Chapter 8:

The afternoon cloud cover meant that Robin's solo hike up the Mila Tree was a bit less grueling than if he had attempted it earlier in the day.

"Certainly, easier than suit shopping with Virion." He noted to himself remembering how many suggestions from the archer he had shot down that morning before finding something befitting of a wedding to a Princess. His Princess. He reached the summit of the vast tree after about two and a half hours and began looking around for the Manakete who would make his and Cynthia's betrothal a reality.

"Mar-Mar is that you?" a soft voice yawned a few yards from where Robin had climbed up.

"Lady Tiki, it's Robin. I've come to see you with a request."

The curvy Manakete strolled over to Robin blinking a couple of times before responding.

"What is it you require? Is the world okay?"

"Lady Tiki, I wish to wed Cynthia of the House of the Exalt and require your blessing before the royal court to certify the holiness of the matrimony."

"Chrom didn't preapprove this did he?" Tiki replied, knowing full well that Robin was far too intelligent not to realize weddings by the Voice of Naga were not a common occurrence.

"No, he did not. We eloped rather than face bureaucracy."

"So, you came to the one voice they would respect. Ordinarily I would chastise you for being shifty but since I know of your sincerity and therefore can deduce your sincere love of Cynthia I will grant you this favor."

"I appreciate it Tiki, how can I repay you?"

Tiki looked deep into Robin's eyes for much longer than was comfortable before replying.

"When Morgan is born can you bring her to me for the baptism? So many of my friends have died, yet I have seldom seen a human baby at the beginning of their spiritual life."

"I would be honored to let you baptize my child or children."

Tiki smiled before asking one last question. "Is the wedding to be soon?"

"Yes my Lady."

"Then I shall accompany you down tonight.

"Yes Tiki."

"Alright, now let me prepare my pack and change you can wait down in the clearing."

Robin left Tiki alone and the Voice of Naga, who had not been lying about having to change, picked up her Dragonstone and closed her eyes, reaching out to Libra's mind as her stone glowed a faint, misty green..

"Libra, Libra can you hear me."

"Yes my liege, has Robin reached you?"

"He has my son, is the Exalt with your traveling party?"

"Yes, of course. He's refused to rest while Cynthia and Robin have been away. Was Cynthia with Robin?"

"No, but he looks healthy and his aura is as well-intentioned as ever. Where is your party?"

"We will arrive in Rosanne in about two hours."

"Excellent, head to the Cathedral. You should know where it is."

"I'd be an even poorer monk if I couldn't do that."

"Libra!"

"My Lady?"

"You are not a poor servant to Naga because you couldn't stop two people in love from behaving as though they are desperate in love, and I don't need to consult Naga to tell you so either! You upheld your vow of confidence and knew that Robin would be savvy enough to head to me to get this approved once he decided to elope."

"The Exalt told me something similar, I suppose I will heed it then."

"Thank you Libra. I am assuming Chrom will tell me that he wants the wedding in Ylissitol when he sees me and our lovebirds."

"I will confirm my Lady."

"I can't conduct a wedding at night, so even if you are late, we will wait in the Cathedral."

"Understood Lady Tiki. See you soon."

Tiki broke the connection and the glow faded from her stone, and she set about changing from her usual red dress into a dark green one, that brought out the color of her hair and eyes. She smiled at her reflection in the pool that served as her mirror.

"Oh Mar-Mar, you're so silly running off with a princess." She mumbled to herself before packing some supplies, both for the wedding and what she expected to be a flight to Ylisse.

Robin was snoozing in the clearing, exhausted both from his hike and his recent travels. She decided to let him sleep for a little while to give Libra more time to get to Rosanne and that upon waking that she should ask him some questions both about his bride and her family. After twenty minutes, Tiki shook Robin awake.

"Huh? L-lady Tiki! Apologies, I just meant to close my eyes for a few minutes while you readied yourself."

"It's not an issue Mar-Mar, you must be tired from all your travels. Would you like to start headed down now?"

Robin nodded and they began their hike down the great tree.

"Are you worried?"

"Not as much as I should be Tiki."

"Oh?"

"I know I love Cynthia, and though it may cause me a jail sentence I know in my heart that marrying her is what I am supposed to do. I knew it every time we lay on a hill holding hands. I knew it every time I pushed her affection away because of how horrible my stomach felt afterwards. I know it every time I look into Morgan's eyes."

