Hello all my fellow Ylissians! This is it. This is the last chapter. I'm sorry it took so long to get here. Before you read I just wanted to give a quick, short (probably not knowing me) summary of why I began this series. When I was nosing around on FF, I noticed many writers were retelling the story of FE:A which is completely fine since that is technically what I am doing too. However I was shocked to find that what wasn't being told was the story I've shared with you all over nearly the past year. To me what hits me hardest about FE:A is Robin's selflessness. Many may not realize that everything Robin had ever done was put aside his own fears for the sake of Ylisse and Chrom. The sheer agony Robin must have gone through when he killed Chrom has been portrayed to the best of my ability in these words. In the real timeline, he probably didn't suffer nightmares of what he had done but night TERRORS at the gravity of what he had done to his lover. He feels as though he is a monster throughout his life and that may be something he never recovers from as he relives that day over and over again. So I just hope there will be other stories that write of how selfless and brave Robin is for deciding to challenge his fate even when he knows the suffering he will go through if he fails. Thank you all for reading. Turn on the angst music from FE:A and get ready for the beginning of the end.

Signing off, VolpeSky~

Splash! "Get up!"

The sunlight stings and burns as the albino slowly cracks open his eyes, struggling to keep his consciousness. The world continues to spin nauseatingly and he bites his lips to keep from emptying whatever he had left in his stomach. He breathes harshly as the ground continues to shift and stares at the dirt while trying to ease his screaming muscles, tied behind him to a pole. When he tries to move his arms, the rope burns hiss at him, digging into his wrists and reopening the newly scabbed wounds. He throws his head back against the pole before letting it fall forward again and then gasps for breath as he realizes with a growing despair that his wounds had dried onto the ropes and now would have to be torn back open to be detached.

A set of shining blue armor comes forward but Robin can hardly look up past the knees without nearly passing out from the sheer strength it took to look up. "I'll give you one last chance," the words come with a kind of spite and the tactician senses that Frederick can only dream of handing him more punishment. How could he blame the guardian though? His greatest friend and master had died at the hands of a comrade... a comrade he had been suspicious from the start but slowly built trust. Now it had all come crumbling down like a sad, sorry joke.

Robin grimaces and tries to command his knees to move, his feet to shift... anything. "I can't.. I'm sorr-"

Wham!

Robin clenches his teeth to keep from screaming and his vision tries to focus as he feels warm liquid drip to the ground. Panting softly, he tries to right himself, having been slammed to the side and awaits the next hit. Blood dribbles from his chin and he nearly laughs at how strangely human that seemed.

"Don't you ever speak those words again. You're not worthy of being forgiven so don't apologize." The brunette hisses and Robin closes his eyes trying to hold onto the memories of composed, calm Frederick with his collected gaze and wise insight. A hand roughly grabs Robin's shirt and he shivers, as if just realizing how cold it was without his cloak. He doesn't even try to fight as he's yanked up like a rag doll and is forced to meet the intense gaze. "Ylissians have dignity so I'm saving your execution for after the trial. But heed me when I tell you I will avenge Chrom's death one way or another. I never should have trusted you, Child of Grima."

The brown orbs glisten for a second before Robin quickly shuts out the tears. Frederick was right. He didn't have a right to anything, much less cry over Chrom. In fact that name should have been the furthest thing from his mind. He stems the flow of emotions and memories that usually follow the name, halting them with a ferocity. You are unworthy of even thinking his name. Don't look upon paintings of his face. Don't glance upon his casket. Don't...

"Please! Let him down Frederick... He has not been taken to trial yet!" A gentle voice calls out as Frederick's fist begins to shake. "We do have dignity so we will treat him as we treat any other prisoner..."

The voice makes the albino cringe in pain and he shakes his head, begging for someone to stop her. Please.. Princess Lissa... you... cannot... for your brother at least... don't look upon me... with the slightest shred of mercy. He chokes back a sob and slaps himself back into composure. He couldn't cry.

Lissa approaches cautiously. Her green eyes flicker up nervously and she winces slightly at the slight of the broken body but steels herself and touches Frederick's arm lightly. "Please. He can hardly stay awake. We have to keep him alive for the trial. Let him ride on a horse. Walking is taking too large a toll on him." Frederick shakes his head and drops the limp body. Immediately Lissa crouches and wipes away the blood with her sleeve until Robin pulls his face away. She lifts the pale chin again, bringing water to his lips through a rag she had hidden behind her back. "Please... drink just a little. You have to live, Robin..."

