Invisible Ties | Fire Emblem Awakening (Novelization)

Chapter 7: Journey to the Unknown

Robin

The next morning I awoke with a headache, which reminded me of when I'd first woken up and laid eyes on Chrom. Unfortunately, he wasn't standing over me this morning.

I could hear the Shepherds gathering in the main living space, so I hurriedly got ready and joined them. I was the last to arrive, and we wasted no time climbing the stairs out of the garrison and making our way to the dining hall. Stahl was once again complaining about his hunger, and his face lit up when we got close enough to smell the food.

Upon entering the dining hall, we queued for our meals again and sat down with the royal family. This time, I was opposite Chrom and sandwiched between Sumia and Lissa. They exchanged a glance as soon as I took my seat, then launched themselves into telling several stories involving Chrom and training accidents. The embarrassed looks that he kept sending my way did nothing to help the situation.

"Remember when we had a training session on a mission and he knocked Miriel's tent down?" Sumia asked. She was talking to Lissa but grinning at me.

"That was so funny!" Lissa said. "What about when he smashed all those pots of flowers in the castle grounds?"

"The best time was when he tore the fabric of the supply tent open and we had to relocate everything."

"No, what about the time when he almost knocked that tree down?"

"I did not knock a tree down anywhere," Chrom interrupted, upon receiving alarmed looks from Harvey and Phila. "I hardly even dented it."

"You almost cut through the entire trunk."

A faint blush was beginning to rise on Chrom's cheeks.

"Do you cause destruction every time you train the Shepherds?" I asked playfully.

"Yes, he does," Lissa said. "He breaks everything around him."

"I do not," Chrom retorted. "You haven't been part of the Shepherds long enough to draw that conclusion."

"One training session with you is enough to see how destructive you can be."

"He's always been like that," Emmeryn said, smiling across at her brother.

"Emm!"

"Well," Lissa said, "maybe you and Robin should have a private training session, and then you can show her –"

"What in Naga's name," Frederick said, "is that?"

I froze in the action of reaching for my glass. Frederick was staring at my right hand.

The chatter around the table died down as every pair of eyes turned to me – and, consequently, the brand on my skin. I swallowed nervously. "I...uh...I don't know."

For a moment, I couldn't look at anyone – not even Chrom. I just felt too awkward with so many people staring at me. It must have appeared extra suspicious, because when I eventually risked a glance upwards, Frederick was looking as if he would take great pleasure in ripping me from limb to limb right there. Perhaps he thought it was the brand of some secret group of assassins.

"We were looking at it last night," Stahl piped up, cramming more muffins into his mouth than should have been physically possible. "I've never seen anything like it before."

Everyone else around our table was equally as clueless, but they were staring at it with so much inquisition (or suspicion, in the case of Frederick) that I felt even more self-conscious. When they finally started to look away, I took my hand back and slid it under the table, leaving my drink untouched. I made certain to only use my left hand for the rest of the meal.