Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I gasped weakly, retreating along with the rest of the Shepherds. I followed up from the rear guard, making sure that everyone was out before I was. There was a loud laugh behind me as I ran. Looking back-there he was. Validar was gaining speed towards me as I hurried across the battlefield. Everywhere I looked it was hell. Fire was erupting out of the earth as it also rained down from the sky-almost everything was set ablaze.

"You can't escape fate! This is all written!" Validar shouted, his voice carrying a malicious intent.

He had aimed his hand towards me and I could see a purple swell coming forth and erupting from his hand. Looking forward, I made sure no one was in front of me as I began to dodge left and right as not to get hit. One of the missed spells hit the earth with such force that I felt myself leave the ground and not a moment later, felt it again as my bones cracked against the earth. I could hear my teeth clack together as I was thrown with such force, grunting from the pain. A loud cackle emitted from behind me and I braced for impact. But I did not feel a thing as I felt a gust of strong wind whip up behind me.

"Father!"

I whipped my head towards the voice. Morgan hurrying over to me, her legs carrying her as fast as she could towards me. I scrambled up onto my feet and found Validar only a few feet away from me. He was panting from exhaustion and with the amount of blood that was gushing from his side, I could tell he didn't have a lot of time left. We made eye contact, his eyes dark with evil and he gave me a wide smirk. His arm began to raise, but not at me. My blood felt hot and I knew exactly what he was going to do and felt the adrenaline pump through my veins. I started towards her, praying to Naga to give me all the strength I'll ever need to save my child. In the corner of my eye, Validar aimed his attack at Morgan, making her hesitate mid-step and causing her to fall to the ground, making her more vulnerable.

"NO!"

I grabbed her under the arms and hefted her out of the way right before the attack hit her, feeling my lower abdomen explode with pain. I was thrown backwards before coming to a halt on the ground. Everything was blurry and I saw Morgan running towards me, tears streaming down her cheeks. I heard more shouting and saw the rest of the brigade turning back for me. I pulled out my fire tome and pointed at my focal point, creating a barrier between Morgan, the Shepherds and I.

"GO! NOW!" I shouted with the rest of my strength. "GET OUT OF HERE WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"

"Father!"

"Robin, no!"

"No! We won't leave you!"

All of their voices carried beyond the great wall, but the one who was the loudest was His.

"ROBIN! DON'T DO THIS! WE CAN STILL FIGHT THEM TOGETHER!"

I let out a soft sigh, smiling. "You're always going to be like this, huh Chrom?"

I could see his face flickering between the flames. I looked him in the eye and gave him a weak smile.

"It's up to you now."

Chapter Text

Everything was cold. Cold was everything she has ever known. There were times where something would prick her around her body and make her even colder. At times when she would feel those pricks, she would become wide awake, but before she could realize anything she had already begun to drift back into a dreamless sleep.

Voices would always be murmuring in the background, too soft and distant for her to make out'. They were always saying different things like, "this one for sure" and "nothing like the other one". To avoid listening to them, she would always turn away slowly and drift back to sleep.

It was the only thing she knew before then.

A soft voice began to drift in and out of her consciousness, coming from the side closest to her, either singing or talking to her. She only knew that she was talking to her because there was a repetitive word she kept saying to her.

Robin, my robin. Fly away towards the sky and light, little robin…

Eventually, she decided to awake slowly from her slumber and take a peek at whoever was talking to her. A woman behind a glass was singing as she was writing things down on a board, putting something into her pocket once in a while as she toured the room. Everything seemed to be blurry around her as she looked around for the first time. The room was dark, but all her vision could see was green and purple. The only other contrast was the woman's coat and hair. Her hair was a brilliant color of white, shining through her vision as if it was a halo. When she turned back to the woman, the woman seemed to be in shock as she stared at her backing up a couple steps.

Fearing that the woman would go away, Robin drifted towards the glass. Her hand gingerly touched the glass. It was smooth and even colder than her. The woman, shocked out of her stupor, finally approached her and reached out to touch the glass where Robin's hand was also. They had both stared at each other for a while before another person came through a door and rushed over, scaring the woman before Robin. The man had begun to shout something and pushed the woman away before crouching over. The woman was shouting something too, but Robin couldn't make out what they were saying as their voices had become too loud for her containment. Her head began pounding as more people came in and also began talking and shouting. Before she could curl up in a ball, the prickling had begun. It was colder than usual, almost becoming hot.

Her body burned as the prickling became more and more intense, causing her limbs to pulse and convulse before everything was quiet and she became drowsy. The last thing she saw was the woman, her face twisted into pain and sympathy.

She would see her again, but there was always someone with her. They would always hover around her when she would write down things. She pretended to sleep to watch the woman beneath eyelashes and observe her. Robin noted that she didn't put anything in her pocket after she met her or sang to her. She had realized that she liked her presence when she was near her. It was a familiar sensation, but she could never place the feeling though.

Another day had come and the woman was back, but no one was with her this time.

Robin's eyes snapped open and she drifted as fast as she could over to the glass to get closer to the woman, putting her hand on the glass from their first encounter. The woman seemed frazzled, but relieved when she also approached Robin. Her mouth began moving, but too fast for Robin to tell what she was saying. The only thing she could understand was "It's time...We're getting out of here." The woman crouched low, just as the man did before and her hands became busy with whatever was on the ground.

Robin understood what she meant, but she never imagined what it would be like without sleeping all the time. Would she always get tired as she does now? Would she still be cold all the time? Suddenly, she began to become a combination of scared and excited. She closed her eyes and drifted off one last time before she left, just to relish sleep.

A small buzzing hummed in her ear and she became bothered that she couldn't get her last wish. There were voices again, but louder now. Turning away didn't do anything as it was coming from all around her now. The noise was hurting her head and she wanted all of them to go away quietly, to leave her with the woman. There was one solid voice she could hear that was familiar. Opening her eyes slightly, there were more men surrounding her than last time. The woman had back turned to her, her arms stretched out in front of Robin and was shouting something at the men.

It seemed that the others didn't like what the woman was saying as they began to swarm her and a couple of them grabbed her by the arms. Another had begun to take her place where she was crouching. Robin began to feel agitated as the voices had grown louder and louder. The woman was still struggling and her hair was all frazzled from her struggle. The same cloaked figure who was crouched was now standing and approached the woman, pulling some sort of metallic stick out of his pocket and pointing it in her face.

This seemed to quiet everyone in the room and the only one who was yelling was the man with the object. He was raving and walking circles, always approaching the woman before resuming. Robin's head was pounding from his voice as He kept going on and on before pointing the object at Robin. The woman began to yell and thrash around even more while the man began to laugh, before turning to look at Robin with a crazy look in his eyes.

Before Robin could bat an eye, the woman had gotten out of the crowd's grasp and flung herself at the man, catching him off guard. They both had a small struggle in front of the tank, the woman desperately trying to get the object from the man. He kept it out of her reach and raised his fist to quickly hit the woman. She fell to the floor in front of Robin. This made Robin's blood boil. The man raised the object again, aiming at Robin's head.

