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“Uh Tharja? Can I ask a favor?”
Tharja about dropped the vial she was holding into the brew below and it took all her willpower not to do so. Robin was in her tent, willingly.
“Y-Yes, what is it I can assist you with?” Tharja turned, hoping for charming but afraid she'd come across more threatening than anything else.
Robin shuffled her feet and rubbed the back of her head. “We just haven't gotten to talk much since you joined us since everything’s been kinda...crazy and I came across this spell in a book of mine and couldn't figure it out. Can you help me?”
A spell Robin couldn't figure out? That was preposterous. Tharja had seen her, while perhaps peering through her tent flap, skimming easily over texts that would make an average mage cry. So was this a pretense to cover up a true intent? Robin usually wasn't the type for that kind of behavior.
“If you're too busy, that's fine.”
“I'd love to,” she blurted out, far far too eagerly. Ugh. Robin turns her into such a wreck, it's embarrassing.
She managed to set the vial aside and by the time she's turned back around, there's Robin nonchalantly plopping down on her cot and looking up expectantly.
Tharja's mind helpfully supplied her with the mental image of Robin pressed back against that very cot, clothing and hair askew and face flushed. She bit back a curse.
Robin could sense something was amiss and started to stand. “Sorry, do you not want me there?”
“I do. I just.” Fuck. No. No not fuck stop thinking like that. “I'm a little surprised at your willingness to be seen here.” Good, normal words, normal tone. “I'm afraid that my reputation has clearly preceded me.”
Robin smiled and Tharja was certain her heart skipped a beat when she did. “I don't mind.”
Not trusting herself to say anything correct, Tharja busied herself cleaning up her potion before turning to Robin and reaching out a hand. “Can I see this spell?”
Tharja swore she had to be imagining Robin scooting over on the cot before darting her head down to find the page. “Yeah, it's just...” She flipped a few more pages in what looked to be fairly old book. “Ah, here.”
Throwing caution to the wind, but still keeping her hands firmly in her lap, Tharja allowed herself to sit beside Robin. She leaned over to glimpse the text.
“Hmm.”
“I just can't seem to figure out the purpose of it, can you?”
Looking closer, Tharja realized this was not originally part of the book but a written-in addition by a previous owner. The handwriting was cramped and hard to read, but the writer clearly knew their stuff. The terms used were far from average knowledge. The page it was scrawled on was a curse Tharja knew well, so perhaps there was a connection?
Robin leaned closer to Tharja, shifting the book in her lap as she did so. “I was thinking it might have something to do with the curse on the page? I mean, that one is a truth serum of sorts.”
Tharja felt her face grow warm. Robin thought the same thing as her? Was it fate?
Ugh. Stop it. Stop. She sighed.
“If you can't figure it out either, that's fine. But I thought perhaps if we could put our heads together we might get somewhere.”
“I can read the instructions but the part about its intent is smudged. There's really no way to know what it is without trying it.”
Robin lit up at that, her eyes sparkling. “Can we try it? I mean, unless you think it's dangerous I'm more than willing to let you test it on me.”
Tharja blinked in shock. Robin was going to let her curse her? Just to find out what this was?
“I don't think it's dangerous, but...if it's some deviation of a truth-telling curse, you could reveal something to me you'd rather not.”
Robin's smile didn't waver. “That's okay. I trust you not to go tell the whole camp all my embarrassing secrets.”
Tharja's inner thoughts couldn't be described as anything but a squeal. A girlish, ridiculous, totally embarrassing, squeal. Ugh, how mortifying.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. The duration on it said three days, right? I think I can handle that.”
Tharja checked the smudged handwriting again. Robin was correct, whatever it was lasted three days unless undone by the caster.
“If it's too much, let me know, and I'll undo it immediately.”
“Okay.”
Knowing if she didn't immediately set to work she'd talk herself out of it, Tharja turned and pulled the ingredients needed from her stash. Most of it was fairly common stuff, but there was definitely a stray ingredient here and there that was something most mages wouldn't have with them. Lucky for them, Tharja wasn't like most mages.
The ingredients together and the instructions before her, Tharja took a deep breath. She leveled Robin with a serious look. “Are you certain about this?”
