Robin
We spent the rest of the day marching down to the Feroxi-Plegia border, and our messenger returned to us just as we were about to retire to our tents. The King of Plegia had agreed to meet with us, and although his choice of venue – Carrion Isle – did not sound promising, we went at first light.
It was near the border, and so we managed to arrive just as the sun was starting to sink towards the horizon again. We stopped at the end of a long bridge that led to our meeting place, and Chrom, Frederick, Sumia, and I dismounted our horses and pegasi. We left our steads on the mainland with the Shepherds, khans, and Feroxi army, and crossed by ourselves. We didn't want to appear too threatening, especially with the given history.
Carrion Isle seemed to hold nothing but a small castle nestled in a vast forest. It used the sea like a moat, and two large doors stood open for us at the other end of the bridge. Once we had passed through them, we followed a winding pathway among the trees until we reached the castle.
What the building lacked in size it made up for in gruesome architecture. Perhaps it was merely the fading light, but the stonework was not the customary Plegian sandy colour or grey like the castles of Regna Ferox. It was obsidian. Huge, roaring gargoyles in the shape of dragons were carved into every edge, and each of them had six eyes.
The doors to the castle were thrown open before we reached them, and we were shown into a dark and windowless hall by two Plegian servants. Only a few torches on the walls gave the room any light, and even then it was barely enough to see. A feeling of unease settled over us, and we all drew closer together.
Eventually, we heard a door creaking open at the far end of the room. My hand strayed towards my tome instinctively, and I was so tense that I jumped when the door slammed again. Chrom shifted away from me until there was enough space to safely draw a sword. His eyes, hooded by the darkness, hardened into a glare as he gave me one last look. This was a bad idea.
Heeled boots clicked halfway across the stone floor, then paused. One of the torches was lifted from the walls, and it danced across the darkness until it lit up a familiar face framed by pale pink hair. Gangrel's right-hand woman gave us a sickly sweet smile and then continued to saunter across the room. "Greetings, Prince Chrom. Plegia welcomes you."
"Aversa!" Chrom exclaimed.
Click, click, click. "What can I say? It seems fate has designs for me yet."
"You serve the new king, then?" Chrom asked. "This...Validar?"
Aversa halted in front of us, positioning the torch so that it was under her chin. It gave her face an eerie glow. "I do."
"They say he worships Grima." Frederick frowned.
"Why yes, of course he is Grimleal. We are both believers. My liege often says it was his faith that got him through, after Gangrel's passing." She shook her head and forced the corners of her mouth down. "It was a difficult time, but he kept order where there might have been chaos. We had meant to arrange an official visit to Ylisstol, but – ah, here is my lord now."
The unknown door had started to creak open again, and now it slammed shut once more. The King of Plegia did not wear heeled shoes and did not stop to carry a torch, so it was impossible to know where he was until he stepped into Aversa's light.
He was a distinctive-looking man. His hair was swept away from his face as if he was standing in a permanent gust of wind, revealing slanted, blood red eyes. A thin beard sprouted from the end of his pointed chin and stretched down to the neck of his sorcerer's robes.
Someone gasped. It might have been me.
It was the sorcerer I'd killed to save Emmeryn; the man who'd appeared in my only waking vision. How could he be standing before us now?
Only I had got a proper look at him the night of the attempted assassination, so the others were unfazed. But King Validar smiled wickedly when his eyes fell upon me, just like he had done the first time I'd met him.
A flash of pain shot through my head, and I clutched Chrom's arm to steady myself. As soon as I touched him, it left again. Blushing, I let go so that he could greet the King of plegia, but he hesitated, watching me with concern.
I tried a smile to let him know that I was fine, though I felt shaken to the core. Chrom stared at me for a moment longer and then stepped forwards.
Validar smiled. "An honour to finally meet you, sire. I am Validar, King Regnant of Plegia."
"The honour is mine, good king," Chrom said.
Validar's eyes slid to me, and he smiled with barely-concealed delight. "And you must be Princess Robin."
I felt sick beneath his gaze. "You know of me, sire?"
"The whole world knows of Ylisse's master tactician! And indeed, I see the sparkle of wisdom in your eyes."
He stepped back so that he was alongside Aversa, and Chrom took the cue to return to me. Memories seemed to be on the brink of revealing themselves to me as we stared at our hosts. Then they slipped away again.
Chrom took my hand and ran his eyes over my face, still looking worried.
"Anyway, to business," Validar said. "Plegia can offer no soldiers, but we will provide eight hundred warships and two hundred transports. In addition, we would be pleased to fully fund the campaign against Valm."
"That is surprisingly generous of you, milord," Frederick said, looking torn as to whether he should be suspicious or grateful. "We could not ask for more, quite literally. You offer almost all of your assets."
"I would give troops as well, but our army remains in shambles from the last war. I trust the gold and ships will suffice as a sign of our commitment to the cause?"
"Of course it will," Chrom said. "Thank you, King Validar."
