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“Chrom, have you seen my hairband?”
“It should be placed on the vanity table.” Father responded in a tired voice.
“Odd. It’s not there. I always leave it there before going to the baths.”
Lucina, the young princess of Ylisse, clapped her small hands over her mouth to muffle her loud breaths. Outside of her parents' chambers, her back pressed against the cold marble of a pedestal containing one of her ancestor’s busts as the noise quietened. The stolen item remained on her lap, thinner that she thought. She should return to her own room now that the task has been completed.
However, the princess’ curiosity got the best of her. Coming out of her hiding place, next to the royal chambers, she pressed herself into their door as her ears strained to hear more of her parents' conversation.
Someone inside shuffled some more, and the sounds of movement persisted as Mother mumbled about misplacing items. Despite her racing heart and sweaty hands, Lucina was proud of her cunning achievement. Although she certainly would get a scolding for entering her parents' empty chambers while they were in the baths.
She flattened herself against the door to hear more when the clanking of heavy armor and conversation at the far end of the royal hall alerted her to visitors.
A round of the guards came her way, sending a fearful shiver down Lucina’s spine. She yanked herself up from the stone floor, shoving the stolen item up the back of her tunic and pinching it with her waistband. Standing straight, the princess puffed out her chest and walked past as calmly as she could. The two-man patrol saluted with small smiles and passed her by, oblivious to her furtive nature.
As they rounded the corner, Lucina cast a quick glance down the royal hall. Then, she dashed down to her room as soon as they were gone, closing the heavy door quietly. The sun has already set, and she carefully lights a candle like Father taught her, setting the holder between her dresser and mirror.
It was the perfect moment. The royal nanny was on leave to visit her family, and Morgan had already fallen asleep. As a result, none of Lucina's usual guests could interrupt her and snitch on her whereabouts around this time.
The princess took the item from behind her back, wiping away the dirt with the blankets on her bed, and placed it on top of the mattress. Next, she ducked and wiggled under her bed, where the maids rarely cleaned, and grabbed a small canvas bag, sneezing at the dust.
Exiting, Lucina plopped herself in front of her mirror where a rough drawing of the portrait from her art lessons was clipped to the frame. A sketch of the Hero-King in blobs of blue, gold, and red paint. It wasn't a perfect recreation, but she couldn't be caught out this late wandering to double check the portrait in the hall again.
It was now or never.
Taking out the bag’s contents, Lucina’s blue play clothes weren’t an exact match, but they resembled his tunic and pantaloons close enough when she added a brown belt. Then, the princess removed a long blue cloth that she scavenged from Father’s old clothes, tying it with clumsy fingers around her shoulders. Raiding her closet, she picked up her training boots, bouncing in them until her feet sank into the supple sole.
Now for the last part…
Lucina picked up her stolen treasure: her mother’s thin hairband, and brushed it into her hair. It was too big for her head, and it tilted sideways, putting a light pressure on her right ear. She adjusted it upwards, pinching it at an awkward angle, but it held without excessively dropping to one side.
Looking into the mirror, the princess put her fists to her waist and twirled, giggling.
The only thing missing was Falchion. Yet, Lucina still didn’t have the strength to carry it by herself, and Father never left the blade out of his sight. The princess had already struggled trying to get Mother’s hairband and the queen was-
A series of knocks came from the chamber door.
“Lucina.”
Outside her room!
The princess jumped, kicking the bag under her bed. Hastily, she tried to remove the hairband from her hair, only to feel a sting on her scalp. She tugged once more and winced at the pain. Her hair and the left end of the hairpiece were tangled in a horrible blue knot.
Her mother opened the chamber, her own white hair wet and loose around her back, missing both her usual pigtails and hairband.
“Mama…” Lucina blurted out and froze in place, reverting to the childish namesake.
"Dear, what are you doing at this hour? It’s close to your bedtime.” Mother peered out the chamber door, saying something to someone on the other side before closing it.
“Nothing,” Lucina drawled. The princess lowered the band back to her scalp, hiding the messy knot with her hand. Usually, Father was the one that bid her goodnight first, and it would be easier to explain to him. At the very least, her father was more forgiving of misbehavior. Perhaps Mother wouldn’t notice if she acted normally.