This last part surprised Tiki, and when her ears twitched Robin figured he should elaborate.

"They have the same shape and the same glow, their cheeks also have the same dimples when they smile.

"I imagine Chrom will be furious with me and I do not blame him."

Tiki nodded, unsure of how best to tell him Chrom would be waiting for them and also touched by how devoted he was to Cynthia. They arrived at the bottom of the tree and only had to walk ten paces into town before Robin spotted Cynthia and Cherche.

"Cynthia! Cherche!"

The women turned and beamed at him, each kissing Tiki's left hand. Cynthia kissed Robin on the lips in her excitement and Cherche hugged him tight.

"Congratulations Robin. You have quite the jubilant bride"

Robin nodded, realizing based on how Cynthia looked at Cherche that this meant Cynthia had talked with Cherche at length about his prior situation with the Wyvern Rider.

"If you all wouldn't mind, can we head to the Cathedral?" yawned Tiki. Robin thought it didn't sound like Tiki's usual yawn, which made her left ear twitch but didn't dare object to the voice of Naga. They followed Cherche to the Church which had the door slightly opened, and unless Robin was mistaken, the sound of excited voices.

"Robin? What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing Cynthia I think I am just tire-"

"Cynthia! Robin!"

Cynthia dropped Robin's hand and looked up, disbelieving. Her Father, Mother, Sister, Severa, Commander Cordelia, and Libra were waiting as though expecting them seated at the pews. Chrom got up to approach first.

"Cynthia…I"

Without warning, Cynthia shoved Robin backward into the wall of the church, and though she was armed with nothing but her fists, stretched her arms wide as if protecting him from a Thoron blast stepped in front of him. Chrom, who had not expected such a violent reaction, walked another pace closer only for Cynthia to take one of the fire pokers near the door and brandish it inches from his face.

"Don't you dare Father! If you dare lay a finger on Robin, my husband Robin then you will have to strike me down with him!" she was quivering with determined fury. Chrom tried to speak again but Cynthia swung the poker, nearly catching his eyes, causing him to throw his hands up in alarm.

"You shall not get me to break my bond to Robin, not for Brady, not for any man. I accept whatever legal penalty you see fit to impose with your dastard Royal Council but even if you were to leave me to rot and die among the bones of the Fell Dragon itself I Will Not Renounce my love for Robin!" Cynthia's cheeks were reddened with anger as she finished. She knew she couldn't possibly fight off her father by herself armed with a fire poker but she wasn't going to give up, not now that she was so close.

"Mom…please put the poker down…" came a quiet voice from the pew farthest from the entrance. It was Morgan, her eyes shimmering with tears and fatigue and Cynthia gasped at how many of the features Morgan shared with her father, and with her.

"Please mom, it's okay."

The poker clanged to the floor as mother and daughter ran towards eachother and embraced, neither sure whose tears were whose.

"Oh my Naga Morgan! I'm so sorry! You must've been worried sick about your dad!"

"And you too mom…"

Leaving mother and daughter to embrace, Chrom turned to Robin who was rubbing where his head had met the wall. Amber met Azure without a word. Sumia, Cordelia, Libra, and Lucina all looked at eachother, the tension palpable. Finally Severa spoke, twisting her twin tails in annoyance.

"Are you idiots gonna talk or are you just gonna stare at eachother all damn night!"

"Severa! You can't swear in front of the Voice of-"

"Libra, she's making a good point" Tiki mumbled, walking between Exalt and Tactician.

"Lord Chrom, I spoke with Robin at the summit of the Mila Tree about your daughter. His intentions are as pure of heart as to be expected from the slayer of the Fell Dragon."

Chrom looked around incredulous. Had he once indicated he was angry with Robin? This was a man who had saved his life dozens of times, his wife's life at least half as often. Then there was Lucina, whose horrible future he had erased with his sacrifice, then there was Lissa's life, Maribelle, Frederick, and of course Cynthia's!

"Do you know how Cynthia was at your funeral Robin?"

This struck everyone in the room who was listening as an odd question.

"No? I assume she was upset." Robin was dumbfounded. He had known of course that his death had been mourned but given that his resurrection had made it a moot point he had never bothered to ask too much about it. When he did ask Morgan she had refused to talk about it and her despondency had neutered any desire he had to bring it up with anyone else.