Everything seemed to go slower than usual as the woman finally got a hold of the man's hand and a loud sound erupted from the end of the object. It flashed a brighter color than Robin had ever seen and a loud crack surrounded the room.

The woman fell back against the glass and a red stain was left where she stood there slumped. Robin didn't know much since she came into existence, but she knew the smell of blood and now knew rage. The new feeling and the old enticed her body and her mind. It filled her system with such vigor that she only focused on the rage.

Her eyes flashed open, a sort of electricity swarming her body, and before she knew it, she had blacked out and woke back up on a cold surface. Her body felt heavy and her vision was blurry, white hair plastered to her face as she lifted her head. Her upper body felt warmer than her bottom and she did her best to hold her head up. The woman was holding a pipe and the object from earlier. Robin's vision became clearer as she blinked away the green solution from her eyes. She could see the woman clearly now; her white cream hair short and frazzled from the fight and her white coat and dark dress ruffled and swayed with her movements. She quickly got down to help Robin up, throwing the pipe down and slinging her arm around her shoulder.

"Hey," Her first words to Robin were clear as day and melted in her ears as she spoke. "Hey, it's ok. I got you. Let's get you out of here."

The woman started to tug Robin along and both began walking towards a door. Well, at least Robin was trying to. Her legs felt like lead as she sluggishly picked them up off the floor. She felt a disruption in her step and headed straight towards the floor, the woman thankfully catching her. Looking back to see what tripped her, Robin came face to face with the man who was pointing the weapon at her.

His eyes were stuck wide-eyed, his mouth gaped openly slightly as if he was about to say something...or scream. Blood was coming out of his eyes and nose, combining with the green fluid that both Robin and him were doused in. Robin felt her breath go shaky and the woman pulled her along.

"Don't worry about him anymore." The woman said sourly. "He deserved what was coming to him."

Robin turned away and proceeded to walk down a dimly-lit hallway, her legs getting used to the gravity beneath her slowly. She felt something warm trickle down her leg and looking down, she saw the blood from the woman's wound drenching both hers and Robin's body. Robin felt her breath stop and looked away, it didn't help that the coppery smell still made it's way to her nose, making it sting in an awful way.

The woman tugged her into a locked room and set her down on a bench. Robin watched as the woman locked the door behind her and hurried over to a metal locker, pulling a duffel bag out with great force. She pulled out a vial from inside the bag and chugged half of it before stripping her coat and shirt off and dowsing her shirt in the liquid and pressing it to her abdomen. Before too long, there was a faint shimmer and the woman threw the shirt to the floor, rifling through the bag once again. Robin stared at the now healed wound. There was a faint scar where cells had multiplied faster than she had ever seen, but now it was sealed up and no open wound or blood insight.

"Alright," she said gruffly, grabbing Robin's attention. "We need to get back promptly. The Old Man won't wait too long with the circumstances. Here put these on. We'll blend in more." She handed Robin a set of clothes. A tank top and pants sat on top of a purple coat, along with the necessities. Robin began to fumble with them hurriedly, getting help from the woman every so often. Her hair, she realized, had tumbled down from there wet masses and cascading her shoulders, getting in her face and in her way. She made a disapproved noise, before the woman came over and gently grabbed the mass and gathered them together. She felt something pull at her hair and she let out a small whimper.

"Ah, you'll have to forgive me. I forgot your body is slightly more fragile than the regular person." The woman chuckled. "I'm Morrigan. You're lucky FF1-C2, Nelson almost disposed of you. If it weren't for-"

"Robin."

The woman stopped short. "What?"

Robin turned towards her, her voice a little raspy. "Isn't that who I am? Robin?"

Morrigan went still, her soft golden-brown eyes watery. Then ever so softly, "Yes...yes, you are."

In a hurry, Morrigan went to finish getting dressed. Robin reached up to feel her hair, finding them in high pigtails.

Bending over she pulled on boots and then, finally, the coat. It was a little heavy, but Robin could feel some sort of strength returning to her as she took in her surroundings and taking deep breaths of air.

Everything was so foreign and she tried taking it all in. It made her blood accelerate and adrenaline coursed through her veins. Before long, Morrigan was also ready. Dressed in the same attire, she slung a crude bag around her shoulder before unlocking the door and peeking out. She grabbed Robin's hand and started to pull her down the next hallway to the left. Robin stumbled a bit at first, but with her returning strength she soon got familiar with the rhythm of running. The hallways all looked the same with the same faded color of grey with never-ending corridors that lead to other different directions. It felt like forever as they both ran down the hallways, taking a turn every now and then.

Morrigan knew exactly where she was going and led Robin down the hallways before taking a sharp right and stopping to unlock a door before shoving both of them in. The room was filled with different control panels, lined against the walls. One of them faced a glass window, the room beyond that was dark. Morrigan quickly moved to lock the door behind them and move towards a control panel. She began murmuring things to herself, flipping switches and pressing buttons before finally pressing another button and all of the panels began to light up.

"Perfect," Morrigan sighed. "Let's hope the old geezer is ready on the other side."

Robin looked at her quizzically. "Other side? What's on the other side?"

Morrigan walked over to the controls that faced the glass window and began to press more buttons, a bigger light illuminating her face. "It will be safer to explain when we reach it. I promise it will be easier to comprehend later." Robin fell silent and let Morrigan finish what she needed to do. Robin wandered around the room, examining everything that befell her eyes.

On the opposite wall that Morrigan was on, there were screens that were lit up, showing Robin the same hallways she was last occupying. There were many and the one that caught her eye was one that had many people either walking or running on. In the center of it all were three figures clad in dark. One of them, his figure tall and dark, wore clothing she had never seen before; a cape that flowed down both arms and a revealing shirt while it turned into some sort of skirt. The other next to him, a woman, was wearing a white coat like the others, but as she was walking she got rid of it, throwing it to the side at someone. Her attire was rather revealing as her breasts were only half covered and her skirt rides up just short of below her waist. There was another behind them, but Robin couldn't make out who they were as they were wearing a hood, but she felt like she recognized them. Something familiar...

Robin had heard a clunk and looked behind her to see the glass window lit up a fantastical blue, swirling towards its center. Morrigan put her hands on her hips and gave out a satisfied huff.

"Alright, we've got exactly five minutes before the gate..." Morrigan trailed off as she looked towards Robin and then up at the monitors behind her. Her face dropped, becoming hard and pale. "Robin, come here and hurry. Stand by that door over there." She directed Robin towards the door to her right. Storming over to the entrance, she whipped out a book from her pocket. The pages seemed to whip from a non-existent wind, before falling onto a certain page.

"Containing all from entry, let no one pass." Morrigan began to chant, reaching out with her arm and opened her hand towards the door. Both the door and her began glowing a mystical blue. A wind began to pick up around them, even though they were in a contained room. "Using the flow of strength and divinity, profeci densis-Lock!"

With the final word, there was a loud pang, making everything quiet once again. Lowering her arm, she quickly turned towards Robin and hurried to open the door to the portal. Robin looked back at the door, fascinated by what had just happened. How did she do that? Will she be able to do that too? So many questions, and yet very little time. Following Morrigan through the door, a wind whipped at her face again as the portal seemed to be sucking everything in its vicinity into the swirling pool. Morrigan exclaimed the same spell as earlier and grabbed Robin's hand. They both stopped in front of the portal and Robin looked up at Morrigan. The woman looked back at her and smiled softly.

