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It's another peaceful day on the castle grounds, Chrom yawns while making his usual morning routines. He's feeling a bit more excited this morning since he doesn't need to sign important papers but instead a near by village had asked for aid to repair some buildings from a fierce storm a few days back.
It's been a few good months since he had anything to do outside the castle.
"Chrom! Aren't you excited?! I cannot wait to go out today." Lissa beams up at her idiot older brother excitedly as she gently pets the white pegasus that stands by her side, Chrom can only smile at her excitement and give a nod. "Yes, I'm excited to get out too."
The two chat with each other until the rest of their little party is ready to leave to the small village.
"It's been awhile since we've gathered up like this, eh?" Sully grins up Chrom as she leads her horse over to his to walk side by side. "Remember when we were all young and running around to help anyone in need? Ha, good ol' days." She chuckles out loud.
"We're not that old, it's only been two years." A voice says on his other side as Stalh makes his way up to them and Chrom laughs along with his friend as Sully continues on talking about how young and stupid they were.
"Man, it feels like forever though. Time sure flies." She whistles while looking up at the sky. Chrom hums in agreement while following her gaze ahead. His sister flies with Maribelle riding at the back with her along with Sumia not to far from them in the sky above, Fredrick of course is near the pair to keep an eye on them while also watching the road ahead.
"Huh.." Now that he thinks about it, when did his sister even learn how to fly on a pegasus?
Chrom tries to dig deep into his mind for an answer but comes up empty.
"Chrom! Look! We're almost there!" Lissa shouts from ahead, Chrom moves his eyes from his sister's flying form to the small village starting to appear as they near.
He'll ask her about that later/
The whole place is in ruins and the only thing Chrom can hear is the ringing in his ears from the dragon that cries, he doesn't think his eardrums can take it much longer.
The winds are harsh all the way up here, on the dragon's back and his army is fighting against the single enemy up with them.
"Chrom." There's a voice next to him, Chrom can't really recognize who exactly it is but there's something familiar about this person.
"I know I said I wouldn't.. but.." The voice says and Chrom feels something desperate fill him, he needs to cling onto this person, to never let them go, to keep holding them close to him because if he doesn't then—
"I'm sorry, Chrom."
Chrom wakes up from that dream that always haunts him with a name he can't remember lingering on his tongue.
Something about going to Plegia gives Chrom an uneasy feeling, though when he thinks about reasons why like always he comes up empty.
Chrom had been invited to Plegia on behalf of the new Queen's request, along with a peace treaty between the two countries.
Of course doing the right thing was to agree and go, Chrom thinks that his late sister would want this also.
When he sees the sea of sand at the borders, he feels like something is wrong again, something is missing. It's not like this is his first time on Plegia's sandy grounds but he can't really recall when he had came here and with who.
When he and his men are escorted to the palace, Chrom can't help but feel like he had already been here.
Meeting the new Queen was enjoyable, she was rather kind to him and his men.
During his last stay, he catches a glimpse of what seems to be six eyes staring back at him carved neatly onto a wall, he's also seen that before but can't remember exactly where and when.
"!!" Chrom tries to call out the other's name but it dies in the wind.
Lightening flashes throughout the area causing Chrom to shield his eyes from the bright light then there is silence.
When Chrom opens his eyes, his whole heart feels like it shattered, hopelessness fills him when he sees that familiar dark coat almost fading into the wind.
He remembers what Naga had told him earlier.
"Chrom.." The person turns their head to look at him, face almost hidden under the hood of the coat they wear.
Chrom tries to speak but nothing comes out, instead he clumsily raises to his feet, hurrying his way over towards them, reaching out before they're gone, entirely.
"If you can remember, then.." They smile.
When Chrom opens his eyes, he can feel the tears fall from the corner of his eyes from the dream that continues to haunt him.
"When are you going to get married?" Lissa asks out of the blue one day while she and Chrom have their weekly tea party.
"W-Wha—!!?" Chrom almost chokes on his tea, managing to swallow it down before going into a coughing fit. Lissa only gives an not so innocent smile at his suffering before handing over a napkin.
"You heard me, when you gonna go get yourself a wife? Or a husband, it doesn't really matter." Lissa gives another smile when Chrom gives her a questioning look.
"When are you going to get married? Huh?" Chrom retorts back, Lissa surprisingly gives him an answer. "When I find the right person. Someone who I can trust dearly and know that they love me back." She sighs dreamily while placing her hands onto her cheeks.
Chrom only shakes his head at her while sipping at the rest of his tea, she can be such a child sometimes.
