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“I think…Maribelle, I think Frederick might be planning to ask me to marry him.”
Maribelle definitely, absolutely did not spit out her tea at Lissa’s whispered declaration, because Maribelle was a noble. She did set her teacup down, dabbing her lips with a pink lacy handkerchief before placing it on her lap with a prim hand while steadfastly ignoring Lissa on the other side of the table as Lissa wiped tea off of her own face before mopping up the table, sending an exasperated glare at Maribelle all the while.
“I’m sure he is, darling. Who wouldn’t want to marry you?” Maribelle choked out a few moments later. “I already know what your answer will be, the poor man,” she simpered, brows drawing down into a look of exaggerated sorrow as she picked her teacup up again, little finger extended straight out as she raised the cup to her lips.
“I don’t know, Maribelle, I…”
Lissa stopped speaking when Maribelle narrowed her eyes. “Whatever do you mean, darling? Have you forgotten our arrangement?”
The princess looked down at her hands where they were folded in her lap, crossing her legs at the ankle and wiggling her toes nervously in her shoes.
“I haven’t forgotten, but—”
“Then what is there to decide? Frederick will simply have to find someone else.”
Maribelle decided to do her friend a service and ignore the tiny frown that had made a home on Lissa’s face.
“I’m sorry, Maribelle, but I have to go. I forgot I promised Chrom I would help Libra polish the staves today…” Lissa was already standing, moving to leave, turning her troubled expression away from Maribelle, but as much as Maribelle wanted to hold her, pull her close, assure her that she wasn’t angry if Lissa was floundering on her decision so long as she stayed with Maribelle in the end, Maribelle knew from past experience that forcing Lissa to stay when she clearly wanted to go mull things over on her own was one of the worst things Maribelle could do.
So she watched in silence as Lissa left the little table, weaving her way through the tents before ducking into the shelter housing the supplies. Sighing, Maribelle began packing up her things, sipping the last dregs of tea before piling her tea set into a basket to carry to the river to wash.
---
“I just don’t understand! Lissa’s never avoided me before! Doesn’t she know that I’m not angry with her? I trust her too much to think she’d break our promise!” Maribelle huffed, sliding her rook forward on the chessboard before straightening her back and picking up her teapot. “Would you care for any more tea?”
“Nah, not now. I hafta concentrate on beatin’ ya for once,” Vaike mumbled, hand rubbing his chin as he considered the board.
“Very well,” Maribelle said, pouring herself another cup, watching as Vaike picked up a knight before setting it down right where it had been before with a frustrated huff. He was reaching his hand forward, likely toward his queen, when Maribelle burst out, “It just doesn’t make sense!”
Vaike’s hand jerked in surprise, knocking several of the chess pieces over and completely destroying their game.
“Vaike!”
“Maribelle, if ya wanna talk about somethin’, please just tell me next time instead of makin’ up excuses about wantin’ to play chess,” Vaike grumbled.
Maribelle looked to the side, quickly picking up her teacup and taking a drink.
“Fine, ya don’t have to say nothin’. But I’m happy to just talk with ya. Ya don’t need an excuse.”
“…Thank you.”
“So, Lissa, huh? I’m guessin’ the promise is somethin’ about your friendship?”
“Yes. I…I’ve told you before about the extent of my and Lissa’s…friendship.” Maribelle had very strong memories of that particular conversation. It was a great understatement to say she had never expected to discuss her illicit feelings for the young princess with Vaike, of all people, but she had learned a fair few things about him in return.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be forgetting that talk anytime soon,” Vaike said with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his neck.
“But of course, you know if you ever speak a word of it—”
“You’ll tell Chrom everything I said, yeah, I know. But this is about you now, right?”
“Yes. I…guess I should get right to it.”
Vaike nodded in encouragement.
“Lissa informed me last week that…she noticed Frederick buying a ring the last time the two were in town together, and she believes it is meant for her.”
“And she’s avoidin’ ya now that ya know?”
“Yes! We haven’t said more than three words to each other since that day! All I did was assure her that I knew nothing would come of it, so I am at a loss for why she’s avoiding me.”
“Did ya ever think maybe Lissa wants something to come of it?”
“What?”
“Look, I know it’s not the same, since Chrom never knew I…felt anythin’ for him, but it hurt just as much when he went off and married Robin. It’s obvious how much he loves her, and it wasn’t my place to keep them apart, even if it still hurts thinkin’ about what might’ve happened if I got the guts to confess before Robin showed up.”