"I know we haven't talked much before," She said. Her smile wavering along with her eyes. "But I just want to tell you how proud I am of you. Let's pray to Naga that we make it safe for Ylisse."

Robin was unsure what those words meant, but she nodded and turned bravely towards the shimmering blue. A loud bang could be heard from the other room and Robin quickly looked back over her shoulder to see that the sealed door had been busted into, the wall and ceiling that surrounded the door were now gone. A hole now in its place. People began streaming in, including the three people she saw earlier. She recognized the first two and then she got a quick glimpse of the third.

Red eyes that shone brightly as the blood she saw earlier peeked through from under the hood. Making direct eye contact with them, her head began to pound and swell. Clutching her head with one hand, she tugged at Morrigan's hand and Morrigan understood well. Jumping in first, she dragged Robin in with her. The portal was cooling and made her head turn to a light headache.

"The time should have expired the moment we stepped in." Morrigan let out a small laugh and gave Robin a small smile. "We should be safe until we reach our destination."

Robin responded back with a smile and a breath of relief, tightening her hold on Morrigan's hand. She looked ahead of her and let the breeze run over her face, before the headache came swelling back. The pain was worse than before and made her head feel like it was going to split apart. She cried out and clutched her face with her free hand, her other gripping tightly onto Morrigan's.

"Robin!" Morrigan cried out.

"Did you really think that was going to work?"

There was a voice that rang out around them and the blue turned a violet-red. The voice let out a laugh. "Another perfect vessel for me, Morrigan? I'm surprised you let me catch this one so easily! The other was only a trial, but this one…"

"SHUT UP!" Morrigan pulled Robin close to her, clutching her to her side. "You fiend! I never wanted you to have them! You brainwash all of your followers, including my own family! How dare you! I won't let you have them and do this to them anymore!"

A chuckle emitted from around them. "Oh, my precious pet. I didn't do anything. They willingly succumbed to my ways. It's your own fault for following them into the mouth of the lion. You only have yourself to blame."

"..." Morrigan tightened her grip around Robin, before gliding faster down the portal, looking for the exit.

"Aah, aah. Wrong way."

Another pulse waved over Robin, causing her to let out a scream. She could feel herself losing any sign of control, her vision becoming dark and red. Growling, she began to fight back against this force.

Child, release yourself to me. You are only making this harder for yourself.

"No! Never!" Robin shouted, unaware that He was talking to her in her head.

Morrigan's eyes widened and tried to go faster. "Hold on Robin! Fight! Fight back as hard as you can!"

A fight began to rage war inside of her. Her head felt like it was about to burst as someone or something was trying to take control. She pushed and pulled, determined to win the fight, her body convulsing to the point where she began to taste blood in her mouth and her nose began to drip blood as well. The laugh was back again, stronger than before, giving a strong push against Robin's consciousness. Robin felt herself slip for a moment, letting Him gain control of her arms. Her hands grabbed onto the book Morrigan had earlier and felt herself push Morrigan. She was sent flying a few feet away from Robin, stopping herself from reaching the edge of the wormhole. Robin heard a cackle erupting from her mouth. "Too easy! She's so weak, it's unbearable! Don't worry, We'll fix that." Purple electricity began to form around her arms, pointing them right at Morrigan. Robin remembered the incident that had happened earlier and how Morrigan was harmed earlier. If she had harmed Morrigan-

"NO!"

Robin gave one last final strong push in her consciousness and gained back control of her body. The power was still surging through her and instead of aiming towards Morrigan, She raised her hand towards the sky and let out a yell, releasing the power towards the sky. This caused the portal to shake and shudder under the power that was thrown into it. Robin felt the energy weaken inside her and around her as she could feel herself grow weaker and lose consciousness, something sucking her in behind her.

"FOOLISH CURSED CHILD! YOU WILL REGRET THE COMING DAYS FOR I WILL-"

The portal began to grow dim as it began to collapse around them.

"Robin!" Morrigan reached out to grab her, but the portal had begun to collapse around them and both had already been sucked into a different coordinate. "Look for me! I'll be searching for you, even till the end of my days! Stay alive! I'll find y-"

"Morri..." Robin gasped weakly, before finally sinking into what she knew was darkness. Her head hurt and her body ached. Robin began to see dreams and memories that she had never seen before. Different people and places. All were different, but there was one thing that they all had in common. There was a war and whatever she saw, she could tell there were good days and bad days.

There were always the same people in those memories. Two women stand by their winged horses. A woman running from a flamboyant man. Another pair with a hefty man and a beautiful dancer. A man petting a dragon as the woman beside him laughs at him. A lady turns into some sort of animal while a younger man cheers her on. A food thief and a child, along with an older man scolding the pair of them. Two men about to spar against each other. Another woman whose nose is buried deep into a book, accompanied by a young man in a big hat. Another pair of women drinking tea. A man talking to some crows as a woman watches him silently. A blonde girl holding a frog and stashing it away before she could notice. A stern man with furrowed eyebrows, hands clasped behind his back ready for a stern lecture. A younger girl with dark hair running up and hugging her. But the one who stood out the most was a man with blue hair and a kind smile. His body rough with years of training and war.

"Chrom…"

Chapter Text

The ground felt cool beneath her, rocks poking into her sides. The air warm beneath her coat, sweat slowly coming from her pores. Light had begun to shine through her eyelids and the sounds of birds singing sweet tunes back and forth filled her ears. The grass beneath her rustled with the wind, swaying back and forth.

Peeling her eyes open, while letting out a groan, Robin slowly sat up. Her back hurt from lying in the ground and her head was aching, slowly fading as she became more aware and conscious. She looked around, trying to find a familiar landmark. But, where was she? Better yet, who was she? Robin put her head in her hands, only remembering her name: Robin. That was easy enough, but everything else she couldn't think or remember anything. Her head began to swell and, as frustrating as it was, she eventually gave up trying as her headache subsided when she did.

Setting her hands in her lap, she looked around her once more, before soaking up the sounds and world around her. Everything felt so surreal, almost fantasy-like. A forest bustling with life, critters and other larger animals roaming around without anyone else's knowledge. It's leaves rustle to make soft sounds of branches and leaves brushing together from the wind. A field filled with unsuspecting bugs and mice, nesting in their homes or working till dusk, working to no one's knowledge but their own. It felt so surreal, as she could feel everything move and she knew where their whereabouts were. What was this skill? Robin was surprised that she knew even the basic knowledge of the world around her, despite not knowing her own past or why she was here. Even still, she got up on her feet and surveyed the world around her once more, this time looking for a path to take her to a nearby town.