You have to take a silent oath that you will continue to live for me.

Robin trembles but brings his lips to the cloth and suckles what little water was there to try and restore his strength. He pulls away though Lissa puts it back to his face, forcing him to drink more. He yanks away just as he hears Frederick and Lissa pulls back as well.

"You didn't get him to his feet."

Lissa starts to untie the knots and shakily replies, "I was just getting to that." She quickly releases the ropes and Robin's arms swing forward as he starts to fall forward. The princess quickly catches his shoulder and starts to help him to his feet.

Frederick pushes Lissa away and pulls up the tactician roughly by the elbow. "Stand!" He barks sharply as the magician struggles to find his footing. "Making my wife help you up, how low are you?" Robin nods his head at that and motions for Lissa to move away as he drags his feet forward in an attempt to make a step. The blonde starts to protest but Frederick quickly silences her with a glance before continuing, "You're to ride in the cart behind me. If you don't get there by the time we've finished cleaning up, you'll walk."

Lissa gasps and grabs Frederick's arm, "T-Thank you Frederick. Thank you..." Frederick pauses and gently takes her hand off of him shaking his head, "It wasn't for you," he murmurs. For a second, Robin dares to think there is sympathy in the voice but the brunette quickly walks away and he dismisses the thought, concentrating on reaching the cart though it was a mere twenty feet away.

I can't keep your promise. But I will make sure too... by the end of the trial... I will be resting beneath the Earth.

Robin bumps along in the back of the cart, surprised that Frederick was making a point to avoid all the potholes and rocks until the guardian quietly muttered that it was for the sake of the cargo. The albino almost laughs at the irony that he is sitting in the back next to the falchion... Chrom's falchion. He makes it a point to etch ever groove of the sword into his mind to punish himself for what he has done, torturing himself with all the things he could never accomplish and never be to Chrom. The sky is a soft blue color and Robin takes in the sight for the last time, breathing all of its warmth in. I love blue skies and its a shame to do much else than be with the person you love on these kinds of days. This will be the last time... I see this kind of sky...

Suddenly the cart stops and Robin grits his teeth as he jerks forward, his ribs screeching their agony. Trying to regain his breath, he looks up and hears hoofbeats. Ah so this was it... the party waiting to take him away to the dungeon. He leans against the boards and awaits his imprisonment until someone shouts...

"Stop! Stop right there! Halt!"

"No way! I'm not stopping! You can't hold me back!"

The brown eyes widen in shock and Robin whips his head towards the noise, begging that this was not who he thought it was... it couldn't be... hadn't she heard the news... Guess this is the beginning of your punishment. The hoofbeats stop in front of Robin's cart and he tries to curl up, denying the fact that he'd have to stare into those blue orbs again... no.. he couldn't...

"Robin?"

Robin clenches his eyes shut and shakes his head.. Please.. No anything but this... Two padding footsteps approach the side of the cart and Frederick immediately starts to get off of his horse. But Lucina is faster, placing her small palm on the quivering back. "Robin.. It's me."

The albino clenches his fists even tighter, not even caring that blood was spilling from the cuts driven through by his mere nails "Lucina go." Frederick comes towards her until she calls out haltingly in a commanding voice. The brunette stops in his tracks but starts to move forward again until Lucina tells him once again using her name as the Exalt's daughter to stop him. She places her fingers gingerly on his back and notices the frayed ends and dirtied color. When they had left only a few months before his clothes had been tidy and clean. Now they were the mark... the mark of a prisoner...

"Robin... it's not true... the messengers are lying... right? Please... you kept our promise didn't you? You said you'd bring Daddy back... and now we're going to go ride horses..." Her voice cracks as the body remains unmoving, the silence giving her the answer she had denied for days. Even after seeing her mother cry and the servants mourn, she had told herself that it was all a miscommunications... a mistake. Mistakes like this happened didn't they? "Robin? Robin please... tell me for yourself..." She clenches the boards of the cart and screams, "Tell me the truth!"

