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Lucina thought she’d be used to the whiplash by now. After all, it wasn’t the first time she’d traversed time and space to an alternate world so similar to her own. She knew well the sickening feeling of her feet landing in familiar lands she’d never strolled through, of speaking to people she considered family without having ever met. It was like knowing everything and nothing at once.
This time should have been no different, but as Lucina struck down another Risen from where she sat behind Sully, her heart ached as strongly as it always did. When Naga first called upon the Shepherds to this world to save Kjelle, Nah, Noir, and Cynthia, Lucina had kept to the edge of the battlefield. She liked to believe she was sparing them from any unnecessary confusion. In truth, it had taken all her strength to keep herself from fleeing, not out of cowardice, but because she could only bear to relive her own failure for so long. As a result, Lucina considered, if only briefly, staying behind when Naga next summoned them.
That was before the dragon mentioned Inigo and Owain, stranded on the other side of a collapsed bridge without any hopes of survival.
“How much longer?!” Lucina shouted at Sully, praying the harsh wind wouldn’t blow her words away. They were racing against time. The closer they got to the collapsed bridge, the further away Inigo and Owain were driven back by the Risen horde. As skilled as they were, their stamina wouldn’t last forever. Lucina had at first begged her mother to send ahead pegasus knights, but the amount of enemy archers did not convince the tactician it would be wise. Instead, she’d entrusted the retrieval mission to a small cavalry battalion who would rush ahead of everyone else.
“I see them ahead!” Sully shouted back. Her father’s loyal retainer had not hesitated to offer herself and her horse to the cause.
Lucina peeked over Sully’s shoulder as best she could. Sure enough, she could make out two figures in the distance amongst a clashing of swords. Lucina’s breath grew sharp. Even under such unfortunate circumstances, she couldn’t help but ache for them. Though both jumped through the portal alongside her, she had yet to see either of them since.
“You better prepare yourself, Princess. We’ll be there any moment now,” Sully warned.
Lucina readied her blade in one hand, then used the other to reach into her pocket. Her thumb rubbed over her worn metal mask, hesitant to pull it out. She had hoped, after hiding herself for so long, that the intense sense of longing would wane if she ever revealed herself to her father and the Shepherds. It had not. If anything, it’d worsened. Every time she laid eyes on her father, she was reminded that he loved her, but did not raise her. The baby waiting in Ylisstol would inherit a peaceful kingdom, something Lucina had failed to attain for herself. Every familiarity doubled as a symbol of her displacement.
With a heavy sigh, Lucina donned the mask once more. She came to this world to save it, not belong to it. As long as there were innocent lives to save, she could bear anything, even the weight of her failure.
“Mages!” Sully yelled just before her horse buckled underneath them, spooked by a dark miasma hitting the path a few feet away. The next blast hit even closer, narrowly missing the steed’s feet, but causing it to give way altogether.
Lucina managed to soften the blow with her shoulder as she hit the floor. Sully, as armored as she was, bounced up almost immediately. She rushed over to her horse, who was scrambling to its feet in a panic. Around them, several other horses suffered the same affliction.
“Go on without me!” Sully urged. “Not sure how long it’ll take me to wrangle this guy.”
Lucina didn’t need to be told twice. If she waited for the cavalry to regroup, it would be too late. Already, the area ahead was so condensed with Risen, she could no longer see Owain or Inigo’s silhouettes.
Heart in her throat, Lucina jumped to her feet and ran as fast as they would take her, sword raised high to cut down anyone who stood in her way. Her mother would have advised her to wait for reinforcements, or at least slow down her pace. Leaving herself so open to attacks would have given her mother a heart attack, but she couldn’t stand idle while those she loved were cut down, whether she had a right to love them or not.
By the time she reached where she’d seen the two last, the horde had doubled. If not for the pair’s audible grunts, Lucina would have presumed them dead already. Aiming to draw attention, Lucina impaled her sword into the nearest Risen’s back, pushing so deep, their innards could be heard squirming.
“Reinforcements?” Owain’s voice emerged from somewhere in the throng.
The Risen parted to assess their new opponent, allowing the two to notice her at last.
“Hold your breath, Inigo, we might not be dead after all!” Owain rejoiced. He dragged his arm across his forehead, wiping away a layer of blood and sweat.
“Then let’s finish them off!” Inigo exclaimed with a wide smile.
Taking this as her cue, Lucina began her onslaught. With Owain on one side and Inigo on the other, it wasn’t long before they fell into old habits. Fighting together felt as natural as breathing, despite being away from each other so long.
