lissa motioned them to sit down. “Now, who wants my famous cheese rolls?”
“ME!”
-0-
“Come on, Luci! Race me!” Owain tugged his cousin’s arm, attempting to pull her up.
“Wait, Owain. I’m almost done with this.” Lucina pulled her hand away, returning to her task.
She listened attentively as Morgan explained how to connect the ends of her flower crown, delicately placing his own on top of her head, making her giggle. She quickly returns to finish her own, proud of her colorful creation.
“Ah, that looks great, Luci!” Lissa clapped. “Who is that for?”
“For Daddy, of course!” Lucina stood up, placing the flower crown on top of Chrom’s head. “Now, I crown you King of the Flowers.”
The Exalt smiles, tapping his daughter’s nose. “Guess that means you’re princess of the flowers?”
“Yes.”
“Come on Luci, race me!” Owain begged, tugging her hand once more.
“Alright, I’m coming.” Lucina stood up. Freeing herself from her cousin’s grip, she turned and pointed at the large tree in the field. “First one to run to that tree, touch it and run back here wins, ok?”
“Ok, go!” Owain dashed ahead, giving himself a headstart.
“Hey no fair!”
Morgan and Chrom laughed as Lucina chased after Owain, her flower crown flying off her head. Despite her attempts to close the gap between them, the younger boy was just too far ahead. He turned around several times, making weird faces at his cousin, further fueling Lucina’s competitive edge. Chrom smiled at the sight, remembering his and Lissa’s younger days when they did the same.
“Hey, be careful!” Lissa warned loudly before breaking into a smile of her own.
“I remember Lucina, Owain and I use to play around like that.” Morgan reminisced. “Mother would always scold us for sneaking out of the castle and getting ourselves dirty.”
Chrom smiled, looking at his young son. After Grima’s defeat, most of Morgan’s lost memories slowly came back to him. Unlike his older sister, he relishes telling Chrom about his childhood.
From what the Exalt gathered, the Robin and Chrom of the fallen timeline were more protective of their children, only allowing them to play within the castle walls. Not much of a surprise considering tensions between Plegia and Valm were not completely settled, and the eventual doom they faced at the hands of the Fell Dragon.
But in this life, things were different.
Now, their children can run through wide open fields, innocently basking in the peace and security their parents fought so hard for. For years, Chrom did not understand Robin’s choice to sacrifice herself. But as he watches their daughter running around with that ever-constant smile on her face, he now does.
This was the future she and Emmeryn wanted. A future unburdened by looming threats. A future where their descendants can live freely. All of these was possible because of an amnesiac tactician the Exalt found lying in the fields.
Robin…if only you could see this right now… Chrom smiled sadly.
“AHHHH!!!”
Chrom’s body tensed as the loud scream assaulted his ears. Morgan and Lissa immediately stood up, the latter greeted by the sight of her son running towards her at full speed. He hugged his mother tightly, tear-stained face pressed into Lissa’s skirt. Lucina came tailing behind, confused by her cousin’s reaction.
“Owain, what’s wrong?” Lissa asked worriedly.
“I saw… I saw a ghost!” The boy cried, pointing towards the tree. “There’s a ghost sleeping beneath the tree.”
“Owain, don’t be silly.” Lucina sighed. “Ghosts aren’t real.”
The young prince shook his head. “No, it’s a ghost. It had white hair and was wearing white. It’s a ghost.”
White hair… Could it be… Chrom stood up, his heart almost skipped a beat. Owain’s description was vague, but there was a possibility.
“Luci, did you see what Owain saw?” He turned to his daughter, hoping for more information.
The little princess shook her head. “I didn’t see anything.”
The Exalt stared at his sister and son, an air of hopefulness in his eyes. This was all too convenient to be a simple coincidence. Morgan nodded back, believing the same thing. Lissa looked more skeptical but was ready to support her brother and whatever decision he made next.
“Luci, Owain, stay here with Morgan.” Chrom instructed. “Lissa and I will go and investigate.”
“Daddy, is everything ok?” Lucina asked nervously, sensing the sudden tension between the adults.
“No need to worry, Luci.” Her father assured her, cupping her cheek. “Be a good girl and stay here, ok?”
“Ok…”
“Be careful, Mummy.” Owain said, now hiding behind Morgan’s leg.
“Don’t worry, Mummy will be back.” Lissa smiled. “So be a brave little boy for me.”
“I will…”
Without wasting any more time, Chrom and Lissa made their way towards said tree. They walked slowly, hearts beating hard against their chest, the wave of déjà vu ripple through them. The grass parting with ease, making the trek much easier.
However, with each step, Chrom grew even more nervous. He only had Owain’s vague description to go by and there are plenty of other people in the world with white hair. Chrom knew he had to keep his hopes low or he would set himself up for more disappointment.