"The honour is ours, my prince." He flashed another wicked smile. "I look forward to building a strong bond between our two nations."
"As do I." Chrom's hand tightened around mine, and he glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "Then, if there's nothing else? We must hurry back to camp before it grows dark."
"Actually," Aversa said, "I have one more introduction to make."
Confusion crossed Chrom's face. "And who would that be?"
"A hierophant," Validar said. "The highest of her order in all of Plegia." He beckoned someone into the room.
This time, I didn't hear the door open or close, or even the sound of footsteps. A hooded figure suddenly stepped out of the shadows next to the King of Plegia, their features hidden by their cowl.
My fear and anticipation heightened as I stared at them, and even the others seemed to sense it again at last. Frederick and Sumia inched closer to us, and Chrom pulled me against his side.
We stood in silence, waiting for someone to say something. Then the temperature dropped from unbearable Plegia heat to Feroxi cold, and a very familiar voice came from inside the hood. "The heart still sleeps, but the blood flows through it. And the blood is strong."
It sounded just like mine.
Frederick and Sumia exchanged confused looks. Then the knight cleared his throat. "Good hierophant, I would ask that you lower your cowl. In Ylisse, it is a courtesy expected of one in the presence of royalty."
"You are a long way from Ylisse, sir. But very well."
Two pale hands, one branded with a pink mark of six eyes, snaked up to the hood and lowered it. My blood froze in my veins.
I was looking at myself.
"By the gods! What manner of sorcery is this?" Chrom demanded, his face like thunder.
"My name is Robin," my doppelganger said. Her brown eyes were cold and hard, focused unwaveringly on me. "Oh, and that was your name as well, wasn't it? What a strange coincidence."
I tightened my grip on Chrom's hand as my head began to ache again. Ghostly visions drifted across my eyes, overlaying the real world like a piece of tracing paper.
"That is rather curious, now that you mention it," Validar said. "What are the odds? In any case, I believe we are finished here. We will let you be on your –"
"Hold just one moment!" Chrom growled. His free hand clenched around the hilt of Falchion as if he was about to tear it out.
"Your Grace?" Aversa said.
"What is the meaning of this? Why do your hierophant and Robin –"
"I'm afraid we have no time for such trivial matters now, Your Grace." Aversa waved a hand dismissively. "We have preparations to attend to, and you have a long journey ahead. Do be careful when you set up camp tonight. At this time of year, the island can be quite treacherous. Have a safe journey to Valm. Your ships will be waiting for you at Port Ferox."
She, Validar, and my doppelganger turned on their heels and left swiftly, fading into the darkness. The Plegian servants stepped forwards from the shadows, and Chrom wrapped his arm around my waist as we were led outside.
We didn't talk until we were just within the mouth of the forest. Then we halted, and I leaned heavily against Chrom's side.
"I killed him." I closed my eyes in the hope that it would make everything clearer to me. "I killed Validar during the assassination attempt on Emmeryn. He's supposed to be dead."
"Well, he isn't," Chrom said, squeezing my shoulder. I opened my eyes, and he gave me a tight smile. "And he's dabbling in some strange sorcery, too. For now, there is nothing that we can do about it. Flavia and Basilio should have set up camp, and we need to get back to them before night falls completely. I don't fancy staying here."
We walked back to the mainland, a difficult task for me when my legs were shaking so badly. I gripped Chrom's hand so tightly I was surprised that I didn't crush it, and he kept his arm around me for support. My headache receded with every step away from the castle, but it didn't make thinking any easier.
We reached camp just as the last of the light was fading, and I let Chrom explain what had happened. Then I avoided everyone for the rest of the evening and retired to bed when no one was watching. Eventually, Chrom located me, curled up in a ball beneath our blankets.
***
My headache came back in the early hours of the morning, tearing me from my sleep. As soon as I opened my eyes, the tent walls seemed like they were closing in on me. I had to get out.
One look at Chrom's peaceful face made me decide not to wake him, so I dressed and left alone. Hopefully, a walk around the border of camp would soothe me.
I had almost reached the starting point for my circuit when the ache in my head suddenly exploded into a stabbing pain. I halted, gasping as I lifted my hands to my temples.
"Robin..." a distant voice murmured. "Heed me, Robin...Heed my call, Robin..."
I glanced around. No one was there.
Gods, this is a new depth to my insanity.
I turned to go back, but another wave of pain crashed through my head. I cried out, doubling over and almost falling to my knees.
When I looked back up, Validar was in front of me.
He was floating, his form translucent and flickering as if he was a ghost. I yelped in surprise and stumbled backwards.
He laughed. "Why do you close your heart to him, Robin? Have you truly forgotten?"
"Get out of my head!" I cried, my voice wavering as I fought not to give in to the pain.
"Such arrogance! You dare to take such a tone with your own father?"
The information fell into place in my mind like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle. I gasped, tightening my grip on my temples. "My...what?"
Mother, dead. Father, unknown.