Once the cavalry caught up with them, the battle was as good as won in their corner of the battlefield. As long as they kept–
“Luci!” Inigo shouted just before he lunged at her and pushed her aside, blocking a Risen’s club from landing on the back of Lucina’s head. The force of the blow sent him tumbling to the floor with a sickening crack.
“Inigo!” Lucina shouted instinctively, despite her earlier resolve to maintain her identity a secret. She made quick work of the Risen with her sword, a flurry of slashes making it collapse on the spot.
When Lucina turned back to Inigo, he was clutching at his leg, the color drained from his face.
“Is he hurt?” Owain asked as he rushed over.
“My bad,” Inigo replied with a wink. “Couldn’t let any harm befall a lovely lady.”
Lucina leaned down and pulled Inigo to his feet. He needed no coaxing to throw his arm over her shoulder and lean on her side, wincing.
“Can you stand?” she asked.
“I’m afraid it’s properly broken. I can’t put any pressure on it at all,” Inigo lamented. Then, he turned to Lucina. “More importantly, why are you here? You’re supposed to be in Ylisstol! The others… did the others not make it? Don’t tell me it’s that. Please tell me we just kept you waiting too long.”
“My name is Marth,” Lucina attempted, though she knew her credibility was beyond salvaging.
Inigo laughed, a sound familiar in its charm and audacity. No one other than Inigo could achieve such a feat in the middle of a battle. Lucina would be lying if she said she hadn’t missed hearing it.
“You can’t fool me. I’d recognize that smile anywhere,” he said.
Smile? Lucina briefly touched her finger to the corners of her mouth. Ah, a smile of relief. She hadn’t even noticed.
Inigo took hold of her hand and entwined their fingers. He lifted their hands up to his lips, where he gave hers a butterfly kiss. “Remember, you don’t have to pretend with me.”
Lucina’s neck grew hot. Inigo’s flirtatious nature wasn’t new, but he’d always kept a respectful distance with her, instead charming her with his dancing and unexpectedly sweet one-liners. This felt too personal. Did he… know?
Of course not, Lucina thought with a shake of her head. His earlier questions made no sense if he did. But then, what did he mean?
“I hate to interrupt, but now’s not the time!” Owain shouted. “Save the lovers’ reunion for once we’ve made it out of here!”
Lucina cleared her throat and nodded. Lovers?! Perhaps the mask had failed its original purpose, but Lucina felt especially grateful for it now. She doubted she could attribute her blushing to the physical strain. “Owain’s right. We must find you a healer.” Now wasn’t the time to dwell on the key ways their worlds differed.
“It’ll be difficult to reach the rearguard on foot, especially with one man down,” Owain pointed out. “Your best bet is to ride back on horseback.”
Lucina groaned. She’d never been much good with horses.
“I can ride us if we can secure one,” Inigo offered.
“You know how to ride?”
Inigo shot her a puzzled look. “Just a few weeks ago we–”
“Lone horse! I’ll go get it!” Owain interrupted, pointing at a horse pacing back and forth, its handler nowhere in sight. He rushed off to capture it, leaving Inigo and Lucina alone. The cavalry forces were making quick work of the remaining Risen, meaning they weren’t complete sitting ducks, at least.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Inigo pointed out as Lucina offered a brief prayer for the unfortunate handler who hadn’t made it.
“I’m not at liberty to explain,” Lucina began, “but rest assured your friends are all well.”
Inigo chuckled again, the somber kind he pulled out whenever the direness of the situation caught up to him. “You talk as if they aren’t yours as well.”
Lucina’s heart begged her to claim them while her mind knew they would never be hers. This Inigo, as comforting as he was, especially so. He belonged to the Exalt in Ylisstol who’d sent him away knowing she may never see him again.
“What would you say if I told you I’m not the Lucina you know?” Lucina asked, voice low in the case Owain could hear.
Inigo leaned in closer, his hot breath blowing clouds into the narrow space between them. “Is there another Inigo, where you’re from?”
Lucina couldn’t tell how much of his question was genuine or a joke, but she nodded nevertheless.
“Ah, then he must be missing you dearly.”
“What makes you say that?”
Unprompted, Inigo lifted the mask off her face, tossing it to the side. “Believe me. I love you in every universe, Luci.”
Lucina lowered her head before Inigo got a chance to notice the tears at the edge of her eyes. She couldn’t quite determine what had spurred them, but her cheeks ached. Another smile?
“I’ve got it!” Owain said, reluctant horse in tow.
Lucina hastily wiped the tears away. “Help me raise him.”
Between the two of them, they managed to hoist Inigo onto the horse. In spite of the pain, he sat gallantly atop the steed. He held out his arm to pull Lucina up.
“What of you, Owain?” Lucina asked.