"She held a vigil with me for the entire night. I thought it was because she didn't want to leave me alone. I don't think she spoke for three days afterwards, except to say that she missed you. Since you both left Ylissitol I have been thinking about those three days, where the pain of your absence was most palpable, when the most joyous knight in Ylisse could not make herself smile. I have failed as a father to her through this whole process, because I couldn't bear to ask you to crack open a law book on top of all of your other duties, I almost succeeded in making her nearly as despondent as those three days."

Severa opened her mouth to interject but Lucina both shook her head. The senior Princess knew her mother had already had a rare loss of temper over how simple this would have been to avoid.

"You make her smile Robin; I just didn't know how deeply held those smiles were to her. I will permit you to marry my daughter. On the condition that you allow for a public ceremony"

Chrom held out a shaky hand to his best friend, who would also double as a son-in-law. Robin shook it, and the two men embraced quickly.

"We're skipping the title hogwash though, anyone in this room calls me Prince Robin or anything similar and I will give you a Thoron to the face. You also won't mind if I don't call you dad?"

Chrom went scarlet, Sumia, Cordelia, Lucina, Tiki, Cherche and Severa all had to stifle giggles.

"We-we better get back to Ylissitol quickly. Somehow I doubt Lissa and Maribelle have been fighting with training gloves on with the aristocracy."

"Who is riding with who?"

"Robin and Morgan will ride on my back." Tiki cooed with a look at Chrom that suggested "I don't care what your nobles say I am still officiating this wedding".

"Cynthia can take Lu, Cordy can take Sev, Libra can ride with Cherche and-"

"I want to ride with dad."

Cynthia's voice was still thick with emotion, her eyes swollen from crying, but a huge grin on her face, nonetheless.

"Is…Is that okay?"

Chrom nodded and Cynthia, who had let Morgan go to breathe almost tackled Chrom in a hug before going to set up her mount for the ride home.

"I want to say hi to Minerva Mar-Mar. Be out shortly please?"

Robin nodded at Tiki. This left him and Morgan as the only people in the church.

"How long did you know Morgan?"

"A while. I have the brand of the Exalt between my shoulder blades. I tried to figure out how to show you for a while, but I realized the only feasible way to do that was gonna be me being shirtless. Something I don't think either of us fancy. It took me a lot longer to figure out who it would be specifically. I thought it was Emmeryn, because that would explain a lot of why you never dated, you could logically have been mourning a dead wife and I could have been born shortly before she was killed, explaining my amnesia. She would have died before I could know her. I thought you were a widower, but whenever I went through your desk I couldn't find a discarded wedding ba-"

"You went through my desk?!"

"You kidnapped a Princess."

"Touché"

"I thought it was her really up until you and mom ran off, although I often teased Lucina that you and Mom would be cute together. On the way here I realized Mom had been trying to tell me the night you left. And that she and her Aunt Emmeryn have the same shaped eyes. That's when I confronted Chrom about not hurting you."

Morgan paused before adding "It was a great relief when I realized the mark on my back meant you had better taste than Tharja."

Robin gave his daughter a light punch on the arm before to his surprise Morgan hugged him.

"I'm so glad you found her dad."

"Me too Morgan…now let's not keep the Voice of Naga waiting any longer."

Due to the lateness of the hour nobody said much of anything on the flight back to Ylissitol. This alarmed Cynthia, she assumed her father wasn't angry with Robin but there was one detail still bothering her.

"Dad?"

"huh, yeah Cynthia?"

"I had a question."

"Okay?"

"How come you are being so calm about the fact that I am gonna marry your best friend."

"Well for starters, you are an adult as weird as time travel is, and I have had plenty of time to get used to that oddity. The second is, I remembered how his funeral was for you. And third-"

"Third?"

"I trust that erm though you both fled the country, that you kept it chaste in accordance with Ylissean traditions."

Cynthia was glad that it was late at night so her father couldn't see the look plastered to her face.

"Of course, we wouldn't dare." Cynthia squeaked, hoping she sounded more stunned than guilty.

"You guys aren't getting married right away, we have to send out invitations to Flavia, Basilio, Aversa, Henry, and Say'ri. Your dress must be adorned with official Ylissean symbols, Robin's suit the same even though we are skipping his titling at his request. We also have to help you and Robin find a residence in the royal compound, get all the women in your wedding dresses for their positions, and a honeymoon spot. This should take about two weeks."