"You are of my flesh, but of sacred blood," Validar said. "You are to serve a glorious purpose! Search deep in your heart. You already know it is your destiny."
"No." The pain was starting to make me dizzy. I staggered. "Get...out..."
"Why do you resist us, Robin? Your rightful place is at my side, not wasting your time with these doomed servants of Naga!" He stepped forward, one hand stretched towards me.
The world span. Darkness seeped into the edges of my vision. I began to fall.
"Robin!"
Strong arms caught me just as my knees gave in, and I stumbled into Chrom's chest. The real solidity of him seemed to break Validar's hold over me, and the pain receded. When my vision cleared, I saw that he had vanished.
"Robin!" Chrom peered into my eyes with concern. "Are you all right? I heard shouting."
I groaned in reply.
He wrapped his arms around my waist so that he was holding me steady and leant his forehead against mine. "What happened?"
I closed my eyes. "I-I'm sorry. My head was hurting. I didn't want to wake you. I thought I'd just go for a walk. Then King Validar, he...he spoke to me in my mind. He said I was his daughter."
Chrom stiffened and lifted his head. "What? Is this true?"
"I don't know. But I also don't know if it's a lie." I opened my eyes. "Loath as I am to say it, I felt a strange connection between us."
"Gods. That hierophant doppelganger...could she be his daughter, too? Are you twins?"
"I-I'm sorry, Chrom." I shook my head with a wince. "I can't remember. But if I'm being honest, it would explain much. I'm not certain I want to know the truth of my past anymore."
He lifted his gaze over my head, his eyes distant with thought. Then he offered me a small smile. "It doesn't matter to me. You are yourself before you are any man's daughter. Remember that." He drew away so that we were side by side. "Now, enough midnight adventures. Next time, wake me. We'll fetch Lissa for your head, and then we'll get some more sleep before the sun comes up. Can you walk?"
I wrapped my arm around his waist. "I think so."
He watched me as I took my first, shaky step. I looked down at my feet. It was the sound of heavy footfalls that made us both look up, and my heart sank when I saw Frederick and Sumia running towards us.
"Milord, we're under attack!" Frederick said as they screeched to a halt. "Risen have encircled the camp!"
"But we posted sentries!" Chrom exclaimed. "How did this happen?"
"They made a stealthy approach, milord. I've never seen Risen behave like this. Either they are learning our ways, or someone is commanding them."
"Validar!" Chrom's face darkened. "First my wife, and now the camp. This is his doing, I'm certain of it. Equip anyone who can bear arms, and tell them we fight for our lives!" He turned to me. "Robin, stay near the back. You're in no condition to fight if we can help it. Sumia, you are to stay with her. I'll send Lissa in your direction."
"But Chrom –" I began. My husband was already jogging away with Frederick. I threw my hands in the air. "I'm the tactician!"
"Chrom can navigate a fight, Robin," Sumia said kindly. "Especially against the Risen. You know that. Now, let's go – but you can tell me all about how you got into this state later."
***
Sumia helped me to hobble over to the rearguard, where Lissa was waiting for us. Her healing staff took away most of the pain, but I still wasn't feeling myself. I watched mutely as our soldiers fought, my brain struggling to keep up with their movements. My legs were shaking so badly that I was certain if Sumia let go, I would fall. Fortunately, my friend seemed almost as worried as Chrom had been and kept a tight grip on my arm.
Eventually, the soldiers defeated all the Risen. Some of them started to move back towards us, and Chrom turned to face Frederick as he sheathed Falchion.
"That's the last of them," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Gods, I thought it might never –"
A Risen soldier appeared out of thin air behind him.
"Chrom, look out!" I shouted.
His face contorted in surprise, he turned on his heel and started to draw Falchion again. But it was too late. An axe whirled towards his neck.
"No!" I screamed.
"Father!"
Marth sprung out from the bushes at the other end of the battlefield, her Falchion drawn. She swung it in front of Chrom, stopping the axe just inches from his neck. Then she threw all her force against the blade. The monster stumbled backwards, off balance, and Marth leapt forwards to decapitate it.
As the head rolled away from the shoulders, I stared at her and my husband. My heart thundered in my ears.
"Thank the gods you're safe!" Marth said, turning towards Chrom. Her blue hair swung over her shoulders as she moved.
Chrom gaped at her. "You...you called me 'Father'."
Her eyes widened. Unlike Chrom's, they were deep purple, but her other facial features held a distinctive similarity to him and me. I'd never noticed it before.
She wrung her hands and looked at the floor. "Perhaps we might speak privately?"
"Perhaps we should, yes."
They turned to walk away from camp, and as they moved I was reminded of the way Marth had fought just like Chrom. She walked like him, too, and she even had a copy of his blade.
Everything fell into place as I watched them retreat together. They looked so right side by side.
I tore out of Sumia's grip. My legs shook beneath me as I ran across camp, threatening to give out. But I still pushed myself as hard as I could.
I knew who "Marth" really was now.