“I’ll stay here and keep fighting,” Owain answered. “Once this is over, I have a lot of questions for you, dear cousin.”
Lucina offered an awkward smile. If Naga swept them away as hastily as she had the first time, Owain would have to keep those questions to himself.
“Make sure Inigo gets treated,” Owain continued.
“Of course.” Lucina reached for Inigo’s hand, but Owain pulled her into a tight hug before Inigo could take it. How many nights had she dreamed of embracing her own flesh and blood like this? Her arms snaked their way around Owain’s torso of their own volition. For once, she didn’t dare fight it.
“Luci… you neglect me so,” Inigo complained like a wounded puppy.
With a swift goodbye, Lucina joined Inigo on the horse. They were off shortly after, Lucina holding onto his waist in the most respectful way she could manage, which Inigo also complained about. Lucina wished she could reassure him, but she needed to keep her distance. She wouldn’t be caught tempting a man into infidelity, even if his lover was none other than herself. She had the sneaking suspicion the Lucina of this world wouldn’t hesitate to cut Inigo in half if she ever found out.
Fortunately for them, the battle seemed near its end. The army had already traversed much of the field, which meant the rearguard couldn’t be far off. Not so fortunately, the first healer they came across was Brady.
“Brady? You’re supposed to be on the other side of the canyon! What of the stones?!” Inigo cried in disbelief as he stopped the horse beside Brady.
“Don’t question it,” Brady said with a sigh. It seemed Lucina wasn’t the only one without the heart to explain.
Lucina helped unload Inigo, then placed him against a rocky outcrop, shielded from what remained of the battle. Brady got to work instantly, hovering his staff over Inigo’s leg.
“I trust you will take care of him, Brady,” Lucina said. She unsheathed her sword, ready to return to the battle once more now that she’d returned Inigo to safety.
“‘Course,” Brady grunted.
“Where are you going?” Inigo asked, his eyes darting between Lucina and Brady, as if they knew something he didn’t. How ironic.
“Back to the battle, of course,” Lucina replied. “I’ll ensure the Risen are taken care of. You focus on recovering your wits– you have quite the trek to Ylisstol ahead of you.”
As nice as this reunion had been, Lucina accepted the inevitable. The Shepherds’ presence in this battle would be attributed to mass hallucination at worst, to legend at best. Either way, as soon as the final Risen lay dead, they would all disappear from this world without a trace.
“Wait, Luci!” Inigo shouted with a genuine despair and desperation Lucina had never heard from him before. He attempted to stand, only to collapse again. “Is this about me leaving? I’m sorry! I won’t do it again, just please–”
“Inigo, stay still!” Brady chastised, setting him back down.
Inigo resisted. His eyes, shimmering with tears, latched onto Lucina’s. “But what if I never see you again?” he asked.
In all likelihood, he wouldn’t. The same applied to her. Only Naga knew what had become of the Inigo of her world. Even so, she could not be so cruel to such a beloved friend, especially one who loved her so.
As a parting gift, she flashed Inigo the most genuine smile she could muster. “You’ll see her again. I’ll make sure of it.”
Lucina’s next encounter with Inigo did not require an emergency extraction mission. As the Shepherds fought off the bandits, Inigo fit right in, staving off his opponents with feigned ease. This was the Inigo she remembered: agile, bold, and a little too cocky for his own good.
Once the battle concluded, it was only natural that he would make a beeline for Olivia. What wasn’t so natural was the gentle fluttering in Lucina’s chest as she waited in the outskirts, kicking holes into the grass to appear occupied.
She didn’t know what she expected. This Inigo hadn’t been on that battlefield that fateful day. In fact, there was no telling what sort of adventures he’d been on in the years since she and the rest of the fated children were separated at the portal. Judging by the village girl who fawned over him as soon as his conversation with Olivia concluded, Lucina could make an educated guess.
“Princess, it seems we’re reunited at long last,” Inigo greeted her later. His smile was soft. She liked to believe it was different from the one he’d given that girl a few minutes ago.
“I’m glad to find you safe, Inigo,” Lucina returned the sentiment. She clasped her hand over his and wished, for a moment, that he would pull her close, like he had back then. Of course, he would have no memory of that incident. That memory would live on solely in the minds of two people, isolated from each other forevermore.
“Did you miss me?” he teased.
“You could say that.” Lucina chewed on the side of her cheek. Her gaze veered to the girl standing nearby, who waved at them as soon as Inigo followed suit. “And you? It seems you’re not in want of company.”
“Are you kidding?” Inigo chuckled, quiet and awkward. His eyes lingered on hers a second too long. “It’s been oh so lonely.”
I love you in every universe, Luci.
Maybe Lucina would put that to the test someday.