“Either way, I was going to ask your opinion on a matter-” the queen said, laying her eyes on her fidgeting daughter. Her eyebrows rose at the princess’s tangled hair. “Where did you get that?”
“Found it.”
“Found it where?”
“Um, in the baths?” Lucina said. What a terrible lie! She had taken a bath BEFORE Mother left the hairpiece in the chambers.
“Hmm…” The queen came closer, crouching down to her daughter’s level. “Goodness, that’s quite a mess you got there. What on earth did you do with your hair?”
As Lucina tried to push the hairband deeper into her hair, Mother took it into her own hands and examined the mess. The princess whimpered as Robin tightened her grip on the headpiece, pulling upwards and stopping at her daughter’s reaction. The hairband’s teeth fought with the princess's hair as the queen began to brush the knot away.
“Just HOW did you get into this mess?” Robin said, fully concentrated on leaving as much hair intact as possible. “It's a bird's nest here.”
"I'm sorry," Lucina winced, both from her words and from the pain. Her guilt was obvious, and she was truly in for it now.
“It looks like you twirled it twice into your hair. Move your head to the right.”
After a few minutes of intense focus and fidgeting, the hairband was free. The concerned mother patted her daughter's sore head while shaking away a few loose blue strands and staring at her stolen headpiece.
“This is why we don’t obtain items that aren’t ours, alright?”
“I’m sorry,” Lucina repeated, looking down. “I know I shouldn’t have taken it without permission.”
Shame rushed over Lucina like a wave, and the princess awaited the continued scolding. Mother, after all, was less forgiving of misbehavior. The princess couldn't help but sneak a peek once at the drawing, trying to form her reasoning behind such a stunt.
Her mother followed her direction and snorted lightly as she fixed her gaze on the mirror, where the rough drawing remained pinned to the frame.
Robin's gaze was drawn to her hairband before returning to her daughter and the drawing. The queen's eyes lit up, just like when she was working on her books and scrolls at her desk. She gave a strange smile before readjusting the band to her daughter's head, still falling to one side.
“You’re similar to someone I’ve seen. Who could it be?”
“…Marth.” The princess bit the inside of her cheek.
“The Hero-King Marth?”
“Yes.”
"Hmm," Mother reached for the princess's shoulders, retying Lucina's makeshift cape and taking a step back. Her brown eyes cooled from the previous scolding and the princess could hear her mother mutter something to herself.
“The traditional circlet would be too big, no?” The queen placed her hand under her chin, pensive. “It shouldn't have any combs inside to prevent the same mess. The cape would be easy to measure…”
“Huh?” The princess, still waiting for a response. She didn’t get what was happening.
“What? Oh,” Robin returned, seeming to remember where she was. “Just thinking to myself. Don’t mind me. You look very handsome, dear.”
Lucina’s cheeks colored.
"Next time, you should ask permission from the owners first before borrowing, but I believe you have learned that by now." Mother said, brushing Lucina’s messy hair. “I wanted to ask you a question for your birthday, but I believe I got a good picture.”
“A good picture of what?” Lucina frowned. She didn't always understand what the adults said, but she did hear something about her birthday. Now that WAS important to know. According to Father, Mother mumbled a lot to herself when she had a plan.
“You see-”
“Mama!”
The door opened again, and one of Lucina's regular visitors peered inside, standing on tiptoes to reach the knob. Morgan toddled over, dragging a blue and purple blanket, when he saw his mother and sister. Lucina kept a wary eye on him as her younger brother walked towards them, ready to leap to his aid if he fell.
“Aren’t YOU supposed to be asleep, young man?” The mother sighed, as the prince wrapped his arms around her leg. “What is up with the two of you? Did dinner make you restless tonight?”
“Pie!”
"That's what you ate, kiddo."
“Er-” Lucina started, wishing to go back to the topic at hand. Mother was undoubtedly going to mention her birthday.
“Lu?” Morgan, on the other hand, noticed his sister’s odd clothing and the princess turned to him. The prince patted her arm, trying to touch the improvised cape, his big eyes wide with awe. The sight moved the eldest sibling’s heart, and she decided to indulge him a bit more before asking her mother.