"C'mon, bro!! Do you like someone? Anyone? Wait! Did you have your heart broken already?" Lissa gasps out before giggling when Chrom gives her another look before settling his tea cup down. "No, I haven't had the interest in anyone and I haven't had my heart broken."
"Awe.. your love life needs more excitement in it." Lissa sighs out as if Chrom's love life is in shambles.
Chrom tries to think about what she said, he's sure he hasn't had a broken heart, nor liked anyone enough to have romantic feelings towards but..
Deep down, he does feel like he had already met this person.
There's an ache in his chest when he tries to think about a person who could have meant so much to him. To have a bond so dear to him that his heart would aches whenever he thinks about them when they're not around or feeling his mood brighten whenever he sees them and all he wants is to be near them. To love them, to hold them in his arms and never let go because they mean the whole world to him, it hurts so much that he thinks he could cry.
Though, he can't put a face or a name to whoever these feelings are for.
Chrom didn't realize how late it had gotten while he sits at the large wooden desk in the library, his neck is starting to hurt from staring down at the many papers he had to look over and sign. Carefully putting the quill on it's stand, he stretches in his chair and oof, he hears his neck crack in the silence.
When he glances over to the lantern that had been lit, the candle had mostly been melted.
"I can't believe I do this most of the time.." Sighing out while slumping back against the chair he had been sitting in for hours, Chrom closes his eyes to rest for a moment.
And there's that feeling again, like something is missing.
"But what..?" A whisper escapes from Chrom as his eyes bore into the ceiling above, trying to think if he had forgotten anything that day, maybe something important he had wrote down to do, or perhaps if something was missing?
It's there, on the tip of his tongue, but no matter how much he wants to remember, nothing comes to mind.
Groaning out in frustration, Chrom straightens back into his chair ready to go back to reading when his eyes catch onto an empty chair sitting almost across from him. Something about where it's positioned almost seemed wrong, like it shouldn't be that far from where he sits, like as if someone would be sitting here with him while he does his work.
The feeling of something missing is stuck in his mind.
In the end, Chrom just shakes his head.
"Maybe I'm just tired.."
When Naga appears in front of them, her words echo in Chrom's mind before they depart to defeat the dragon.
"If you believe your bonds are strong enough, if you remember in the end, only then shall your dearest loved one will return." She says before blessing Chrom with her power.
Chrom may have thrown a fit but a world without them, a world without -
It seemed so cruel that even he didn't want to live without them by his side.
"Chrom." The familiar voice whispers by his side and Chrom knows that whatever comes next is a lie.
"I won't."
Because they wouldn't choose themselves over the world.
"I promise."
It's just him, Lissa and Fredrick this time as they stroll through the dirt path road.
More trouble had risen in one of the smaller villages and wanting to get out of the castle again, the three of them head off to deal with the trouble themselves.
Lissa is rambling about whatever and everything while Fredrick agrees with her every statement, Chrom can only chuckle and mildly feel bad for his friend for having to listen to his sister.
Vaguely listening to them both chat, Chrom feels a sense of déjà vu when the near south town.
His eyes trail ahead from where they walk, he's been here plenty of times but-
His heart beat races faster in his chest, like something important is about to happen.
"Chrom? Where you going?!" Lissa calls out which Chrom can't answer as his feet take him elsewhere, he's been here before, had taken these exact same steps. He doesn't realize he's running until he spots a tree in a field and halts when he slowly makes his way across to it, he feels his breath get caught in his throat as soon as he stands near.
His heart speeds up in agitation, a hope rises in his chest that he didn't know was there and Chrom holds his breath when he finally stands next to the tree.
But there's nothing there.
Why does he feel like something is going to happen, he's been here before, he knows it, but when?
"Chrom." He hears his name, snapping his head to the side, there's only him and only him standing underneath the tree.
"Robin..?" He whispers, then as if a million emotions are going through him, he remembers.
Lonely nights spent alone because Robin wasn't there, Robin who would stay up with him whenever he needed to finish work, Robin who smiles whenever they're eyes meet, Robin who whenever laughs always fills Chrom with warmth, Robin who's always been there by his side because they're two halves of a whole.
Robin who had sacrificed his life for the world.
Chrom had sworn that he wouldn't forget, on that dragon's back, he sworn he would remember and find him as soon as possible.
And Robin only smiled before he was gone, along with everyone's memories.
Closing his eyes to blink the tears that threat to fall, Chrom rests his palm against the bark of the tree.
"I promise to find you, Robin. I remember."