Everyone looks away, unable to bring themselves to take the princess away yet cringing at the suffering the tactician was feeling. Although they were all shocked by the outcome of that battle... in way they all too had been denying the fact that this had ever occurred.. and now... everyone was being forced to face the brutal truth. Chrom was dead. He had been abruptly murdered by his best friend and... lover. Everyone in camp knew what was occurring behind the drawn tent flaps. It had been no secret that the two were close.. closer than most during several of their battles, moving like Sun and Moon on the battlefield. They were always perfectly in sync but now... truth be told it had been painful for some to see Robin suffer this way but what had been done couldn't be reversed.

Robin leans forward and clenches the falchion, shuffling slowly off the cart and not even bothering to wince at the pain as his feet hit the ground. He comes forward and then kneels in front of Lucina. His voice hoarse he whispers, "He'd want you to have this..."

The five-year-old looks at the bowing figure and starts to breathe sharply, her innocence splitting at the sight. "He... He? ... W-Who Robin.." She feels tears rushing down her face and screams, "WHO ROBIN! DADDY SAID HE'D GIVE ME THE SWORD HIMSELF ONE DAY!" As soon as the sentence ends, she falls to her knees and cries out at the sky. The perfectly pale blue sky. Robin quivers and looks to Frederick, who steps forward and picks up the princess. She screams and kicks, fighting him with so hard her crown falls to the floor and bounces on the ground. "You're all liars! I hate you all! You're lying! Daddy!"

I. Can't. Keep. Your. Promise.

This trial has found Robin, Child of Grima, to be guilty of the murder of Chrom, the Exalt of Ylisse. His sentence shall be a life term in prison. Meeting adjourned.

NO!

The albino gasps awake, throwing himself from the sheets and sitting up sharply. "No..." The darkness is deterred by small moonbeams from the window and the tactician forces himself to slow his breathing until his blood begins to flow at a regular pace and his heart stops pounding. The guard by the door stirs slightly and looks behind him at Robin but then faces forward again. "No..." he whispers again. He should have been sentenced to death. Out of mercy he had been allowed to live but it was a mistake... this was all a mistake...

Robin crawls to the prison door and begs the guard again, "Please.. please bring Frederick here... they have to change the ruling... please you've made a mistake by letting me live." The guard looks forward, as emotionless as usual and Robin slams his fist on the floor. They had stripped him of all his tomes and daily a cleric came by to cast a nullification spell on him to prevent any inkling of magic. Still... he knew... someday...he'd blast through the walls with enough magical power to bring the world to his knees. It was his duty to die.

He walks back to his bed and sits, not even bothering to lie back down. In his sleep he was the weakest and afraid something would happen to his mind. He could do this much and keep himself out of her grip. Yes. He looks around nervously as if he was expecting her to crawl through the window bars or come up the steps. He rubs the back of his hand nervously, itching and scratching at it again to draw more blood. But the mark would never fade. No matter how many times he peeled and tore at his skin, no matter how much it bled and scabbed over. It was always there. She was here. She was always here...

Child, just because you are not asleep does not mean I cannot talk to you.

Robin's breaths come fast and he slaps his palms over his ears, shaking his head and muttering, "Go away.. go away.. I will never become you... I will never gain your powers.. I won't.."

We are one. As soon as Validar recovers his body we will join again. My sweet, sweet Robin... you are always to be mine. We will meet very very soon.

"Stop! Hey! Stop it!"

Robin vaguely hears the squeaking of the cell door before he passes out into utter and sheer oblivion.

The dull, blank eyes slowly move their way up the armored body. He stares ahead without emotion until Frederick opens the door and walks into the cell. "I heard you choked yourself last night." Robin blinks and continues to stare straight forward, not even giving recognition of the man in his cell. "Well Robin? What happened?"

Robin forces his lips to move and whispers, "Kill me."

Frederick grabs Robin's shirt and slams him into the cell wall. "You think this is a joke?!" he spits out, seething through his teeth. "We let you live out of mercy and this is how you repay us? You should have died in the most gruesome way possible because you killed Chrom!" He slams Robin back into the wall who lets himself be jerked around. "You're pathetic."

