Snow-Kissed Swords | Fire Emblem Awakening (Holiday Shepherds Book 3)

Chapter 7: A Winter's Gift

Robin: 25th December

Chrom and I spent the rest of Divine Eve cuddled up together in our room. That was how I woke on the dawn of Divine Day -- captured in his embrace.

Lissa was knocking on the wall that separated our room from hers. "Chrom! Robin! Wake up!"

"We're awake!" Chrom groaned.

I jumped. "I didn't realise you were awake."

"I wasn't for long. I was watching you."

"Surely I'm not that interesting."

He smiled. "You look like an angel when you're sleeping."

I blushed.

"Not that you don't look beautiful when you're awake," he added. "You look beautiful all the time."

He brushed his lips against mine, then captured them firmly. I melted into the kiss.

Lissa knocked again, but this time it was on our door. "Are you two coming out or what? We need to go and open our presents!"

Chrom eased away from me with a sigh. "Could you give us a chance to get dressed?"

"Haven't you even started yet? What were you  -- actually, I don't want to know."

I laughed.

Chrom grinned and sat up. "The sooner we get going, the sooner we'll open these presents and have some peace and quiet."

"Indeed." I sat up with him and caught his hand. "It was nice to wake up with you this Divine Day."

"Likewise. Happy Divine Day." He gave me another fleeting kiss, then stood up and pulled me with him. "Come. We really should dress."

We decided it was time to be ourselves, so we dressed in some of our travelling clothes. It felt good to wear my old coat and some trousers, and even though I'd liked the way he'd looked as a villager, I enjoyed seeing Chrom in his usual clothing again.

We arrived at breakfast at the same time as most of the other Shepherds. The stragglers were being heckled by Lissa, who was still upstairs but shouting so loudly that we could all hear her. Torin was sitting in his chair by the fire, laughing at her. The other Shepherds were taking their seats at the table. Lyle and Nadia had already laid breakfast out, and so it looked like Lissa was going to have to wait a little bit longer to open the presents.

Chrom and I stopped next to Torin, who'd tied his hair back with a festive red ribbon rather than a scrap of leather today. He smiled at us. "Happy Divine Day, Your Grace. Happy Divine Day, milady."

"Happy Divine Day, Torin," Chrom said. "Please, join us for breakfast."

Torin grinned and stood up. "I would be honoured."

We sat down in the seats furthest from the window and closest to the fire, and Torin sat opposite us just as he had done a few days ago. The rest of the Shepherds filtered in, Lissa bringing up the rear. She looked slightly put out when she saw that we'd decided to eat breakfast before opening the presents, but the sight of Lyle bringing out plates of bacon seemed to placate her.

As we tucked in, Torin said to me, "You look much brighter than when you first arrived here, milady."

I smiled. "I feel it, today. I think Whiteholt has done me a world of good."

Torin smiled back. "I'm glad to hear it. I may have lived in this village all my life, but I've travelled far, and I've always thought that we're unique."