Luckily, there was a distant castle and town not too far to her left. The path winding down straight to it. Where there was people, there would be food-and answers. Shifting her foot, she felt something nudge her toes. Looking down, a book clad in purple and gold stared up at her. A certain energy radiated off of it, causing her to crouch down to look at it. It begged her to pick it up and shimmered a fluorescent array of colors besides purple and gold. Running her hand over it, there were etchings on it that seemed to have been scrubbed away clean and was replaced with a circle with some incantations on it. She could surprisingly read most of it. She decided that it was worth her while to find some answers of her past and picked it up. It's energy seemed to flow right into her and hers into it. It shimmered once more and turned a deep brown instead of the purple and gold.

"How curious…" she thought.

Finding a suitable pocket right by her chest, she placed it in there and patted it for good measure, making sure it was still secure and tucked in safe. Carefully, Robin made her way out of the field, the dead grass crunching loudly underneath her feet. Hopping on the road, she began trekking down the path. The road was getting warmer and warmer with each passing hour. By the time the sun sat high above her, she had her dark cloak pulled off and draped over her arm. Her body was dripping in sweat, her lungs panting from the heavy heat. She thanked the gods that she was sporting a tank top, but her pants and boots didn't alleviate her lower body at all.

The castle was closer now, a town out skirting the castle. It looked bigger than Robin thought. Although it might have been the heat, the castle looked like it was shimmering. Something that would have only come to be in a fantastical story. Ahead of her was a small town; a quaint one of sorts. Making her way through the entrance gate she sees the hustle and bustle of people setting up a small farmers market. Stand to stand there were different items being set out. She could smell of cooked meat wafting through the air, her stomach replying in a loud manner. Her face becoming hot (or maybe it was the heat?), she hurried to the center of the market as a man was dishing out water from a well.

The man seemed to understand her well as he retrieved a bucket from out of the well and pulled out a cup from his pack.

“A mighty fine day it is miss.” He greeted her with a smile. “I hope it’s not too hot for the young miss. Some folks can’t seem to like the weather, but it just means Naga has blessed us again with such a promising future.

Robin gave a small smile and took the cup from his hand, chugging the water down as fast as she could. She would have never thought that she would have been so parched that she could even feel her insides give a little dance from the taste of cool water.

“Thank you, I’m grateful for you sir.” Robin sighed, placing the now empty glass in his hand. The man chuckled, returning his cup to his backpack.

“Of course! One could tell who is a foreigner and who is not by watching their face as they walked through our town."

Robin quirked her eyebrow up at him, giving him a cool look. “What do you mean? Do I not look like a local?”

It was the man's turn to now give her the confused look. He parted his lips slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but instead looked her up and down, studying her intensely. She could feel the man grow uneasy as he looked at her and  knew if she said the wrong thing, things could go sour.

“Forgive me, but I don’t believe I’ve seen you before. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I was under the impression that you haven’t been to Ylisse before and have been traveling.” He was watching her apprehensively.

Robin decided that her safest route was to feign ignorance and laugh it off as if it was a joke.

“Oh! I’m sorry I didn’t mean to frighten you,” She let out a weak laugh. “I meant, that it was pretty obvious, huh? Sorry, but you are right! I’m just traveling for a bit and visiting some old friends before going home!”

The man gave a small smile and awkward laugh. “O-oh, is that it? I see…” He then started to glance around nervously and then suddenly grabbed his pack from off the ground. “Oh w-would you look at the time! I have a long day ahead of me, so I-I’ll just be on my way!”

The man hurried away around a shop corner and Robin felt the hairs on her arm and neck stand up. It may be a hot day, but the air seemed a little cooler than before. She looked around once again to the other stalls that were beginning to open up. They all seemed to be uneasy after the man left and when they came into eye-contact with her, they quickly looked away and seemed to whisper about her.

Not the best first impression.

She hurried out of the square as normally as she could, without raising any more suspicion. Quickly finding the best route away from the square, she waited until she stepped out of people’s sight to start running. She didn’t stop till she found a nearby tree to sit under and catch her breath. Something felt wrong. When she walked in, nobody noticed her. But as soon as the man asked her about travelling, everyone seemed to be on edge. Robin sensed that something is terribly amiss and that her guard needs to be up at all times.

~     ~ ~     ~

“I’m telling you, she’s the spy from Plegia! She’s going to harm the Exalt! We’re all in danger!”

A man was yelling at a small group of bystanders. His moves erratic and eyes wild from fear. “Excuse me?”

The man turned and threw himself into the herd, most people moving and leaving the commotion. “Y-yes! Please, do you know anyone that can stop her? The Exalt must not be harmed!”

The man had grabbed fistfuls of the clerical robes and was hysterical with fear. Slowly, He grabbed the man’s shoulders and gently pried him from His body.

“Why, of course, my boy,” His mouth curled up in a sinister smile. “I’m actually on my way to retrieve her now. Do not be afraid, as our divine god, Naga, smiles and blesses you today.”

The man’s face was now streaked with tears and he seemed to be relieved now that there was ‘help’, his hands clasped together for a prayer. “Thank you, my good priest. May I request a farewell prayer for the lost soul, Mister..?”

“Of course,” He placed his hand on the man’s head, storing magic into his hand. “And you may call me Nelson.”

He placed an enchantment spell onto the man, causing his body to convulse once and putting him into a small sleep. All in a days work for his Lord, Grima.

~    ~ ~    ~

Robin was all turned around as she watched the sky and looked at the castle in the near distance. It was now midday and more people were bustling about on the hot day. She had  found new food stalls and her still hungry stomach was aching for nutrients. Moving into some shade, she felt shoulder after shoulder push against her. She would look back at the people and see the same glare or scared stare aiming right at her. That same feeling from before made her arms and neck bristle once more; Something wasn’t right.

She needed to move. This place wasn’t safe anymore. Her mind moved faster than her body and she made a hesitant step into the light once more, causing her to trip and bump into a couple. Fruit began to fall into her arms and onto the ground.

“Oh, excuse me!” Robin exclaimed, bending down to snatch the fallen fruit before it had a chance to be trampled on. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s quite alright,'' a deep voice boomed overhead. “We were both deep in conversation as well. I must apologize as well.”

“Oh Pegasus dung!” A chipper one piped up. “You were the one who was lecturing me about rules and etiquette! Don’t rope me into this as well.”

A hand also reached down to help Robin pick up the fruit. “You’ll have to excuse him. He’s been stingy since I was a kid.”

Robin followed the hand to meet the eyes of a blonde woman. Her face, young and full of youth. A white lace headdress sat on her long blonde hair. Robin stood up and handed back the fruit she picked up. “Oh no, it was practically my fault. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Oh, I’m sure Frederick would have seen you if he was paying attention as well.” The blonde giggled, placing the fruit in the bag.

The man named Frederick let out a sigh. “My Lady stands correct as I was also not paying attention.” He let out a slight bow. “Forgive me. I have neglected both my duties as a knight and Shepherd.”

“O-oh! No, it’s alright!” Robin felt her face go hot as he awaited her reply in his stand still bow. “Please, pay no attention to that anymore. I-it’s quite alright!” 

Robin felt another migraine come on again as she stood there standing next to the pair. Perhaps it was the heat and hunger giving her one. As she thought about it, her stomach gave another growl, louder than a bear at night. Her face grew hotter as the pair stared at her in silence.

“I-uh...haven’t eaten anything yet...today..” Robin’s voice was quiet as she stared at the ground.

