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[FIC] fire emblem: awakening - asperitas
title: asperitas
series: Fire Emblem: Awakening
characters: lissa, lucina, owain
rating: T
warnings: mentioned canon death
--
They made it to the Ylissean border before they stopped. When Lissa stepped down from her carriage, her hand in Maribelle’s, she could feel the humidity take her breath away.
But her eyes weren’t for the thick rolling clouds above their heads. Angry bruised reds and purples that suited a broken rib cage more than the skies. Lissa’s attention slid away from Maribelle’s concerned face to the carriage at the front of the line.
Surrounded by a procession of soldiers, all wearing some scrap of black from a sacrificed cloak, was Chrom’s final ride.
Her brother was rotting in there all alone-
“My dear-”
“My lady-”
Lissa found herself walking, drifting along the ground with only Maribelle and Frederick on either side to guide her, to the entrance of the church. Within, a chair - the best seat that could have only been found in such a short notice - was surrounded by a gathering of the remaining Shepherds, soldiers, and strangers. How kind of them to have left a path open for her to be led to the chair.
-
“Your Majesty,” a kind voice said from Lissa’s left and she lifted her head.
The priest, Libra, stood a respectful distance away with his hands folded at his waist.
Busy wasn’t quite the word for the hustle and bustle that was going on around Lissa. Hushed discussions about a local cult, the fact that Robin was still missing, and the debate over a potential rescue mission or ransom floated by in snatches before it was all silenced by Frederick.
Maribelle never relinquished her grip on Lissa’s hand, hand squeezing as if to remind herself that Lissa had not been spirited away as well, or drifting away like a fading ember.
Owain, face somber - that alone made Lissa’s heart break - knelt and offered up Falchion laid across his palms.
Lissa wanted to throw the blasted useless piece of metal into the forest. Have Naga’s fang melted down into something useful instead.
She took the sword. Took it away from Owain before something could befall him. No one would harm her child. No one would harm Lucina. Not while she drew breath.
Libra spoke. Prayers, officiates, law. It was all meaningless. Maribelle, Frederick, and strangers all knelt before her. That in of itself was nothing new. But her embarrassed eye rolling was gone, the uncomfortable reminder that she held power over her friends and that they gladly gave it to her was different.
The storm finally let loose its first peal of thunder and Lissa rose to her feet as the Exalt of the Halidom of Ylisse. Sword in one hand, her wife’s strength in the other.
-
“Lucina.”
Her niece's head turned only a fraction, her back still to Lissa. By the gods she was so young. She and Owain both.
“Chrom…” Tears leapt to their eyes. Lissa did not fight hers while Lucina’s face reddened in the effort to take them back. To stow them away. “Your father wanted you to have Falchion.”
All her life she had wanted to brand to prove herself to her own father. To Emm. To Chrom. Now she had never wanted it more to keep its burden from Lucina.
Lissa knew that, even if she did, she would have given it to Lucina regardless. Chrom’s ghost would haunt her otherwise.
“I’m sorry,” the words burbled up in her throat and slipped out with her tears. “I’m sorry he can’t be the one to give you it.”
“Thank you.” Lucina said, her voice small and hoarse. Her hand was so small wrapped around Falchion’s hilt. She was a child!
They hugged in the shadows of that border church that day, Lissa, Lucina, and Owain. The three of them hiding from the lifeless carriage on the road.
series: Fire Emblem: Awakening
characters: lissa, lucina, owain
rating: T
warnings: mentioned canon death
--
They made it to the Ylissean border before they stopped. When Lissa stepped down from her carriage, her hand in Maribelle’s, she could feel the humidity take her breath away.
But her eyes weren’t for the thick rolling clouds above their heads. Angry bruised reds and purples that suited a broken rib cage more than the skies. Lissa’s attention slid away from Maribelle’s concerned face to the carriage at the front of the line.
Surrounded by a procession of soldiers, all wearing some scrap of black from a sacrificed cloak, was Chrom’s final ride.
Her brother was rotting in there all alone-
“My dear-”
“My lady-”
Lissa found herself walking, drifting along the ground with only Maribelle and Frederick on either side to guide her, to the entrance of the church. Within, a chair - the best seat that could have only been found in such a short notice - was surrounded by a gathering of the remaining Shepherds, soldiers, and strangers. How kind of them to have left a path open for her to be led to the chair.
-
“Your Majesty,” a kind voice said from Lissa’s left and she lifted her head.
The priest, Libra, stood a respectful distance away with his hands folded at his waist.
Busy wasn’t quite the word for the hustle and bustle that was going on around Lissa. Hushed discussions about a local cult, the fact that Robin was still missing, and the debate over a potential rescue mission or ransom floated by in snatches before it was all silenced by Frederick.
Maribelle never relinquished her grip on Lissa’s hand, hand squeezing as if to remind herself that Lissa had not been spirited away as well, or drifting away like a fading ember.
Owain, face somber - that alone made Lissa’s heart break - knelt and offered up Falchion laid across his palms.
Lissa wanted to throw the blasted useless piece of metal into the forest. Have Naga’s fang melted down into something useful instead.
She took the sword. Took it away from Owain before something could befall him. No one would harm her child. No one would harm Lucina. Not while she drew breath.
Libra spoke. Prayers, officiates, law. It was all meaningless. Maribelle, Frederick, and strangers all knelt before her. That in of itself was nothing new. But her embarrassed eye rolling was gone, the uncomfortable reminder that she held power over her friends and that they gladly gave it to her was different.
The storm finally let loose its first peal of thunder and Lissa rose to her feet as the Exalt of the Halidom of Ylisse. Sword in one hand, her wife’s strength in the other.
-
“Lucina.”
Her niece's head turned only a fraction, her back still to Lissa. By the gods she was so young. She and Owain both.
“Chrom…” Tears leapt to their eyes. Lissa did not fight hers while Lucina’s face reddened in the effort to take them back. To stow them away. “Your father wanted you to have Falchion.”
All her life she had wanted to brand to prove herself to her own father. To Emm. To Chrom. Now she had never wanted it more to keep its burden from Lucina.
Lissa knew that, even if she did, she would have given it to Lucina regardless. Chrom’s ghost would haunt her otherwise.
“I’m sorry,” the words burbled up in her throat and slipped out with her tears. “I’m sorry he can’t be the one to give you it.”
“Thank you.” Lucina said, her voice small and hoarse. Her hand was so small wrapped around Falchion’s hilt. She was a child!
They hugged in the shadows of that border church that day, Lissa, Lucina, and Owain. The three of them hiding from the lifeless carriage on the road.