First Time Destiny | Fire Emblem Awakening (Oneshots)

Heart Song

Original prompt: Heart Song

Down in the Shepherd's garrison, a place considered by many to be the heart of Castle Ylisse, a lonely violin tune came to rest.

Maribelle sighed and lifted her bow from the strings, letting golden ringlets fall over her shoulders for the first time in an hour. She was seated in what she considered to be her armchair in the main living area of the Shepherd's garrison, only able to do so in peace because everyone else had gone out to the local tavern. She had a taste for fine wines, but an outing with the Shepherds almost always resulted in drinking to excess, and she was not overly fond of the vulgar behaviour that could follow. Lissa found it all thoroughly amusing and would have forced her to go along anyway, but she was currently absent from the castle.

Which was, of course, quite entirely the problem. Maribelle felt lost without her. At times like this, she only had the heart for the company of one other thing. Her violin had been her best friend until she'd met Lissa, and it stepped up to fill in the role well when it was needed.

Still, it wasn't quite the same. She missed her friend dreadfully. She was not accustomed to having to share Lissa so frequently, and her relationship with Lon'qu was getting harder and harder to bear. Maribelle was pleased that her friend was happy, of course, but a shiver of revulsion still ran down her spine at every mention of the wedding. She could feel it slowly creeping up on her, an expiry date for their friendship. Nothing would be the same again afterwards.

Even now, it was already starting to change. Lissa was currently away on a trip to Regna Ferox with her beloved, reducing the time that she and Maribelle would get together before the big day. She frowned and let out a large sigh.

"Are you all right, Maribelle?"

Maribelle looked up from her prized instrument with a start and saw Robin standing in the doorway. She, too, was drawing closer to her wedding with Lissa's brother, which was most likely why she had not gone out with the others – she'd barely entered the garrison all afternoon because of her own wedding preparations. But now it appeared that she was finished for the day, and unless she was planning to spend the night in Chrom's room (honestly, did she think no one realised?) Maribelle was suddenly going to have to deal with company much sooner than she'd expected.

This fouled her mood even further. "Of course. Is it so wrong to grasp the opportunity for some peace and quiet around here?"

"I was referring to what must be your twentieth sigh since I saw you this morning, but we could address your preference to spend all your time alone since Lissa left if you would like." The grand tactician crossed the threshold and threw the door shut behind her. "You're as icy as when I first met you when she's gone."

"If you abhor my company so much, you could leave."

"No, I think I'll stay." Robin walked across the room with a gait much resembling Chrom's impatient stride, and Maribelle had to hold her tongue to stop herself from correcting her posture.

It worked for a few seconds, until Robin sat down and curled in on herself to rub her eyes.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, do sit up straight!"

Robin did as she was told with a glare. Then she closed her eyes and took a calming breath. "Look, Maribelle, I didn't mean to snap at you. My apologies. I was actually hoping that I could ask a favour."

Maribelle set her violin aside with some reluctance. "I, too, apologise. I should not speak in such a way to Prince Chrom's fiancée, even if you will always be a lowborn at heart. How may I be of service?"

"A low...? Maribelle, I don't want you to think of me in that way – either way. This is a request from one friend to another. I'm told that you are a fine troubadour, and I heard your excellent playing on my way down here. Do you still compose music for others?"