For a minute the only sound is the eerie drip-drop of water somewhere far off onto the cold stone floor and Frederick's harsh breathing. Robin looks at him with a blank so vacant and doll-like, Frederick nearly drops him. "This is a mistake. Kill me," Robin replies in a ghostly, empty voice. "She's coming... she's coming." His eyes still look forward without direction or focus. "Kill me. It's dangerous. Kill me. She's coming."

"Who?" Frederick forces Robin's chin toward his direction so their eyes meet. "Why do you want to die? Who is coming?" But the albino merely breathes out the same words and looks on. The brunette growls and places Robin on his bed and stalks out of the cell. "Give him the necessary treatment." He looks back and then tightens his jaw, walking out.

The boot hells shuffle, click, and drag across the floor as Robin paces the room back and forth in an uneven and unrhymed pattern. He mutters underneath his breath and his eyes dart nervously, not even noticing when the guards begin to shout protests and stop an oncoming visitor. Only when they shout her name does Robin snap back into reality and pause his whisperings.

"Princess Lucina! You are not allowed to be here!"

"I'm the princess! Nobody can stop me from anything. Move!"

The white-haired prisoner's eyes widen and he backs away in his cell, struggling away from the door. A pale blue dress ripples by the door and Robin shuts his eyes tightly and blocks out all noise. No.

"Robin."

The tactician shakes his head violently and clenches his eyes shut tighter, not daring to open them. No. I don't want to see you. You... you who holds the face of... How many nights had he dreamt that this was all a nightmare and he had awakened in Chrom's arms. How many nights had he seen the king's smile and heard his laughter. How many nights had he seen that day... again... replayed in his mind with each finite detail. He couldn't face her. He was the one who had forced the King's hand into a forbidden relationship and the one who had turned against him. He couldn't...

"Robin..."

At the gentleness... that gentleness, he opens his eyes and gulps painful breathes as his chest continues to constrict and tighten. "Robin.. It's me." That line comes again and he refuses to fall for its trap again. He refuses to let himself fall endlessly into that gentleness until he would crash back into the ground at a speed so fast all that would be left of him were glass pieces of his heart. "Robin please come closer. It's alright." Robin covers his mouth and silently holds back his cries, shaking his head. He was going to fall into that chasm again and forced to be a prisoner to Love over and over again. When did the torture end?

"Robin, I'm sorry."

Robin collapses to the floor and screams his anguish, banging on the floor with his fists. Even I will never be able to say those words so please... don't show me mercy. Don't show this tainted soul mercy. I am the child of Grima. I am destined to be your enemy. I killed your father. I am fated to be your worst nightmare. Don't dare to show me kindness! "Lucina go away!" he shouts, summoning all the acridity into his voice.

"No. I can't leave like this!" Lucina clenches the bars and bites her lip. "Robin... I have come to beg your forgiveness. Because even if the whole world says that you are a murderer I know that you are good inside."

Robin scrapes his fingernails on the floor. Please. You cannot be in this room. He would-

"And I know if Daddy were here..." she forces down a sob, "I know he'd think that too..."

You didn't even accomplish dying. If you cannot die then with the rest of your life you can pay. The least you could accomplish is to right what you are about to do. If you are fated to live then at least change the final outcome of what is about happen. You have that much of a duty to her... to him... to everyone who has showed you mercy.

"Luci..." Robin murmurs, clenching his teeth at the last shred of innocence he was about to rip from this child. "Luci I am nothing less than what everyone calls me. I am a murderer. I am the child of Grima. I am fated to kill all of you." He looks down at his fingers and curses them, "I will kill you with these hands one day." Tears start to fall from his face but he continues, "I will kill you just as I killed Chrom." I will murder you, who I love so dearly, one day as well. Even if you show me mercy, you are simply wasting your breath on a monster. "So listen to me... it is your job to stop that... I am giving you the heaviest burden to bear. You must kill me. You must end this. There is a god... Naga..." He pauses as the memories of Chrom suddenly start to flow. He forces them back down, desperately attempting to stop the flow.

I bet all of Naga there isn't anyone better suited for me than you, Robin.

"T-There's a god named Naga..."

You think if we had children they'd have your white hair or my blue color? Maybe your hair color with blue eyes. That actually would look incredible.

"She... is merciful... and will... turn back time... for you..." The tears continue to fall quickly now. Why? Why now of all times... he had kept them away for so long...