Robin nodded, her face determined. “Yep. I won’t let anyone bother you about doing it either, this was all my decision.”
Tharja blinked, well...that certainly made it a bit easier. She held up the powder the ingredients had been ground into, and did as instructed, sprinkling it over Robin’s head. With her heart hammering in her chest, she cast the curse.
“Does anything...seem different?”
Robin shook her head. “No, not really.”
“Try and tell me a lie. What’s your name?”
“Robin.”
Tharja frowned, had the spell not worked? Was that why it had been smudged out? She paced in front of Robin, her mind trying to work out anything that could have gone wrong.
Oh no, I think she’s upset now. Damnit, that’s the last thing I wanted too.
Whipping her head around, Tharja stared. “What did you say?”
Robin looked confused. “I didn’t say anything after I said my name.”
Moving closer to her, Tharja leaned in close, peering at Robin’s face.
Too close, too close.
Tharja jumped back and Robin looked baffled.
“Tharja? What’s going on?”
Tentatively, she moved forward, her eyes wary. “Why did you come here tonight?”
“To ask you about this spell.”
I just wanted an excuse to talk to you.
Suddenly, Tharja became aware of what was going on. Licking her lips, she once again leaned in close towards Robin, hoping to hear a reaction.
What is she...oh gosh, she’s far too close. Ugh why does she have to be so pretty? My face has to be bright red.
Tharja moved back quickly, turning herself abruptly so that Robin couldn’t see the redness creeping across her face. This had to be a spell intended to read someone’s thoughts.
“Robin,” she said, her back still turned. “Think any color you want, but don’t say it aloud.”
Uh...Blue?
Tharja swallowed. “Did you think blue?”
She could hear Robin shift uneasily. “Y-Yes.”
“Okay, let’s try this. Think a very specific and bizarre sentence. Nothing anyone could ever guess, but once again say nothing aloud.”
Um. Wouldn’t it be weird if a pegasus could ride a wyvern?
“Wouldn’t it be weird if a pegasus could ride a wyvern, correct?”
Robin’s mouth gaped open. “You...can read my thoughts.”
Tharja scrambled for the book. “Okay, let me see how to undo this.” She read it over but the whole second half, including the intent and the removal of the curse, was smudged. Looking to Robin, Tharja took a deep breath. “I can’t read how to remove it, can you?”
She handed the book back to Robin, her hands shaking.
I doubt I can if you can’t….
Robin took the book, her face falling as she looked at the large smudge eating up the last of the words.
Tharja looked sick. “I can leave? Or put myself into a deep sleep for three days? I...what do you want me to do, Robin?”
She looked back to the book, hoping if perhaps she squinted at it hard enough, it would become legible. It wouldn’t. She looked up to Tharja, who she’d dragged into this just in hopes to talk with her.
I....I can watch my thoughts for a few days, right? Yeah that’ll be fine…
“No, no Robin.That’s not fair.” Tharja turned back to her things, the ingredients all laid out before her. She turned, an idea brewing in her mind.
“I... I think the only correct thing to do here, would be to have you also cast the curse....on me.”
Robin’s eyes widened. “Tharja, we can’t…”
She shook her head. “It’s not fair to have you have to watch your every thought when I can go about freely. Please, Robin. Let’s even the odds. If you have to suffer, then I should as well.”
But I’m the one who suggested this…
“Robin…” Tharja said, quieter than before. She looked up, giving the most gentle smile she could manage. “Please.”
Shit. I can’t say no to her when she looks at me like that.
Robin noticed Tharja’s eyes going wide and her cheeks turning red.
And...she can hear that. Great.
Looking up, she saw Tharja sitting beside her table wringing her hands. She’d never seen her this upset before. Would agreeing to put the curse on her make her feel any better?
“Tharja?” She waited until she looked up. Gods she’s beaut- Awkwardly, Robin cleared her throat. “If it would make you feel better, I can...return the favor?”
Tharja looked undone, so lost and confused, and nothing like her usual imposing and vaguely overbearing self. Meekly- wow I never thought I’d consider Tharja meek - she nodded, just barely.
Robin moved with haste, standing with the book and going to the ingredients that had already been ground into the powder. She bit her lip, holding it up above Tharja’s head.