“Who am I, Morgan?” Lucina said, puffing her chest.
"Mars!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands.
The princess’ thoughts were wiped clean from wondering what her mother was up to. Instead, she focused on correcting her younger sibling, who was still learning proper pronunciation.
“No, it’s MARTH.” Lucina pronounced, spelling each letter carefully for his benefit. “You’re missing the th and there is no s! Say it again like this: Marth.”
Morgan blinked. Lucina slowly repeated the letters again, and the prince nodded, while Mother appeared to smile at both her children. He opened his mouth and said, "Mars!"
The princess pouted as their mother laughed, and the prince seemed pleased with her reaction. At the very least, her Marth costume was recognizable.
———
“Mother, have you seen my tiara?” Lucina, now a young woman well past her childhood and out of her own time, inquired as Robin appeared in the royal children’s tent. The princess laid down her hairbrush as she began to search the floor. The top of her head felt light without the soothing pressure of her headpiece.
The grandmaster entered, lowering the flap as she carried a stack of tomes in her arm. She curiously glanced at the top of the princess' hair. “Did something happen to it?
“It was set on my bed,” Lucina alleged, her damp hair stuck to her cheeks as she ducked under the beds. “I returned from the baths a few minutes ago, and now I can’t seem to locate it anywhere.”
“I last noticed it when I saw you last in the morning drills. Then again, when have I seen you without it?” Mother chuckled in response. The joke fell flat as Lucina rose from the tent ground, pursing her lips.
"Are you certain? No one else has entered this tent except our family?”
The princess couldn’t quell her racing thoughts. Any wandering thief could have come inside and stolen it for some hefty gold. To avoid such folly, she had to always keep a close eye on it, only taking it off when necessary. She must have let her guard down to leave it unattended without a second thought.
“Yes, these are private quarters, and the patrols have not reported anything suspicious.” The grandmaster affirmed, sensing Lucina's distress. “Thievery is highly punishable, and I doubt any of the Shepherds would cross into the royal tents without prior permission.”
“I know. It’s just a possibility…”
“I’ll help you find it,” Robin said, dropping the stack of books on Morgan's desk. “We still have some spare time before the war council meeting is held. I’ve lost things hidden in plain sight before. If the tiara is lost, it should be around this tent…”
The pair began to search around the tent, looking over every nook and cranny of the grandmaster’s old tent, which now belonged to Lucina and Morgan. Despite the relative lack of personal belongings from either child when they first joined, they accumulated more items over time. The mother and daughter began to rummage through the mess, knowing it was going to take a while.
"I'm curious,” Mother spoke after a few minutes of silence, moving a box of old clothing to the side. “Outside of formal occasions, Chrom and I don't wear much ceremonial jewelry, but I noticed that the House of Ylisse's traditional knickknacks don't match yours. In comparison to their elaborate designs, yours is quite simple."
“It was a special commission for when I was young,” she said, searching Morgan’s messy desk to find nothing of note.
"Commissioned? I assumed it was a royal tradition to pass the crowns down the lineage instead of forging new ones for each member. However, because we aren't the most traditional leaders, I could be wrong. I have only been in their inner circle for a few short years.”
"It is, but mine is unique because you gifted it to me."
“I did?” Robin frowned.
“Er-pardon, my birth mother.” Lucina corrected, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “The tiara was a gift from her. It was one of the few possessions I had brought from the past from her.”
"That's why you're so insistent on looking for it," Mother said as she finished her search with the boxes. “I’ll admit it is a nice gift. I do wonder what inspired her to do so. The court would certainly have a word with her about breaking tradition. Then again, everything your Chrom and I do causes a stir, so it wouldn't be the first time.”
“Heh,” Lucina laughed, momentarily forgetting her search. “Some in the court did not consider it a royal heirloom and disliked naming it as such. My parents didn't mind because my joy at receiving it far outweighed the nobles' opinions.”
The princess recalled the birthday when she opened the present as her family looked onwards. The golden tiara sat atop a personalized outfit arranged by her parents; a refined version of her childish Marth disguise sewn by the best tailors in Ylisse. Lucina remembered fondly, albeit with some embarrassment, her younger self flaunting the diadem and outfit to any passers-by for weeks afterwards.