“But Lissa doesn’t love Frederick, Vaike! It’s not even close to the same thing!”
Vaike threw his hands up and bowed his head. “All I’m sayin’ is maybe ya should listen to what she has to say before ya make her choices for her.”
“Lissa cares for me, though! She told me so.” Maribelle’s voice was small, as if she were talking more to herself than to her companion.
“Maribelle, ya need to talk to her. I’m sure she does like ya. It certainly seems to me like she does, but maybe there’s somethin’ else goin’ on here. What about the children?”
And Maribelle couldn’t believe that Vaike had managed to make that connection before her, but suddenly, things were starting to make sense.
“You mean…She might be worrying we won’t have a strong enough army to win this war if…If there’s a possibility that her future child doesn’t exist?”
“Ya gotta admit, we would’ve lost long before now if Lucina hadn’t shown up, ‘s much as it kills to admit it,” Vaike said. “Kjelle and Yarne have been a big help too.”
“And Lissa’s always worried she’s not strong enough. If she thinks marrying Frederick would contribute a child…” Maribelle rose so quickly that her hip bumped the table, scattering the chess pieces even further. “Please excuse me, Vaike. We’ll have to continue this game another time.”
"Yeah, yeah,” he said with an amused smile, already beginning to push the pieces back into their case. “Good luck, Maribelle.”
---
“Lissa, I must talk to you!” Maribelle barged into the bathing tent, getting nothing so far as a greeting from Lissa other than a shriek as she yanked her dress back up over her chest.
“Can it wait?!” the princess said, face flaming red.
"Darling, we’ve bathed together so many times! Where’s this embarrassment coming from?”
“Oh, I just…I…Ummm…” Lissa’s voice was wavering now, before she dropped her gaze in defeat. “Fiiiiine.”
Lissa pulled her dress down again, turning to face the wall as she tugged off her smallclothes before lowering herself into the bath, Maribelle following a few moments later.
“Lissa.” Maribelle wasted no time in beginning, not wanting Lissa to try to escape and postpone this discussion for another week through avoiding her friend. “Has Frederick made his intentions to you clear yet?”
Lissa exhaled, looking at Maribelle out of the corner of her eye. This was the first time Maribelle could ever remember sitting so far away from Lissa in the bath that their shoulders did not touch.
“No, he…He hasn’t said anything since I saw him buy the ring.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“He still helps me train, and I still help him relax. The ring just…It hasn’t come up.”
“What will you say?”
Lissa’s gaze rose slowly until she was looking at Maribelle straight on, and Maribelle didn’t think she had ever found Lissa more radiant. The steam from the bath was making her face appear just a bit hazy, and her blue eyes were wide and sparkling. A red flush was dusted across her cheekbones, and her mouth had fallen open in a sharp inhale. Maribelle could see the tiny gap between Lissa’s front teeth through the window made by her thin pink lips.
“I’ll say no, of course,” Lissa breathed.
“Darling,” Maribelle sighed. She leaned over, cupping Lissa’s cheek in her hand, rubbing her thumb lightly over Lissa’s soft, pale skin. “But you want to say yes.”
Lissa closed her eyes, lip wobbling as she nodded. “I’m so sorry, Maribelle, but I like him too, and we…we need as many soldiers as we can get, so I…”
I like him too.
Maribelle had stopped listening after those words, mind buzzing as it repeated them over and over and over. It wasn’t just about Lissa’s progeny. Lissa liked him.
Feeling her eyes grow wet, Maribelle leaned forward and placed her lips over Lissa’s, even as her younger friend was still speaking. There was no hesitation in Lissa’s own movements, her hands moving up to run through Maribelle’s hair as her mouth moved against hers.
Lissa’s kisses were always filled with passion, but were gentle at the same time, as if she believed Maribelle could break at any moment. Now, Maribelle was afraid she might.
She wanted rough, though. She wanted violent and furious and fighting, and if Lissa wasn’t going to give that to her, Maribelle was going to take it. She snapped her teeth at Lissa’s lip, thrusting her tongue into her friend’s mouth and shoving her fingers into Lissa’s blonde hair, using her grip there to keep Lissa near.