"Didn't all those people know I was getting married already?"

"Er, sort of? Maribelle was in charge of invitations and I don't think they're even printed yet. Don't worry though, it won't be bad, though I daresay you will be spending a lot of time dress shopping."

Though her father did not say it, Cynthia understood that these next two weeks would be almost if not completely Robin free, and though she imagined her last weeks in her room in the castle would be more comfortable than the inn beds she and Robin had been frequenting, the thought of two weeks before she could next lay in Robin's arms was torture. She was glad her father hated air travel, because he would be none the wiser as to why her mount became erratic in the last third of their journey.

The next two weeks dragged like a wagon stuck in the bogs of Plegia. Cynthia appreciated Morgan's company but found there was only so much Maribelle and Lissa she could stand. They had quickly accepted the legitimacy of her and Robin's feelings (something about the Voice of Naga made people do that) but the constant need to be doing something was alarming. She supposed it wouldn't have been so bad if she actually saw Robin during the planning process, but instead her most frequent company aside from Morgan was the tandem of Lucina and Severa. Cynthia was half convinced by the fifth day that Severa was taking every opportunity to kiss Lucina in front of her, to wind her up about the fact that she wasn't smooching her own beau.

"This is driving me mad Morgan."

"I don't think dad is having too good a time either."

This was mostly untrue, Frederick, Libra, and Basilio had handled most of the formal planning. The former two because they enjoyed organizing and the latter Robin suspected, on Flavia's orders. In the meantime, Robin was being served so much ale it was a wonder he wasn't in a constant state of hangover. Vaike, Gregor, and Flavia (who detested what she called, the boring ritual highborn Pegasus shite that Cynthia was doing) each helped him through a small barrel over the period. He saw Cynthia at mealtimes, and kissed her goodnight on the forehead without fail (Morgan had taken to bunking in her mom's room to do catching up and made gagging noises each time she saw him doing so) but he would have been the best liar in the realm if he had said he enjoyed the raucousness of planning instead of curling next to Cynthia and reading.

"I'll be glad when this is over Padre." He remarked quietly to Libra as he nursed a water two nights before.

"So will Cynthia. Cordelia tells me she's about ready to fuss out Maribelle on Cynthia's behalf. I know Maribelle means well but she can be-"

"Domineering." Frederick mumbled sheepishly, both Robin and Libra turned to apologize to him for speaking ill but he waved a hand dismissively.

"I love my wife, but that doesn't mean I think she's perfect nor does she think I am. I pass that as advice to you should you and Cynthia quarrel at any time. I can only imagine how fussy she would be if Brady was-"

Vaike belched loudly, which made everyone laugh and the potential awkward moment dissipate.

"What did happen to the noble who was pushing for Cynthia to marry Brady?"

Frederick bit back a smile.

"Brady tells me on his way to the dungeon he jumped forcibly headfirst into Brady's elbow and fell down the stairs. He's in the prison infirmary recovering so he shall miss your ceremony."

"What a shame." Robin replied, not holding back his own grin. He hadn't met the man, but he supposed that if Frederick wasn't condemning his son beating him up that he couldn't be a particularly welcome individual.

"Lord Natirup once tried to hire me to kill Maribelle's father Freddie." Gaius slurred drunkenly.

"So if your son ever decides to paste him again."

"I'll hold him down to help."

"Lets not. Let not worry about that. TO BUBBLES, THE MAN WHO KIDNAPPED A PRINCESS AND LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT!"

Everyone laughed and took another deep swig of ale, but Robin went to bed feeling a bit sad that he couldn't steal his wife away for a cuddle or two.

"We will have all the time in the world starting tomorrow."

…

The wedding was here, and Cynthia was nearly jumping with delight.

"Cynthia, I can't zip your dress if you keep squirming."

"Sorry Lu! I'm just."

"You get to marry the man of your dreams we know."

"Be nice to the bride Severa!"

Cordelia had a wry smile as she addressed her daughter, who was wearing a scarlet dress that greatly enhanced the popping color of her twintails, Lucina was wearing a modest indigo amalgamation of fabric that nobody had the heart to tell her was prudish. But neither they, Sumia, Cordelia, Maribelle, or any other woman in the proceedings looked as radiant as Cynthia. Her hair was down, brushed into tendrils that sat snug on her neck. She turned to beam at her mother, who had her hands behind her back.