Love bites at the most unexpected of times. Doesn't it? I never would have thought it would happen this way but then again.. I couldn't imagine anyone other than you.

Robin puts one hand to his face and sobs into it, struggling to keep his voice from leaking too much. Stop. You have a duty. Stop hiding behind these memories... this won't change anything...

"I miss him too..."

I love you Robin.

The albino grits his teeth and the blue eyes stare back with sympathy. I dare to say I still love you and now it is my turn to show you... how much you.. this world... means to me. I had never known anything this wonderful until you found me that day in that field. And now... I must show you how much you changed me. "There is a god Naga... when I rise as Grima... she will awaken as well. She will allow time to change and you... you must go back and prevent history from repeating itself... you have to carry out what I couldn't... and stop this terrible destiny," So that maybe in another life we may be together.. happy... and saved from this fate.

The truth is after our meeting in that cell, Frederick kept me from seeing Robin ever again. I never got to ask him again what he meant by turning back time. So I couldn't do much else but train for the day Robin swore was fated to come. Nothing happened for the next twelve years. However I knew he was alive because during the night I'd hear terrible screams. And then... and then on my eighteenth birthday... it happened.

Hya!

The falchion shines as it slices through another Risen and the princess grits her teeth, struggling to pull it back out for another strike. The monster seems to laugh and continue to move as if nothing had happened. Lucina reels back on her heels and slices into the demon again, beheading it. This kind of gruesome killing was nearly making her desensitized to all death and yet when she saw the falling of her comrades it still struck every time. Just when she was beginning to believe that all her emotions had abandoned her, she is struck with another death toll of a friend. "Everyone! Protect the castle at all costs! The lives of refugees are at stake here!" Suddenly lightning strikes through the ceiling and the floor sets afire. The flames dance across the ground and lick at the boots of dead men already strewn across the ground. Lucina launches herself at a new group of Risen as if the fire wasn't all around her despite her growing tiredness and the suffocating smoke. With the Heavens and Fate laughing at her, what could she do but fight? What had the world come to?

"What are the casualties?" The princess murmurs as she leans against the wall and tries to bind her burned arm. "What about news from Yarne or Owain? Inigo even?" She hisses as the cold rag bites at her skin.

"They're dead, Princess..."

The monster screeches into the sky and lights the world afire with a deadly purple flame. Its eyes dance in the gleam with every death and atop the terrible monster sits the most painfully familiar face, commanding the beast. Its terrible wings flap and blow down whole forests. Lucina clenches her fingers around the handle hates the bitter sense of defeat. But it was coming. Pushing herself off the ground slowly, she drowns out all signals of pain with her sheer concentration. Though all around her, the smell of burning flesh and death stings her nose, she tries to rise. The ground is hot and angry and the Earth cries out at its imminent death. The end is coming. Lucina helps herself to her feet, teetering dangerously with her sword more like a cane than a weapon. This was her final stand. This was the end of it all. She takes in a huge breath and summons the rest of her power to scream. Scream her very last breath. If she was going to leave this world, it was going to be fearless.

Child, your fate is simply too cruel. Now I give you the power to turn back time so that fate may be kinder to you. For if she refuses to change, you must force her unto your own will. Return, Child, to the past so that you may reach the future. You and your comrades can now grab destiny's tail and turn this around. I entrust this to you.

"Chrom we have to do something!"

"Well... what do you propose we do?"

"I...I don't know!"

The two faces smile and look in relief as my eyes open. The blue-haired man smiles down and looks at me curiously, "I see you're awake now." His voice is gentle and soft. Just as I remembered it. Just as I always remembered it. Just when I was beginning to forget it... it had come to me again.

The white-haired man grins at me, hands on his knees and cautiously murmurs, "Hey there.." And you... you too... just as happy.. and vibrant.. before that day...

Chrom laughs softly and gives me a kind of strange but amused grin, "There are better places to nap than on the ground you know. Gimme your hand." He offers his hand and I reach out for it trembling... This isn't a dream... It's him... It's Father... After thirteen years... I finally have you before me and I can stop your death. We can end it... how I'd love to just spend the rest of my life here with you. I take his palm hesitantly. He pulls me up easily and grins.

"You came home... you finally came home."