It wasn’t until she realized the hands on her shoulders were pushing away rather than pulling her closer and the little grunts coming from Lissa were from panic rather than pleasure that Maribelle pulled away, regret and guilt already roiling deep in her belly.
“I’m sorry.” Maribelle’s voice was small, the furthest thing from her usual haughty tone, and her face burned with shame. “I’m sorry.” I love you.
“I’m sorry too, Maribelle. If there was any way I could have both of you, I—”
“No. I…Frederick loves you. I can tell in the way he looks at you, and I know that you could learn to love him too, if you don’t already.” I love you so much.
“Maribelle.” Lissa’s voice was so soft Maribelle almost missed her name leaving those lips.
Knowing this would surely be her last chance though, Maribelle couldn’t resist leaning in once more, pressing a gentle, chaste kiss to Lissa’s parted lips.
“I want you to be happy.” I’ve loved you for so long.
“I want you to do what you want.” I’ll never stop loving you.
“We’ll still be the best of friends, darling. I would never give that up, and I hope you wouldn’t either.” I think I’d die if I lost you in every way, even though it’ll hurt so much more seeing you and knowing my love for you is unwanted.
“Thank you, Maribelle. That means a lot to me.” Lissa was still speaking in a whisper, and Maribelle wondered if she was hiding her own words as well. She supposed she’d probably never know.
“Good night then, darling. I wish you the best, and here’s to hoping Frederick finds his courage and proposes to you sooner rather than later.” Maribelle ran her fingers through Lissa’s silken hair for a final time, trying to convey all the words that had gone unsaid as she stared into her eyes, but Lissa did not speak again, only nodding before looking down at the water.
Maribelle gathered her clothes, drying off and changing quickly near the mouth of the tent. Her walk was crisp but casual as she left through the flap, but soon enough, she found herself running through camp, straight into Vaike’s tent.
---
It wasn’t until several weeks later, after the quiet wedding between the girl she loved and that girl’s beau, that Maribelle received the shock of a lifetime. Maribelle herself hadn’t married, hadn’t been planning to marry, but had been spending much of her spare time with Vaike, spilling her sorrows to the only person she was sure could relate, but he was her friend.
Maribelle had only ever noticed the sparkle in Lissa’s eye, the softness of her hair and skin, the curves of her feminine figure. Nobody else had ever caught her attention, and Maribelle doubted anyone ever would. Vaike claimed that while Chrom wasn’t the only target of his attraction, he had not yet found a woman he liked the looks of, instead getting caught up in the ripple of Chrom’s muscles as they sparred, the deep, throaty timbre of Lon’qu’s voice, the way Virion’s hair fell in fluffy waves over his shoulders. It was the men of the Shepherds that drew his eye, and he was confident a woman would never have the same pull.
They’d never said they loved each other, had never kissed, had never even expressed a want to be more than they were, but yet. Yet here was a roughened-up young man with striking blond hair and a speech pattern that was too uncanny to be a coincidence. Here was a young man with a scar over his eye and a staff in his hand who seemed to care too much about people he barely knew, throwing himself in front of others even when he had no way to fight.
And when he ran up to Maribelle and began calling her “Ma,” she knew beyond a doubt that this blasted boy, this Brady, was hers. She didn’t need the tears in her eyes to know that she loved him with all her heart, but it was a bit of a shock when he walked right up to Vaike and threw his arms around his shoulders, sobbing about being so happy to see his father again.
Vaike and Maribelle were bewildered, confused, astonished, and so was the rest of the company it seemed, as they all looked on as if watching some sort of performance rather than a real child reuniting with his father. They looked at each other with nothing but questions in their eyes, but as soon as Brady had been pulled away by the other children, Chrom walked up and gave Vaike a hearty smack to the shoulder. Chrom’s grin was wide and suggestive, clearly implying that he was sure Vaike and Maribelle had been carrying on a secret relationship all this time, which couldn’t have been further than the truth.
Maribelle, on the other hand, had been immediately approached by Lissa, who was tittering over how very sweet it was that Vaike and Maribelle were together, but why was Maribelle hiding such happy news from her very best friend? With nothing but a glance, Vaike and Maribelle decided to go along with what everyone else now surely assumed…Neither wanted to break dear Brady’s heart, and Maribelle really doubted anyone would believe them if they told the truth anyway. After all, five other children from the future had already been found, and their respective parents had all been married before each child joined the Shepherds.