That and the little outing that gave her mother that idea long ago. A phantom sting crossed her scalp as she remembered, and Lucina looked up at the top of the grandmaster's head. “Does that hairpiece have any significance to you?”
"Oh this," Robin said, skimming the hairband from her head, a copy of the thin band from Lucina’s memory. “I forget I'm wearing it half the time. I've had it since I awoke with it, so I have no real memories of it, but I can’t seem to leave it behind. Sentimentality, I guess. Why ask?”
"It was just a thought that came to me.” Lucina replied, going back to her search for her tiara. “I'll stop diverting our attention away from the task at hand."
After half an hour of intense searching, no golden tiara was sighted, and Lucina called off the search, dismayed. The headpiece meant a lot to her, and she only truly lost it now, in a less turbulent time. Alas, she accepted that it was only an item, just like the Castle Ylisstol’s fall in her time, easily replaceable in comparison to human life; no matter how much it hurt.
“Don’t despair, dear.” Robin comforted Lucina by patting her on the shoulder. “It’s most likely around camp. After all, it's just the two of us searching for it.”
Before the princess could respond, Morgan entered the tent, carrying a small box in his hands while humming under his breath. “There you are, Lucina! Do you have a minute- Mother?! Wait, what happened here?!”
The young tactician examined their shared space with a gasp, the beds unmade and the boxes out of place and spilling their contents around the floor. “Were we ambushed or robbed? Should I get Father-”
“Morgan, have you seen my tiara?” Lucina jumped to ask, before her brother continued to fret and ran out to find their father. “I left it in the tent, and I can’t find it.”
“Of course, it’s…” Morgan stopped. “Er- is that why this place looks like a mess? That’s kind of funny. Ha ha ha!”
Lucina narrowed her eyes as the lad fidgeted and laughed nervously, while Mother raised an eyebrow. If the princess knew anything about her little brother, it was that Morgan wasn't the best at keeping composure when Mother was around. The high pitch of his laugh and his lack of eye contact were dead giveaways.
“Morgan…” Both women uttered it at the same time.
“Um,” The young tactician nudged the box in Lucina’s direction as she took it from his hands without a second thought. “It was supposed to be a surprise?”
“A surprise?” Lucina asked, taking the box from his grasp without a second thought. “What TYPE of surprise?”
“A good kind!”
Frowning, the princess opened the small box and gasped at its contents.
Lucina’s tiara lay on a plain blue pillow with a bright golden sheen. Setting the box on the bed, she gently took it in her hands and held it up, examining every corner. Because of how thoroughly it was cleaned, it is almost as good as new.
“Morgan, you had it the whole time?” Mother inquired, a scolding tone in her voice.
“Yes?” Morgan rubbed the back of his head. “Well, after Lucina left this morning, I did. When she took off the tiara after the last battle with the Risen, it appeared dirtier than usual… so I thought a simple cleaning would help!”
“And you didn't inform me beforehand or even ask for permission?” Lucina gaped. At the very least, the tiara was in good hands the entire time, but his choice of secrecy baffled her. “Instead of turning our tent upside down looking for it, you could have simply told me!"
“I just wanted to surprise you! I didn't expect it to take as long as it did!"
“You dolt…” The princess scoffed but kept a smile on her lips. Regardless, it was a thoughtful gesture, and she had been preoccupied lately.
In her hands, the diadem resembled Marth's own circlet, but with a sleeker design. Nevertheless, she could only imagine her mother’s thin hairband in her smaller hands and amateurish clothing; a memory that she was reminded of whenever she removed her headpiece.
Lucina placed the tiara back in her hair, a missing piece of her returning to complete her once more.
“It was also dirty,” The young tactician rambled, turning to the grandmaster. “Like REALLY dirty. I thought wiping it down with a cleaning cloth would be enough, but the stains wouldn't come off! Sir Frederick had to teach me a special technique that helped a bit before he did it himself. He also gave me a nice box in which to store the tiara in the future for safekeeping.”
"It wasn't filthy,” Lucina snapped, coming out of her memory, and hearing his words while Mother laughed. “I clean it once a week!”
"Lucina, I don't think your cleaning methods are very effective..."