The blonde hummed before declaring an, “All right!” before grabbing Robin’s hand and turning towards Frederick. “We’re taking a detour! If wouldn’t be very helpful if the Shepherds didn’t lend a helping hand to those in need!”

Frederick stood upright and did a quick sweep of Robin’s figure, his brows creasing and eyes narrowing slightly before giving the blonde a look that scared Robin just a bit. “My Lady, I don’t find that wise-”

But they were already taking off in the direction of a food stand. Robin could feel herself becoming hungrier by the second. Everything smelled so good and Robin wanted to try them all. Before she knew it, the girl came up to Robin with handfuls of meat on a stick and piping hot pastries.

“Here!” She thrusts them into Robin’s hands. “These are Ylisse’s best delicacies! You’ll find them delicious!”

Robin carved out a big bite out of one of the pastries, her mouth filled with a sweet and savory flavor she’s never experienced before. Robin let out a moan that could have appeased the gods, as she bit into more of the foods. The blonde let out a laugh. “You remind me of my brother and an old friend! You all eat with so much gusto.” The blonde handed Robin a white handkerchief. “I’m Lissa by the way.”

“Rw-obin.”

Lissa froze for a moment, before catching her smile. “What was that?”

Robin swallowed the mouthful of food and wiped her mouth the cloth Lissa had borrowed from her. “Robin. My name’s Robin.”

Lissa’s smile wavered and her eyes looked glossy. “R-really? What a coincidence...I know someone-”

“HALT!”

The pair looked over to see Frederick, out of breath and still carrying the fruit as well as other bags hiding in his arms. Lissa jumped up and ran over to help him and it seemed that she stood by his side a little too long as Frederick’s expressions changed rapidly as a sunshower came. Robin felt nervous sitting watching them and got up to go over to help. Frederick saw Robin in the corner of his eye and straightened up to head over and meet her, Lissa following behind.

“Is...everything alright?” Robin asked nervously, her left fingers unconsciously rubbing the back of her right.

Frederick’s eyes flickered. “Yes, “ He breathed. “We were just discussing some private matters.”

Lissa glanced nervously between them before grabbing Robin’s hands, smiling. “W-we were just discussing if you would like to visit the Shepherds!”

“The Shepherds?” Robin said weakly. She felt the unease again and her hands felt cold in Lissa’s warm ones. Their behavior felt akin to the man from earlier, but Robin didn’t feel any evil intent or will towards her. Her head fuzzy and her headache coming on stronger from earlier.

“Yes! It’s a group of knights protecting the Halidom from the Grimeals and I’m sure my brother, Chrom, would love to recruit you.”

Chrom.

Robin’s head began to split, an unbearable pain washing over her. Her vision became blurry and the ground was coming closer to her by the second. She heard a faint shout and the fruit from earlier went tumbling down once again. Arms enveloped her torso and instead of the ground, her vision was filled with Lissa’s worried face and Frederick’s agitated one. Lissa’s mouth was moving slowly and Robin couldn’t decipher what she was saying. Their faces were the last thing she saw as she fell unconscious.

~    ~

Her eyes opened to a battlefield. A dark cathedral room with dark glass panes. Shouts and the scent of blood filled her senses. A loud clang and a bright light flickered in her peripheral. Whipping around, she saw a dark figure and a man clad in blue fight off against each other. Their moves parrying one another's as each tried to get a clean hit. The man in blue made a sweeping motion up, missing the opponent. A yell was heard from above and she heard, “Up There!” Before dodging a spell and throwing her own at where it fell from. The dark figure conjured over to her other side and had raised his hand, power swelling and violently erupting towards the man. Before she could even think, her body moved on it’s own and casted a thunderbolt towards the other spell, deducing it to nothing. The man smiled at her and gave her a nod, before turning to the dark figure.

“Let’s do this Robin! No one can change destiny! The future is ours!”

Robin felt herself smile and agree with him. “Let’s do this Chrom!”

That name again. Who was Chrom? And her voice; it didn’t sound like hers. Much deeper than her own and her hair felt shorter and lighter…

Again her body moved on it’s own and she charged at the dark figure, becoming in sync with the man, who she assumed was Chrom. Robin fired spells of all sorts becoming a defensive wall for the other as Chrom streaked behind her and got in close for the offensive. The dark figure grunted and did his best to fight the pair off, before Chrom swung his sword at his chest. The figure catching it with both of his hands, magic surrounding his hands and the sword. Robin used this as an opportunity and gave out a war cry.

“Time to tip the scales!”

The final blow was dealt and the figure collapsed in front of them.

Chrom looked at Robin with a triumphant smile and moved in close, but not before the figure got up one last time and fired a long ranged attack at him. 

“This isn’t over...DAMN YOU BOTH!”

Robin felt herself call out to him, realizing that he wouldn’t make it in time. She rushed forward and pushed him out of the way, the spell blinding her vision. Chrom’s eyes went wide and his mouth in an open-mouth silent scream.

She felt herself collide with the floor and her head was pounding and her vision fuzzy.

“Are you alright?!”

She looked over to see him rush over to her, using his arm to support her back. He chuckled softly, looking back to see the disintegrating figure finally turn to dust.

“Thanks to you we carried the day. We can rest easy now. At long last...” His voice began to fade out, muffled. Her ears began to ring and her vision was red. She looked over to him, his face turning concerned as she began to pant. “Hey...what’s wrong? Hey! Stay with me-”

His face churned and he let out a gasp and stumbled back. “Th-this is…” He began to choke out. She looked down to see a thunderbolt, stabbed through his torso. Her hand felt the electricity and she looked down to see that she had been the culprit. She looked back at him. “Not your f-fault...promise me,” he coughed up blood, more of it pooling over his wound. “You’ll get out of here...please...go...”

He finally collapsed to the ground, the light fading from his eyes. Robin felt the blood in her ears pound, mixing in with her aching head. A laugh began to echo around her and she collapsed to her knees in disbelief. The room began to feel like it was on fire, her body pulsing with the heat, anger and sadness becoming one emotion she couldn’t control. She opened her mouth and felt herself let go, screaming with all her fiber and being.

~      ~

“NO!”

Robin jolted up, her body in a cold sweat. Raising the hand she felt the power surge, she looked at it, her hand trembling and wet. Her head was pounding and her body felt weak as she felt her stomach churn. What was that? A dream? Or was it something else; a forgotten memory. She closed her eyes and her eyebrows furrowed. It couldn’t have been. She didn’t know who those people were. If she did, she’d be in much worse company.

A flapping sound sounded to her left and Lissa broke through. In her hand, a staff and in her other, a bowl of water with towels in it. She looked as if she aged a couple years as her eyes had dark bags under them and her skin was paler than when they met.

“Robin!” Lissa hurried over and set the bowl down on the ground by Robin’s cot. “We were so worried! Hold on, I’ll heal you.” She raised the staff over Robin’s head, eyes shut from concentration. The stone in the middle of the centerpiece in her staff began to glow green and Robin could feel the effects of her body slowly fade away, the only thing remaining was her migraine.

“Thank you Lissa,” She placed a hand on the staff and lowered it slightly to get her attention. “I feel much better.”