She supposed it made sense. Maribelle only had eyes for Lissa, and it’s not as if any men of the Shepherds seemed particularly attracted to Vaike. Besides, he was almost as close to Maribelle as Lissa was now, so of course they would end up together. Of course they’d put aside the knowledge that they’d never feel true romantic love for the other and give in, settle for the deep love gained through friendship alone in the dangerous times of their child’s world.
And they’d do the same now.
They had no reason to think Brady knew the truth, knew that his mom and dad only truly loved the princess and exalt respectively, and they didn’t want to taint whatever memories he held of the two of them from his own world. He seemed overjoyed to have them both here with him, even if they weren’t truly his parents, that neither Vaike nor Maribelle had the heart to explain their situation.
Vaike gave her a ring a few days later, as soon as he’d had the time to sneak away to a nearby village and pick one out for her, and Maribelle accepted without question. His proposal was honest and lovely and Maribelle wished more than anything that her heart fluttered out of desire rather than appreciation.
The wedding was short, quiet, and everything Maribelle wanted, minus Lissa and Frederick seated in the front row, Lissa leaning very obviously into Frederick’s chest as they clutched each other’s hands. She tried to keep her eyes averted, she really did, but Lissa’s smile had always drawn her in no matter how much she tried to pull away. She only hoped that the tears rolling down her face would be mistaken as tears of happiness by the rest of the Shepherds.
Vaike didn’t cry, but Maribelle saw his jaw tighten and his eyes harden as he took his own glance at the audience. She knew his gaze would be pulled straight to Chrom, looking handsome and regal, Lucina on one side and Robin on the other.
The ceremony was a whirlwind, and the two newlyweds were rushed away to Vaike’s tent the moment it was over, where they talked and played chess well into the night before falling asleep on bedrolls laid out on opposite sides of the tent.
---
Married life wasn't too different from single life. Maribelle still had tea with Lissa at least four afternoons a week, only now the conversation always seemed to drift first to Vaike and then to Frederick. It seemed, now that Maribelle had a husband of her own, that Lissa believed speaking about Frederick wouldn’t hurt.
Her eyes glowed brighter than Maribelle had ever seen them when Lissa told her about the bouquet of flowers Frederick had picked for her the week before. Frederick cooked for her sometimes, and Lissa often brought cookies or biscuits or bread to share with Maribelle over tea. Lissa raved over these treats of hers much more than she ever had about the sweets Maribelle used to bring.
“I’m so glad you have Vaike now, Maribelle! I think he’s great for you,” Lissa said, eyes sparkling and hands clasped in front of her chest.
“Thank you, darling. I do quite enjoy his company.” But I’ll never love him like I love you.
“You’re so lucky Brady’s here already. I can’t wait until I meet Owain! Lucina’s told me a few things about him, but there are still so many things I don’t know!”
“I look forward to meeting him as well. From what Brady has said, he and Owain were very close. I can tell Brady misses him.” I wish Brady and Owain belonged to the both of us.
---
The only ladies who had not yet met their future children were Lissa, Nowi, Tharja, and Miriel, now that Cynthia had been found and inducted into the Shepherds. Maribelle could tell Lissa was growing more and more anxious by the day, worried that something had gone wrong; maybe Owain didn’t make it to the past, or maybe he hadn’t been strong enough to stay alive wherever he had ended up.
For once in her life, Maribelle didn’t know what to say to make it better. Before, she would’ve held Lissa. She would stroked Lissa’s hair and back and pressed gentle kisses to her face until Lissa rewarded her with a watery smile and a kiss of her own, but Lissa had Frederick now. Frederick was the one who held her through her sorrow and worries. Frederick was the one to pet and kiss her, and Frederick was the one at which she smiled.
“What if we don’t find Owain?” Brady asked Maribelle in a hushed whisper one night, having broken into her and Vaike’s tent just after she had pulled the blankets up to her chin. She sat up in a panic, well aware that it would look strange to her dear, lovely son that she and Vaike still slept very much apart, but Brady didn’t seem concerned. “Ma, I can’t…We need to find Owain.”
“I know, dear,” Maribelle assured him, ruffling a hand through his hair. “I’m sure we’ll find him soon.”
Brady only swallowed loudly before laying down and curling up besides Maribelle on the tent floor.
