Invisible Ties | Fire Emblem Awakening (Novelization)

Chapter 11: Foreseer

Robin

"Chrom!"

The Prince of Ylisse dropped to the floor of the royal gardens, blood pouring from a wound in his leg.

I drew my sword, but it was too late. The man who'd attacked him was already running towards the castle. The blood on his blade shone in the moonlight as it dripped onto the grass.

I fell to my knees beside Chrom. He was deathly pale, his face contorted in pain.

"You have to...defend Emm," he said, his eyelids fluttering.

"We need a healer." My whole body was trembling, but I couldn't make it stand up and leave.

"No...time," Chrom slurred. "It's just a leg wound...I'll live. Someone will find me...sooner or later."

"No!" A tear slid down my cheek. "I'm either fetching a healer or staying with you."

"Emmeryn...is a healer. Save her...then you can bring her to me. Just save her...please." His eyelids fell.

I stared down at him fearfully, my breath coming in sharp gasps. "Chrom? Chrom!"

His name was already coming out of my mouth in real life as I woke up, as if some fragment of my soul was still stuck in the dream.

I shot into a sitting position. The room was spinning wildly around me, and my head felt like someone was driving a sledgehammer into it. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself, then another. Eventually, the shaking stopped and the world was still, but a cloud of unease hung over me.

A quick glance at the dark sky outside told me that I'd only been sleeping for a few hours, but I got up anyway. I threw on my clothes and left my room, heading in the direction of the royal gardens.

I needed to show myself that there was nothing there. No assassins, no Chrom. Emmeryn had called an urgent war council as soon as we had arrived back late last night, but it should have been over by now. Chrom would be in his room, safe.

I was more than a little startled when I reached the gardens and saw that some of the lamps lining the pathways were still blazing. I followed the trail fearfully.

It wasn't long before a familiar figure came into view, his back to me. The sledgehammer inside my skull increased its banging, and my vision blurred around the edges. Damn it. He's not in his room.

"Chrom?" I asked.

He spun around, one hand reaching for Falchion. He relaxed when he saw me.

"What are you doing out so late?" I asked.

"I could be asking you the same question." His voice had a dull ring to it, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

I shrugged. "Headache. I just wanted some fresh air. What about you? What's wrong?"

"I'm just...duelling with some unpleasant thoughts." He frowned and lowered his gaze to the floor. "Tomorrow we march to Regna Ferox to request additional soldiers, but there's something you should know first. Not everything Gangrel said was a lie. The last exalt, my father, waged war on Plegia for many years. The violence –"

His voice caught in his throat, and he stopped. On impulse I stepped closer and slowly put my hand in his, sliding my fingers into the gaps and giving it a gentle squeeze.