Lissa’s face softened as she set down her staff and slowly sat down on a stool that stood nearby Robin’s cot. “Thank Naga. I was afraid you weren't going to wake up.”

“What do you mean? Was my condition that terrible?” Robin’s brows slowly furrowed and felt a pit form in her gut.

Lissa bit her lip and started fidgeting with her hands. “You were fine when we brought you in. Frederick carried you all the way here, food in hand and all. We placed you here to make sure it was just a dizzy spell, but later that night, you broke out in a heavy fever. It took a lot of us Healers to restore you into better condition.”

Robin stared into her hands for a while, before quietly asking, “How long was I in a fever?” 

“Three days.”

“...” Robin’s head began to throb again with the recurring memory. She closed her eyes, suppressing the images. She can’t let herself go anymore under the stress she’s been under lately. Especially if the dream was true.

“Robin?”

Robin opened her eyes and looked over to Lissa, her face showing more and more wrinkles with worry. Robin smiled and grabbed Lissa’s hand, squeezing it.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine. I was just thinking. If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably be having a week-long fever somewhere in the woods.”

Lissa finally let a smile show through and held Robin’s hand tightly on her own. “I’m glad we did run into you.” She said softly. They both sat there in silent gratitude before Robin’s stomach let out a growl. They both looked at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter. Robin’s cheeks dusted pink. “That’s the second time we’ve run into a problem like this.” She chuckled. Lissa giggled, getting up and pouring a pitcher of water into a cup.

“Here, you’ve been really dehydrated because of the fever.” She handed Robin the cup. “You can sit still here while I get you something to eat. And don’t think about getting up! A bed-ridden patient needs to be in bed!”

Lissa left through the flap in the tent, leaving Robin alone in silence. Robin sat and drank in the quiet environment, falling onto her back and landing on the semi-hard make-shift bed. The room was tranquil, the most she’s experienced since she’s woken up. With the anxiety of the crowd from the town and the paranoid man, she felt like her nerves were on it’s last threads. Rolling on her side, she saw her coat folded neatly with the book she found earlier resting on top. Sitting back up, she gingerly picked up the book and opened it to the first page.

The book had some words written inside it, but it was ineligible as the ink was smeared across the page. Frowning, Robin flipped to the next pages. The first couple were blank, save for the one word sentences on each page with an incantation and magic circle for each. Thunder, Fire, and Wind. There were some blank pages sitting in between the almost blank ones and the rest of the book.  The rest of the pages were filled with magic circles and strategies for each kind of terrain and situations, but it didn’t matter to Robin as she was more interested in the semi-blank pages. She raised her hand, flipping it to the ceiling and tried to concentrate on creating the first spell, Thunder. Reading the incantation was easy enough, she muttered it over and over, trying to prefect it as if it would be doing something.

“Letting all those who rain from the sky, condem them with a powerful strike from the diving gods, fulger-Lightning!”

A spark emitted from her hand, Robin smiling at her accomplishment, before remembering the dream again. The crackle of power died down and she lowered her hand. She remembered the look on the man’s-Chrom’s face. It was twisted in agony with the sight of blood dripping to the ground from his wound as he lay on the ground motionless. Feeling discouraged, Robin shook her head and picked her book back up. She figured that if she knew how to make do with the strategies in the book, she wouldn’t have anyone killed by others, especially her.

Robin was so absorbed into her reading that she didn’t notice Lissa walk in with Frederick and another. Lissa cleared her throat, startling Robin that she clutched her book too hard. A tray was placed in her lap, the smell of seasoned broth and meat filling her nose. There was a piece of bread sitting next to the steaming bowl, a slab of butter placed delicately on top.

“There ya go!” Lissa propped her hands on her hips triumphantly. “I was lucky and got first dibs on dinner tonight. Patients who wait and eat leftovers would feel worse than they already are!”

“Thank you again, Lissa. It smells great” Robin set her book back where she found it and gave Lissa a warm smile. She looked over to Frederick. “Hello again Frederick, I must thank you for being so diligent on carrying me all the way here. It must have been very taxing.”

“Not at all,” Frederick gave a small bow, straightening up quickly. “It’s my duty to take care of all the sheep in the Halidom, no matter the cost.”

Robin let out a small laugh. “Well, I must thank you again.”

Frederick gave one last nod. “But of course.”

Robin then took a swiveled glance at the newcomer behind Lissa. Her breath hitched, her body breaking into a cold sweat and her hands felt clammy. It couldn’t be…

“Robin,” Lissa stepped to the side and let the man step closer to Robin’s bedside. “This is my brother-”

“Chrom.” Robin said breathlessly.

The three of them looked at each other with glances towards each other. Each one different from the rest. Frederick’s was subtle as he glanced right at Chrom, brows furrowed. Lissa’s eyes went watery, looking with a soft feature on her face to both Frederick and Chrom. Chrom’s face went hard for moment, before his eyes too went soft. All the while, Robin’s gaze did not avert from Chrom’s face. The image of Chrom’s dying body feeling all too real. This meant that what she experienced was all but a dream. Robin felt her stomach sink as she she felt that that statement couldn’t be true, but Robin hoped better.

“Forgive me,” Chrom pulled her out of her thoughts. “But have we met before?”

His voice was soft and her stomach did somersaults as she relished his deep vibrato. Somewhere deep inside her, she recognized his voice and it struck a cord in her heart. Her head became hot and the migraine came on once again.

“Ah-forgive me...I…” The dull throbbing became worse again and she raised a hand to try and sooth the pain. Lissa placed a cold, wet towel in her hand and Robin pressed it hard to her forehead.

“All right you two,” Lissa spoke with a soft, but hard tone. “Robin’s recovering and she needs to eat something. We all can come back later when she has something in her stomach.”

Lissa ushered them out, a few soft protests going between the siblings. Robin was left alone again, her head slowly washing away the migraine. Her soup sat at a luke-warm temperature and her bread getting colder, Robin lifted the soup to take a sip of the food. Her insides felt warm and her stomach growled for more. Robin dunked her bread in her bowl. Was the Chrom the one who caused all of her headaches? Or was something inside her holding her back from remembering what she needed to know?

Her bread became soggy and her soup grew colder as she pondered what was happening to her.

Chapter Text

It only took Robin half a day to get better. Some well-deserved rest and two full meals brought her stamina and morale up very quickly. Robin had argued with Lissa the entire time she had been in the medical tent, trying her best to coerce her to let her roam about the camp grounds. It took till a quarter into the afternoon before Lissa finally caved.

"Gah! Alright, alright!" Lissa tied back the tent flaps to let the summer air in. "Geez, you're more persistent than Chrom and Gaius. I'll show you around, but after we're done, I'll do another check-up on you."

Robin's smile grew wide and she hurriedly threw on her boots and coat. Despite the war summer heat, Robin felt the most comfortable in her coat. It's one of the only things that ties her to her past. Lissa was waiting outside and hopped up to Robin's side as soon as she exited the tent.

“Alright,” Lissa grinned. “I’ll show you the mess tent first and work our way from there!”