However, a part of him prayed for the best outcome.
Once they were close enough, Lissa immediately spotted a faint silhouette in the grass. “Chrom, look.”
Shifting his attention towards the base of the tree, Chrom gasps. There it was, the white hair Owain described, shining brightly through the blades of grass. The same brilliant shade of silver his wife possessed.
“Chrom, wait up!”
The Exalt rushed ahead. His heart was beating so fast he could barely hear Lissa calling out for him.
It was her. It had to be.
Finally, Chrom came to a stop. A lough exhale escaped him, growing into a wide smile. Lissa soon joined him, irritated by her brother leaving her behind. But once she came face to face with the figure lying motionlessly in front of them, she understood why.
“Robin.”
The royal siblings calmly walked towards her, observing her carefully. Instead of her tactician’s clothing, Robin was in a simple white dress. Her long hair spilled down her shoulders, free from the braids and ponytails she usually wore. Most noticeably, the mark of Grima was gone, severing her ties to the dreaded dragon.
It was Robin. She was back.
-0-
“Chrom, we have to do something.”
“What do you propose we do?’
“I…I don’t know…”
Wha…What’s happening?
Robin stirred from her sleep, feeling a sense of déjà vu from the familiar voices. As she opened her eyes, the outlines of Chrom and Lissa came to full view. For a moment, the tactician thought that she had been sent back in time. Back to when her journey began. But this time, things felt different.
Lissa has matured beyond her early years, and rather than curiosity and amusement, the royal siblings stared at her with relief and happiness. Happy to see her again. Remembering Naga’s words, Robin finally understood.
“I see you’re awake now.” Chrom spoke, recreating their first moment together.
“Hey there…” Lissa followed with a smile.
“Chrom… Lissa…”
Robin’s voice came out coarse as she whispered her loved ones’ names in disbelief. She was back. Fate has brought her back.
“There are better places to take a nap than on the ground you know…” Chrom said with a glint of mischievousness, making his wife smile. He reaches his hand out for her, offering it the same way he did all those years ago. “Give me your hand.”
Robin slips her hand to her husband’s, relieved by the absence of the Mark of Grima. With one single tug, Chrom pulled her up and into his loving embrace. Tears welled from her eyes as the Exalt held her tightly, savoring his wife’s warmth.
His years of searching and hoping had not been in vain.
“Welcome back, my love. It’s over now.”
“Chrom…”
The Exalt leans down, capturing Robin’s lips with his. The tactician returns her husband’s kiss with much enthusiasm, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. They soon pulled away, Chrom tenderly wiping the tears off her face as his blue eyes started into hers. Robin leaned into his touch, feeling another wave of tears about to flow from her eyes.
“Robin! You’re back!” Lissa cried, pulling Chrom away so she could hug her sister-in-law.
“I missed you too, Lis.” Robin smiled. “Look at you. All grown up.”
The princess laughed bashfully. “Well, it has been 3 years. Lon’qu and I married not long after the war and had little Owain. He’s been keeping me busy since.”
“3 years?” Robin repeated, turning to Chrom for confirmation. “But that mean…”
“Daddy, who’s that?”
The three adults turned to the source of the sweet but nervous voice. Robin’s eyes widened when she noticed her son with two younger children, her gaze falling onto the little girl with cobalt blue hair.
“Lucina…” Robin whispered her daughter’s name, in awe by how much she has grown.
The little princess hid behind her brother’s leg, only taking small peaks at woman. Owain on the other hand looked frightened by Robin’s presence. However, their current source of security was destroyed when Morgan ran straight to his mother.
“Mother, you're back!” He hugged Robin tightly, weeping uncontrollably. “I missed you!”
“Morgan...” The tactician held her son, noticing how tall he had grown. She cupped his cheek, looking at him apologetically. “Sorry. Sorry you and Lucina had to lose me again.”
Morgan shook his head. “It’s fine, you did what you had to do. I knew you would return to us.”
Robin smiled before turning to Chrom. Lucina was now by his side, holding her father’s hand. She stared back at her mother with wide eyes, not knowing how to react. Robin kneeled down, hand reaching out for her daughter. Lucina turned to her father, earning a reassuring nod from Chrom.
“Go ahead, Luci.”
After hesitating for a bit, Lucina finally grabbed her hand, much to Robin’s relief. “Hi Luci. It’s so good to see you again.” The tactician smiled at her warmly, running her fingers through Lucina’s hair. “You…you're now so big.”
“M-Mummy?”
Hearing her daughter call her for the first time, tears filled Robin’s eyes. “Yes. Yes, it’s me, Luci. It’s Mummy.”
Joy filled the little girl’s heart as she fully registered the woman’s identity. She closes the gap between her and Robin, wrapping her tiny arms around her mother’s neck.
