Gerome found Lucina bent over a stack of maps and scout reports, searching the lines of troops for weaknesses, for inspiration. Though she hadn't the same eye for strategy that Robin or Morgan had, he knew that she fully understood the import of those arcane symbols and numbers. Looking at the same things, Gerome knew only what they meant. Lucina could visualize them, put them in the context of men and land, see what they would need to be victorious and how to bring hope to her followers.
He had always admired that about her.
"Tirelessly working, as usual," he observed.
She turned to face him, brushing her hair back and mustering her small smile for him. "I could do no less when everyone is counting on me."
"I know." Gerome flickered a glance over the sheets occupying her attention. "We fight tomorrow?"
The smile slipped, and Lucina nodded. "It will not be an easy battle."
He knew that, too. Their enemy grew in number and in strength seemingly each day, and only the certain knowledge that there was no escape from this enemy kept their troops in place. If there had been an alternative course, he would not have blamed them for taking it.
It was not an option for Gerome. "The odds don't matter," he said. "I will fight to my last breath in your name." And he would take them down in swaths as he did, to show them that Lucina of Ylisse was no one to be taken lightly.
Lucina said, soft, "I am honored by your loyalty, Gerome, but I would greatly prefer it if you did not breathe your last tomorrow. That's why I keep looking over what we know..." She settled a hand over the map on the table.
He didn't argue with her. "Will you sleep?"
She shook her head, a denial, but she only said, "I don't know if I could."
Gerome seated himself in the chair across from her, prepared to stay up as long as she felt it necessary. After a few moments, she returned to her study, perhaps a little less grim than before.
In some few hours he stood again to retrieve a blanket, which he draped carefully over her shoulders. She didn't stir, her breath steady and even, and he allowed himself to lean in and press his lips to the top of her head, too light to stir even a strand of her hair.
FE:A, "The Night Before The Battle"
He had always admired that about her.
"Tirelessly working, as usual," he observed.
She turned to face him, brushing her hair back and mustering her small smile for him. "I could do no less when everyone is counting on me."
"I know." Gerome flickered a glance over the sheets occupying her attention. "We fight tomorrow?"
The smile slipped, and Lucina nodded. "It will not be an easy battle."
He knew that, too. Their enemy grew in number and in strength seemingly each day, and only the certain knowledge that there was no escape from this enemy kept their troops in place. If there had been an alternative course, he would not have blamed them for taking it.
It was not an option for Gerome. "The odds don't matter," he said. "I will fight to my last breath in your name." And he would take them down in swaths as he did, to show them that Lucina of Ylisse was no one to be taken lightly.
Lucina said, soft, "I am honored by your loyalty, Gerome, but I would greatly prefer it if you did not breathe your last tomorrow. That's why I keep looking over what we know..." She settled a hand over the map on the table.
He didn't argue with her. "Will you sleep?"
She shook her head, a denial, but she only said, "I don't know if I could."
Gerome seated himself in the chair across from her, prepared to stay up as long as she felt it necessary. After a few moments, she returned to her study, perhaps a little less grim than before.
In some few hours he stood again to retrieve a blanket, which he draped carefully over her shoulders. She didn't stir, her breath steady and even, and he allowed himself to lean in and press his lips to the top of her head, too light to stir even a strand of her hair.