Lissa chattered away, pointing out different tents that belonged to others, Robin surveying the camp around her. The camp was set up not too far off from the castle and outside from the town they were in a couple days ago. The only thing standing in their way from the town was the wall and gates that lead right to the castle. Robin’s eyes flickered once more to the castle, it’s ivory walls glimmering in the sunset. If only she could see what was inside. Lissa caught Robin’s eye and stepped curiously in front of her.

“Do you like the view? It is the best spot to look at the castle.” Lissa pointed to a building that stood out from the castle. "That's the Shepherd's barracks, we stay there when we're not marching about the Halidom. We're getting ready to set out in a couple days for a village near the border of Regna Ferox. So it should be a long march out there...hey, are you feeling alright?"

Lissa put a hand on Robin's arm. Robin jumped, her cheeks felt hot as she looked sheepishly at Lissa. “Sorry...I was listening, but…”

Robin stopped. Her mind seemed to be only focused on getting into the castle, but why? She couldn’t think of a moment when she wasn’t thinking about it. She chose to go to the village for food and shelter, but she wanted to get into the castle at some point. Was it for answers?

Robin shook herself out of her stupor and rubbed her cheek a little; now wasn’t the best time to be thinking of such betrayal thoughts and tell her new friends. She thought of a quick excuse.  “....I may be a little hungry. Let’s hurry to the mess tent.”

Lissa looked at her intently, before giving another smile and skipping towards the biggest tent in the middle of camp. Upon entering, a hot fragrance hit her nose. It’s spiced, seasoned fragrance made Robin’s mouth water. There were a few people cooking behind a counter table. One directing the few what to do and another cooking the main dish. Lissa guided her over, hurrying to see what tonight's dinner was. A woman with silky long, wind tossed hair saw Lissa and immediately stopped calling out orders.

“Lissa! Here to help with cooking duties?” She was a beautiful woman, her eyes sparkling and her posture set with confidence. She looked out of place as she looked battle-ready rather than cooking-ready.

“Sorry,” Lissa giggled. “I’m just giving a tour for the night! Cordelia, this is Robin.”

Lissa gestured over to her, Robin stepping forward to greet her. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”

Robin extended a hand to shake, stopping short as she caught the woman’s eyes. It was the same look that both Frederick, Chrom, and Lissa gave off to her when she had introduced herself. A pained, confused look with a half-hearted smile. It appeared that the entire kitchen team had also stopped what they were doing to look at her too. Robin felt her stomach drop. Could it be that they didn’t like her for some unknown reason? She felt her hand grow sweaty from extending it for too long. Lissa cleared her throat, causing the room to shift back into place and Cordelia grabbed Robin’s hand suddenly.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” She greeted, her voice sounded wobbly for a moment. “We heard about your fever and prayed you would get better and thank Naga you did. Lissa, Libra, and Maribelle have amazing healing skills.”

Robin grinned sheepishly. “Thank you for your hospitality. I appreciate it.”

“So, what are you guys making?” Lissa butted in. She hung over a handsome man as he peeled potatoes. His face was pink as he skillfully skinned them, going faster every second Lissa stood near him.

“We hunted down a bear a few days ago and marinated the meat,” another man stated, his sleeves pulled up to his elbows as he stood by a steaming pot. “I figured we would slow-roast it and serve it before we head out on a grueling expedition and only have porridge and jerky for days on end again.” He chuckled a bit before lifting the pot lid for Robin and Lissa to see. Steam poured out graciously from the sides and lifted into the air, bringing another waft of delicious aroma into the room. The meat was bigger than a pig's head, wrapped up in string to keep its posture and juice melting down it’s sides. Some vegetables decorated its sides, soaking up the abandoned flavor around it.

Robin could feel the drool pooling out of her mouth as she smelled the meat. Her stomach grumbled to consume the beast, but before she could grab a bite, the man had already placed the lid back on the pot. Lissa began to whine. “Stahl! It smells so gooood!” She tugged at his sleeve. “Could we please have a bite? Just a little? I promise we’ll be the last to be served if you let us have a bite!”

Stahl chuckled at Lissa’s antics and shook his head. “If I let you have some, you could get sick! It may look fine on the outside, but it’s inside hasn’t been cooked yet and has a lot of icky bugs that could hurt you. I don’t have much of my own concoction to hand around, so you’re just gonna have to wait.”

Lissa let out another whine, everyone around her began to laugh. Even the quiet man peeling potatoes let out a small snort. “Here dear,” A woman with pink hair came up to Lissa and handed a bun wrapped in cloth. “I was prepping some ingredients and had time to make some rolls. These’ll fend you off till we’re ready.”

“Yay! Thank you Cherche!”

She turned to Robin, a warm, sad smile stretched across her cheeks. “Here, for you too.” She pressed another warm cloth in her hand. Cherche gave her hands one last squeeze before walking back around the tent corner. 

Unwrapping her cloth, she found some cheese as well as her roll. The cheese had begun to melt around her bread roll as Robin frantically had given some of hers to Lissa, before it could get on the cloth. Lissa bid farewell to everyone before leading Robin back around the camp.

Most of the tents, Robin found out, were mostly the Shepherds tents. A few were missing as Lissa pointed out that they were getting extra weapons and items from the castle barracks for the trip ahead. As Lissa showed Robin around more, they ran into most of the Shepherds. Even as Lissa introduced each and every one, Robin couldn’t help but notice the same expression. It bothered her as it kept happening again and again. It didn’t take long before Lissa noticed her discomfort. Lissa led her to the edge of the camp, having her sit down on a nearby rock. The view of the warmly lit camp, soft distant voices with sounds of laughter and bustling activity echoed across the field. Faintly, Robin could spot a blue haired male in the crowd of diversity.

“Something’s bothering you,” Robin jumped, looking over to the blonde. Lissa, pulling her knees close to her chest, seemed so small and child-like. “I can tell. Come on, out with it! If you hold it in, it’s just going to bite you back in the arse!”

Robin fidgeted with her coat buckles, biting the inside of her cheeks. The questions burned within her head, but which one was the right one to say first? It was silent for a couple of moments before Robin took a breath.

“Is everyone afraid of me?”

Robin heard Lissa’s breath hitch, and her posture went rigid.

“It’s just that,” Robin continued. “Everytime I look at someone or say hello, they have such a frightened face! It’s as if they have seen a ghost! I fear that I am not welcomed here or am judged by what I look like. I don't even know of my past. That fact makes me worried the most as I fear that someone in this camp must know me for evil deeds-”

“You’re wrong.”

Lissa’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet. Her voice had a bite to it that Robin had not recognized in the past two days of knowing her.

“It’s not that we don’t trust you and no one is afraid of you. It’s just that,” There was a hint of hesitation on her voice and her voice began to break. “Someone very close to us all had fallen on the battlefield and we were all very heartbroken for a long time. We...we see a lot of him in you and it’s making a lot of things hard for some of us.”

Tears were falling from Lissa’s face, but she wiped them away with her sleeve before Robin could do anything. “I-I’m so sorry...I didn’t realize…”

“Don’t be…” Lissa giggled, tears already gone and a smile to replace it. “You didn’t know and we’re all excited to have a new member of the Shepherds with us today.”