Well...here goes nothing .
It had been a day and they’d spent most of it avoiding one another. Once they realized there seemed to be a certain distance the curse couldn’t handle, they just kept navigating themselves farther and farther apart.
Tharja, who was furiously trying to find any sort of countercurse to this, was planning on spending the next two days keeping herself out of range as well.
Had she considered reading Robin’s thoughts before now, she would have probably thought it was a great plan. Now that it had happened, it made her feel sick. Ugh she’s already going to hate me, now I’m going to just be an invasive creep .
Robin had attracted her immediately, Tharja a moth unable to not be drawn to her flame. But once in her space, it overcame her. It had definitely crossed the line weeks ago and they still had a week's worth of walking until they reached Ylisse.
But this, if anything, just felt so incredibly wrong, that Tharja couldn’t cope with it.
She was disgusted with herself and had seriously considered just leaving and sparing everyone the trouble. Libra, one of the few who seemed to be aware of Tharja’s distress, had been the one who’d convinced her to stay.
Perhaps Naga is doing this as a warning. He’d told her. Perhaps if you are indeed interested in being so important to Robin, you can find a better way of doing so. This is your chance to redeem yourself in her eyes. This curse is a blessing in disguise.
She hated it that he sounded right.
But the whole thing shook her so deeply, she wasn’t sure what to do except avoid Robin and look for a way to break the curse. If this was her opportunity, she knew she was squandering the chance.
To her surprise, at the start of the second day, Robin made the first move.
Tharja, if you can hear this, can we talk?
She started up in her tent as the thought that wasn’t her own intruded in her mind.
Robin? Why would you want to talk to me?
Robin’s figure paused outside her tent and Tharja could see her trying to compose her thoughts before allowing one to form.
I hate avoiding you. Okay?
Figures. Tharja sighed. You’re too kind, Robin.
For some strange reason, it was far easier to be open with Robin when she didn’t have to say a word aloud.
So, can I come in?
As if I could say no to you.
She could hear the gentle sway of fabrics as Robin pushed the flap open to the tent.
Oh Tharja…
She looked up at that, her eyes having trouble staying focused, still wanting to dart away.
Please. Look at me, Tharja. I hate to see you like this.
Eyes wide, Tharja looked up at her. Unbidden, a smile crept onto her face.
You’re far too kind to someone like me.
Robin walked forward, slowly going to sit on Tharja’s cot. She patted the space beside her.
I’d like to know someone like you better, you know? Can you tell me?
Tharja stood, her legs shaky. There was something about this conversation without words that was far more intimate than normal, yet somehow, it made her feel more at ease.
What do you want to know?
Robin smiled. Everything.
By the third day, it had become their own little secret. Mingling amongst the rest of the camp, smiling to themselves as they kept up an ever going conversation of thoughts. Tharja had surprisingly felt far more comfortable thinking to Robin all she wished to know- about her past, about her life until then, about who she was now.
Robin too, offered what she had. Her past a blank slate, her memories only starting when Chrom found her in a field with nothing more than a name and a penchant for tactics.
Both of them would falter now and an again as they’d forget for a moment and think something embarrassing. But something about suffering the embarrassment with someone else made it somehow less so.
Later that evening, as Tharja knew the time it should be wearing off drew close, she asked if Robin would join her in her tent for a moment. Whereas before she could never put her words into order or express herself without coming across creepy and foreboding, the fact was deep down her thoughts weren’t usually near as bad as the way they came across.
She might stand and loom in the shadows to catch a glimpse of Robin’s smile because she liked the way he made her heart race or she would peer in at her sleeping hoping to see her peaceful face and knowing if anyone in the army deserved sweet dreams it would be her. Sure, there would be thoughts that would be far more....passionate, but she was an adult woman who was very attracted to Robin. She was certainly not the only one in the army with thoughts veering into that territory, especially given that couples and now future children had been popping up. Her presentation was just different and generally came across wrong.
So, with a dash of bravery and hope, Tharja decided before she fell back into mixed messages and words that couldn’t quite convey the right thing, she needed to take advantage of this curse one last time.
“Hey, what’s up?” Robin had asked, quietly holding open the tent flap.
Just...wanted to talk.