The tactician smiled, hugging her daughter tightly, comforting her as she cried into her shoulder. All her fears of Lucina not recognizing her as her mother quickly melted away, replaced with pure adoration for her little girl.
“Mummy, it’s really you!” She cried between sobs. “Please…please don’t leave me and Daddy again!”
“I won’t.” Robin assured her, planting a kiss on Lucina’s forehead, like she did when she was a baby. “I’ll never leave you ever again, my little light.”
Chrom smiled, watching his queen and daughter finally reunite. He soon joins them, sandwiching Lucina between himself and Robin, making the little princess giggle. Lissa and Morgan laughed at the sight, basking in the little family reunion. It was what they deserved after being apart for so long.
“So… the ghost is Luci’s mother? Aunt Robin?” Owain asked his mother.
“Yes, Owain.” Lissa answered, holding her son in her arms. “Your aunt Robin has returned.”
“And right on time, too.” Morgan added cheerfully. “Right Luci?”
Lucina nodded enthusiastically. “Today is the best birthday every!”
Birthday? Robin pulled away from her family’s embrace, looking at her daughter. “Today’s your birthday, Luci?”
“Yep! And I think there is only one strawberry cupcake left!” The little princess grabbed her mother’s hand, pulling her towards the picnic’s direction. “Let’s go, Mummy!”
Noticing his wife’s shaky legs, Chrom quickly stopped his daughter from dragging her away. “Hold on, young lady. Your mother needs more time to get used to walking again. You go ahead with Aunt Lissa. I’ll stay with her.”
Lucina stared at her father, refusing to leave. Morgan soon stepped in, whispering into his sister’s ear. Chrom could not hear what his son said, but based on the cheeky smirk Morgan had, the Exalt had a few ideas.
Once he pulled away, Lucina looked at Chrom with wide-eyed innocence. “I understand. You want to spend more time with Mummy. I’ll wait for you.”
“That’s my smart girl.” Chrom praised, watching as his daughter ran off.
Lissa and Morgan tailed after her, the latter pulling his hood back up before chasing his sister once again. Chrom held Robin close as she smiled bittersweetly, watching their family happily play in the fields.
“I’m sorry…”
“Huh?” The Exalt turned to his wife.
“Sorry for leaving you alone.” Robin apologized, new tears streaming down her cheeks. “I…”
“Robin, you don’t have to explain.” Chrom shook his head, leaning his forehead against his wife’s. “I understand why you did what you did. It took a while, but I really do.”
“Still, I broke our promise, Chrom.” Robin sobbed, her words weighed with sadness. “I left you when you needed me the most.”
Though she did not regret her decision, the tactician knww her actions have caused immense hurt and betrayal between her and Chrom. “I missed so much with you and Lucina. I left you to deal with the aftermath alone. I hurt you…”
“Love, listen to me.” The Exalt spoke gently, laying soft kissing on Robin’s fingers. “Yes, I was angry. Every day, my heart aches for you. But look Robin.”
Chrom shifted his gaze towards their family once more, loving each new sight. “Look at our daughter. How happy everyone is.”
Robin watched as Morgan and little Lucina played, all smiles on their faces. Their vibrant and carefree laughter filled the air, making the tactician smile. This was it. This was the peace Emmeryn wanted, the future Lucina and her friends fought so hard for.
This was the world she and Chrom promised to build, and they have done it.
“This would not have been possible without you.” Chrom spoke, tugging her hair behind her ear. “So, let’s stop dwelling on the past. Let us move forward and enjoy this newfound peace together.”
As she stared into her husband’s loving blue eyes, Robin takes in a deep breath, the scent of flowers and Chrom’s natural musk calming her nerves. Only now did she notice how much older he looked from their last time together. There was so much she needed to catch up on, but at least now, she would be able to see her daughter grow up, experience each of her milestones. She could grow old with her husband.
Chrom was right. They have all the time in the world now.
“Just, promise me one thing.” The Exalt adds, wrapping his trembling arms around Robin’s waist.
“Anything.”
“Promise that you’ll stick by my side this time. Promise you will never leave us again. Whatever troubles we might face in the future, promise we will get through them. Together.”
Robin brushed her fingers across her husband’s cheeks, leaning into his warmth. She already had her answer.
“I promise.”
As the afternoon sun shined above them, Chrom leans towards Robin once more, sealing his lips with hers. His beautiful wife, the love of his life, melted into his touch, returning his sweet kisses with the same level of passion after what felt like an eternity.
Through each action, Chrom showed how much he yearned for his wife. He refused to let her go, fearing that once he opened his eyes, Robin would be gone, and this was just another dream. When he finally did, Chrom relaxes, a bright smile blooming across the Exalt’s face.
His darling wife was still here. She was real, and back home.
“I love you, my Queen.”
“And I love you, my dear Chrom.”