"Cynthia…"

"Yeah mom?"

"You look wonderful dear, but your father, I er-"

"We felt like you were missing something." Lissa finished, as Sumia fumbled with whatever she was holding. Cynthia tilted her head in confusion, as much as her hairstyle would let her.

"This was my sister, your Aunt Emmeryn's. She asked Chrom and I to give it to any nieces, on their wedding day…". Lissa coughed into her hand, trying to restrain tears as Sumia with Lucina's help tried to put Emmeryn's tiara into place on Cynthia's head. Before Lissa, Sumia, or Naga forbid the bride herself could start significant water works, Severa brought everyone's attention back to earth.

"Hey! The ceremony starts any minute and even though it would totally be like you Cynthia, can we not be late to your own wedding?!"

The bridal party rushed to position, leaving Cynthia alone on her stool, waiting for Cherche to play the organ. She looked in the mirror, feeling the tiara's weight on her soul as she took the Brave Lance, she'd smuggled in here last night and examined it's glint compared with the tiara's (this whole thing felt as though security was poorly managed and like Hell she was going to be kidnapped on her wedding day).

"Robin will help me bear it, Morgan too…"

Before Robin assumed his position in the ceremony, he felt a hand grasp his left shoulder.

"Do you have a moment old friend?"

"Probably no more than that, Libra and Tiki have finished leading the others in pre-wedding prayers."

Chrom laughed as Robin faced him. He thought his friend looked quite weird with his purple hair tied into a braid, despite the simplicity of the style.

"I just wanted to ask you to promise me something, not Naga but to me."

"Of Course."

"Take care of my daughter Robin. I know I nearly broke her spirit, but you kept her whole, I need you do that for as long as you live."

Robin nodded and Cherche hit the first notes on the organ, with Brady backing up on his violin.

"Show time I guess."

"Robin. I'm serious."

Robin looked back at Chrom, trying his damndest not to laugh.

"Name one time I broke a promise…other than when I killed Grima."

Chrom had meant to be serious, both he and Robin knew that. It was hard to stay that way with his wry humor though.

"I know you will keep it."

Without another syllable between them comrades at arms, best friends, and now thanks to the weirdness of time travel; in-laws assumed their positions in Robin's wedding to Cynthia.

…

After listening to a lot of talking from Tiki, Libra, Morgan, her father, and a few historians judging by their boring tones Lady Tiki, her voice aided by her dragonstone's magic (which also allowed the ordinary citizens of Ylisse to see in the cathedral), announced.

"And for the Bride, Princess Cynthia!"

Her legs feeling more like warm gelatin than working joints Cynthia discarded her lance, rose from her stool and began walking out from her enclosed space in the cathedral. Chrom took her by the arm, and slowly they made their way down the aisle. It could have been ten minutes, twenty, five, or nine-hundred Cynthia didn't know. If not for the fact this was being shown across Ylisse, and for her father's firm grip on her forearm she would have chucked off these stupid pointy shoes and run leaping into Robin's arms and kissed him. In their preparations he had not kissed her lips, though she had whispered pleading for him to. Now he had to, in front of the whole Halidom. She smiled as she met Tiki's gaze as her father relinquished hold. Cynthia hoped the next round of speeches wouldn't be too long.

"They won't be."

Cynthia turned to Lady Tiki who hadn't opened her mouth to say that.

"Dragonstone Magic. I know you and Mar-Mar want to be rid of all this ceremonial nonsense. You have been through much stress Princess Cynthia, and I empathize. If you would grant me one selfish request-"

"Anything to get out of these shoes, these were probably cobbled by Grima himself!"

"You haven't even heard what I would ask. I would like to give him a kiss."

"As long as he is fine with it, I know he reminds you of the Hero King…besides I know Robin and I broke the chastity rules…so the least I can do as penance is let you be reminded of Marth one more time."

Tiki nodded blushing, trying desperately not to visualize how she and Mar-Mar would act in a more intimate setting. Perhaps in another timeline.

"Lady Cynthia, do you love Lord Robin in peace as well as in wartime? In both feast and famine, sunshine and storm, elation and desperation, and as your closest ally in the eyes of Naga so long as you both shall live?"