With a sigh, Maribelle shuffled closer to the boy, throwing her blanket over him as well as she could, smoothing her hand once over his cheek before laying back down and falling into a sleep as fitful as her son’s. When she woke up the next morning, it was to the sight of Vaike on Brady’s other side, half of Brady covered with her blanket and the other half under Vaike’s.
The very next day, the company was united with Owain at last, and Maribelle was sure she saw Brady wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, sniffing loudly as he did so.
Brady never spent the night in his parents’ tent again, but Vaike couldn’t be bothered to move his bedroll back to his own side. Maribelle found she didn’t mind.
---
Maribelle knew now why Vaike’s sparring matches with Chrom had cut down considerably once Morgan had joined the Shepherds. Lucina had been very independent, not spending too much time with her mother. She’d spar with her father, sure, but rarely when Robin was around. She was very much a daddy’s girl in every sense of the word, but Morgan was different.
Morgan adored his mother, but was also desperate to get to know his father, so the little family always seemed to be together. Lucina still spent the majority of her time with the other time travelers, but when Morgan wasn’t spending time with Yarne, he was hanging off his parents.
Vaike never talked about it, but Maribelle could tell in the set of his shoulders when he had asked Chrom for a spar but been brushed off in favor of the tactician and his new-found son, or when he had sparred with Chrom, only to lose from the distraction of Robin and Morgan cheering from the sidelines.
Maribelle had known it bothered him. The sorrow and resentment and subsequent guilt that it pushed onto Vaike was obvious in the slump of his shoulders and the furrow of his forehead, but Maribelle had never dared to believe she knew what it felt like.
She knew how upset she felt when she saw Lissa and Frederick walking through camp hand in hand, Frederick bending low to press his head close to Lissa's as she whispered and giggled to him. She knew what it felt like when Lissa canceled one of their tea dates because Frederick promised to cloud-watch with her. But she didn’t know what it felt like to have evidence right before her eyes that the woman she loved was truly and forever devoted to the man who put that ring on her finger.
At least, she didn’t know until the Shepherds found Owain.
Lissa adored Owain, and Owain adored her right back. It took longer for Frederick to bond with his son, but once they had worked out their differences, the tiny family was inseparable. Maribelle’s teatime with her dear friend was cut down to three days a week, then two, then one, and more often than not, Owain came along for tea as well. Sometimes Brady accompanied him, giving his mother a shrug in apology before sitting next to Owain and grabbing the teapot.
Lissa even brought Frederick once, and that time was the worst. The two young lovers were so involved in each other that Maribelle felt as if she no longer belonged at her own tea table. They kissed and declared their love to each other and stared into each other’s eyes until Maribelle finally had enough and left, trusting Frederick and Lissa to at least assure Maribelle’s prized tea set was not broken by the end of the day. At least Lissa never brought Frederick a second time.
But despite all this, she could never be angry at Lissa. As much as Lissa made it obvious how much Frederick and Owain meant to her, how much more they meant to her than Maribelle did, Maribelle could never fault her for it.
“I don’t know if Brady’s told you, but Owain keeps the most adorable little journal with all these fancy fighting moves he’s come up with! He’s never let me read it, but Inigo told me all about it. I’m sure his father must’ve gotten that for him with how much Frederick likes writing everything down.”
“That’s wonderful, darling! It’s good to hear Owain is so very creative, and that you and Frederick encourage that creativity.” I’ll always love you, Lissa, and I wish you and Owain could love me as you do Frederick.
“I’ve noticed he and Brady are quite close, though. Has Brady mentioned anything to you about—”
“No, not at all.” It’s obvious Brady loves your son as much as I love you, but I’m afraid Owain feels for him as you do for me.
---
The weeks turned into months, and soon enough, every woman had become a mother to a child nearing their own age. The fight against Grima almost seemed like a dream, and Maribelle was unsure the Shepherds would ever be able to stop mourning the loss of Robin, but as they wiped away their tears and trickled away to share their sorrow with those they were closest to, Maribelle gravitated toward Lissa.
And Lissa turned straight around to bury her face in Frederick’s chest.
It wasn’t the first time Maribelle’s heart had broken, but it was the first time she sobbed so hard that her whole body shook, that Vaike held her and soothed her even though both of them knew very well that Chrom needed someone so much more than Maribelle. They also both knew that Vaike could never leave her alone when she needed him most.