Robin just smiled, already knowing that Tharja would probably be using very few words in this conversation.
Is everything okay?
Tharja looked down, not able to meet her eyes. Even though she’d slipped enough in the past few days, saying or thinking things directly at Robin were another matter entirely.
I’ve...enjoyed talking with you these last few days. I’m afraid I’ll miss it when it stops.
Robin walked towards her, hesitating slightly in front of her. “It doesn’t have to stop, you know? I’d like to keep talking with you too.”
Tharja sighed. I’ve seen how you are, Robin. You are kind to everyone in camp and will talk with anyone. I may be...a bit jealous of that habit of yours, it’s hard for me to make friends the way you do.
“I hope at least you can consider me your friend?”
I’d like to consider you more than that. Tharja started, her thoughts getting out before she could stop them. She put her face in her hands. And there’s exactly why I can’t be. You’ve heard enough of that recently .
Robin stepped closer, her hand wanting to reach out but not sure if she should.
It’s not like you haven’t caught my guard down as well, Tharja.
Tharja rubs at her forehead, as if she could will this curse away and this whole thing behind her.
There’s a difference between you being nice and me being...me.
Robin reached out at that, gently pulling Tharja’s hands away from her face.
I could be wrong but...I’m pretty sure, I only thought those things about one person.
She blinked, her mind trying to recall every little slip Robin had made. All those thoughts she knew weren’t meant to make it through to her. And now that it was pointed out, she realized that all those things- calling her beautiful, wishing she’d smile more, wondering how soft her hair was- were indeed only directed one way. At her.
Tharja darted her eyes up, searching Robin’s face for some sort of answer.
It can’t...you couldn’t…
Robin slowly entwined her fingers into the hand of Tharja’s she had in her grasp. Her face was crimson and she couldn’t bring herself to meet Tharja’s eyes.
I could.
Robin…
I could...love someone like you.
Tharja almost didn’t realize the small gasp of air was her own until Robin’s eyes darted up to her face. She felt her pulse racing, her hand trembling in her grasp.
Do you know what a spell you’ve cast on me? You wonderful woman, you.
Robin gave Tharja’s hand a slight tug, encouraging her to her feet. She wobbled for a moment, trying to bring her racing heart and thoughts down a notch. But as always, Robin steadied her, her hand gently reaching out to brush against Tharja’s side. Her hand warm as it pressed ever so slightly against her back.
How? She’s desperate to understand. Her eyes still searching for an answer in Robin’s expression.
Robin pulled her closer, her forehead bumping into Tharja’s and resting there, safe and warm.
“Let’s just say, I’ve gotten to know an amazing person in these last few days. Someone...someone I…”
Her words falter, but she poured her heart into her thoughts.
I’ve grown to care for, very much. You should know by now, even my thoughts keep drifting back to you.
Tharja glanced up through her bangs, the gentle smile on Robin’s face a balm on her racing heart.
I think you might be somewhat aware...of the depth of my feelings for you, already…
Robin laughed, warm and bright.
Just a little bit.
She pulled her hand free from Tharja’s back, nervously bringing it up to press against her cheek. Tharja closed her eyes, gently leaning into her touch.
“They say,” she paused, surprised by her own voice. “That when hearts and minds come together, they sometimes change each other. I-It's like a spell of sorts—if one side is transformed, the other is, too.”
“Doesn’t sound much like a curse to me,” Robin murmurs, her breath warm against Tharja’s lips.
Tharja licked her lips, her voice finding itself again. “It’s a blessing in disguise, I suppose.”
“Can you...hear my thoughts anymore?” Robin asked, her voice quiet.
Tharja listened but nothing came. The curse had lifted.
“No.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to ask you myself...can I kiss you?”
She melted into her at that, awash in emotions. “As if you ever needed to ask. Yes, Robin. I’m yours. I always have been.”
Robin leaned closer, her lips hovering just a breath away. She clutched Tharja’s hand tighter in her own.
“Then I’m yours,” she whispered, finally closing the space between them.
Tharja wished for a moment that Robin could still hear her thoughts. All the wonderful things that it made her feel.
I guess... I’ll just have to tell her myself, Tharja thought to herself. Ready and willing to do just that.