"I do"

"And do you Lord Robin, love Lady Cynthia in peace as well as in wartime? In both feast and famine, sunshine and storm, elation and desperation, and as your closest ally in the eyes of Naga so long as you both shall live?"

"I do"

"Then by the powers vested in me I pronounce thee, Lord Robin and Lady Cynthia Princess of Ylisse as eternally bound as husband and wife. May you share a long bountiful relationship and embrace."

Though the crowds cheered, the food was excellent, and Brady's violin playing sublime the rest of Cynthia's wedding registered as a blur in the moment (excepting when Tiki confirmed she had kissed Robin) and for many years after she would be unable to tell her friends which parts she had enjoyed most. This was not to say the bride was miserable, she enjoyed the takoyaki that Say'ri prepared, Khan Flavia's outlandish gift of a villa and fifty acres of land, and a couple goblets of wine with Aversa. However, by sunset she wanted to shed her wedding dress, gently place Emmeryn's tiara somewhere safe and spend some much-needed quality time with her husband (Naga, it was amazing to say that). As if on cue, her knight in a cloak instead of shining armor was next to her.

"The carriage is ready. My sister has a cabin waiting for us on the coast."

"Okay..What about changes of clothes?" Cynthia tugged at the collar of her dress. It was very pretty but if she had to sit in this for any longer, she was liable to be stripped nude before they got out of the capital. Not that she minded the idea of being nude with Robin. Robin was letting down his hair concealing his face while he untangled it from the braid it had been put in.

"Did you tell Tiki she could kiss me?"

"Did she?"

"She did, it was weird. She said it was traditional that Naga's representatives kiss one of the people getting married and that her and Libra decided that it would be less awkward than if he kissed you."

Cynthia blinked, unsure of what to make of Robin's tone as well as impressed with how elaborate Tiki's fib was.

"I mean, it's true. And though I don't like the idea you could do a lot worse than Lady Tiki."

"That's the last time any woman other than you gets that satisfaction." Robin's tone harshened.

"Don't be mad at yourself Robin, she told me about that tradition too."

"Oh…I'm sorry I just…you're my wife…"

As best she could with her attire, Cynthia hugged Robin, the crinoline of her dress making it cumbersome.

"I know you wouldn't do something like that, especially on our wedding."

Cynthia saw Robin's facial muscles relax and they spoke no more of it.

"So, are you ever going to answer my question? I really want to take this damn thing off."

"Hmm, well the answer to your question is no, there is some waiting for us at our cabin. But we are in an unmanned carriage headed towards our honeymoon spot." Robin more growled than whispered undoing the top three buttons on his jacket. Neither he or Cynthia needed telling twice to shed layers even though it would doubtless be windy when they reached the coast. Cynthia only removed Emmeryn's tiara with any caution, the rest of her wedding garb was shucked to the floor of the carriage without respite leaving her in a pair of white panties. Robin was completely naked, any shame he felt buried in the hundreds of gold worth of formal wear

"Do you ever wear brassieres?"

"Not if I can get away with refraining."

Though they were contact starved, both were quite happy to hold hands in silence for a few minutes, glancing up and down each other's bodies. Cynthia snuggled to Robin, and inhaled deeply after burying her face in his hair. Robin chuckled.

"You always smell nice Robin…I can't help it."

"It's fine" Robin now had an arm around Cynthia's middle and they didn't speak again until their carriage stopped at their seaside cabin. Robin pulled on his small clothes and kissed Cynthia on the lips with a primal sound.

"Wait here for a minute."

He darted out of the carriage and entered the little cabin, quickly grabbing a household tome. With a few mumbles of magic his and Cynthia's wedding attire was hung up in their temporary closet. He returned to the carriage and fetched his bride.

"Usually I'm supposed to carry you in, in your full dress and such. But this will do don't you think?"

Cynthia nodded and with a few giggles they walked into their cabin. They made love to eachother until neither of them could muster the energy to continue any longer.

"Cynthia?"

"Yeah Robin?"

"Was this everything you hoped for?"

"No, it was more stressful, more frantic, and had a lot more crying than I thought courting a man would have. But I love you Robin."

"I love you too Cynthia."

End

So that's the rewrite out of the way, I think it improves upon the original, but I am not the ultimate judge. Reviews are welcome.