Robin stopped. New member? Did she mean…? Robin looked at Lissa quizzically, opening her mouth slightly. Lissa saw her face and her eyes went wide, hands flying to her mouth.

“Oh! Wait! I didn’t mean-look, forget about what I was going to say!” She got up, brushing her skirt of any excess dirt. “We better hurry back-”

A loud rumble quaked the earth and a crash sounded off from the woods behind them. Lissa stopped, her smile wiped off her face. Robin turned to look behind her. The sun had already set and Robin couldn’t see very far into the woods.

“Lissa?” Robin heard her voice, it was almost quiet.

“Robin, hurry back to camp.” Lissa’s voice was hard and determined. Robin heard another loud crack of a tree go down and the earth rumble beneath her feet.

“What?” Robin turned to Lissa. “What are you talking about? I can’t just leave you.”

Another loud thud and the pair stepped back to hurry towards camp. Before Robin could turn to go, she saw a stone hand emerge from the top of the trees.

“Lissa?” Robin called out again, her voice emanating fear. The hand came down and Robin’s legs finally moved and began to run grabbing Lissa’s wrist in the process. She felt a strong wind come down behind her, the air pushing against her back and felt some leverage as she gained speed. It didn’t last long as she heard a loud thud before she was knocked off her feet by the uneven ground. She felt Lissa’s wrist slip out of hers and her scream flew above and behind her.

“Lissa!”

The ground came in contact with her back, knocking the wind right out of her lungs. She tumbled a few times before skidding to a halt. Looking up, she saw a giant stone figure before her. Sporting only two arms, a torso that held itself into the ground, and a flat stone with a depiction of a man as a head. Robin twisted her head to see Lissa sprawled on her side, her pigtails undone from the twist and pull of the impacts on her body. She noticed that she didn’t have her staff or any kind of weapon on her. If she had gotten hurt or, gods forbid, killed, Robin wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.

Robin stood up on wobbly legs and instinctively pulled out the tome that rested in her pocket. She had to protect Lissa. She felt her body and mind become calm as her heart accelerated, feeling a cool electricity flow through her veins as the book lay open in her hand, the pages flipping back and forth by themselves before deciding on a certain spell. Robin didn’t have to read it as she knew which one it landed on, but this felt different. Bigger and stronger. The air buzzed with magic as she found the word to this new spell.

An orange glow surrounded her and a circle opened up in front of her hand. Nothing like she had ever seen before. Incantations spelled out around the floating circle with different symbols. Staring down the stone giant, she aimed her glowing hand towards it. Her head was buzzing with excitement, the magic inside her clearly ready to be put into use and be released from her body. 

Building up the last of the magic she released it with one word.

Thoron

The spell erupted from her hand, blowing wind around her as it barreled straight towards the giants heads. The creature seemed confused for a moment before letting out one last final roar, the spell exploding the creature on impact. The surrounding area shone with light for a brief moment before going dark once again, leaving behind crushed remains of rocks and a carved out earth where it stood.

Robin could feel the electricity disappear from her hand, but the energy inside her bounced and buzzed within her body. Sparks flew and drifted towards the ground in a final spit, leaving silence in their wake. It was peaceful, before a dread washed over her. Lissa! Robin whipped around to help Lissa, but instead was met with eyes with several of the Shepherds with Chrom in front leading the group. Their faces showed clear disbelief and shock as they had witnessed a giant creature had been taken out by one critical spell.

Lissa was already propped up by Frederick, leaning against him, and she looked at Robin with a well-known smile and excited eyes.

~      ~              ~    ~

Nelson grit his teeth together, chewing at his thumbnail with displeasure. He had gone all the way to another realm to retrieve that golem and now it was destroyed; by one blow of a spell nonetheless! He let out a growl, leaping down from his spot in the trees. The forest was thick enough to conceal their camp and proved it’s worth when he found a good spot close enough to the prince’s camp. He began to pace, his obsession leading him to chewing his nails to the bone.

“Nothing went as planned, did it?” a man said gruffly, shaking Nelson out of his stupor.

“Of course it didn’t!” Nelson growled. “Who knew that the next vessel was so strong!”

“She did kill us once.” He dropped some wood into the dying fire.

“I thought that to be a fluke! She wasn’t even ready to become conscious yet. Grima thinks she is weak, but we are all underestimating her. If we don’t take her back now Garrick, she will become stronger than Grima right now.”

Garrick looked up at Nelson, his scarred handsome face scowling right at Nelson’s slender looking one. “Are you saying we should defy our Lord, Grima, for a faulty plan of yours?”

“N-no! Of course not!” Nelson stammered. His features began to look sweaty and oily, like a fish out of water. “I am just afraid of what she’ll do with her new-found powers! She could overthrow-”

“If FF1-C2 gets stronger,” He interrupted him. “Then when Grima takes back control, he’ll be the one stronger.”

Nelson clicked his tongue, before looking back at the retreating forms of the brigade.

~    ~          ~   ~

“Please enlighten me on how you conjured that spell, once again please.”

“Wow-ee! You gotta show us how you did that!”

“Haha! Again, again!”

“Shoot that at the great Vaike! I bet that’ll make ‘im unbeatable!”

Robin laughed nervously as she sat amidst the campfire, surrounded by several people while holding the dinner Stahl and Cordelia had prepared. After being attacked by the stone giant, Lissa and Robin were escorted back towards the medical tent. A fussy woman with blonde curls both gave Robin and Lissa an earful of how dangerous it is to be walking by themselves after dark, spouting something along the lines of  how “women are sheep among the wolves”. Robin and Lissa both giggled at her care. Luckily, they both only had minor cuts and bruises. Nothing a concoction couldn’t fix.

After she had let them go, people surged to Robin’s side commenting how spectacular her spell was and how she made it look so flashy. Lissa did her best to shoo them away for a moment, but Robin was met with more slaps to the back and cheers as she entered the mess tent. Both Cherche and Stahl had piled on more than Robin could eat on her plate as she was served last, both commending her on the spell.

It took Robin only a moment to distract everyone with a commentary on how a soldier named Vaike could ‘probably’ beat her in a duel, before stealing away from the group that she could finally get some peace and quiet.

Her boiled potatoes and meat were already cool as she found shelter behind a secluded tent by the campfire group. She let out a breath as she watched them all from a far. Every soldier in this brigade had their own special talents and Robin could see that they each benefactor a victory in a battle.

Taking a bite of the bear meat, Robin sank into the crate she was sitting on. The past couple of days have been hectic, but Robin was unsure of what she’ll do at this point on. She had the thought of going into the castle, but on what premise? Lissa had mentioned about becoming a Shepherd and the thought of it made Robin’s stomach do a flip. Would she be able to direct and help them in battle formations and lead them to victory? What kind of enemy will they be fighting? Would it be like the monster she had faced earlier? There were so many factors to think about.

“Ah, Robin! There you are!”

Robin jumped and inhaled, a piece of meat flying back down her throat causing her to cough violently. A hand whacked on her back a couple times before it became unlodged. Coughing a couple more times, Robin looked up to see Chrom, a cup in his hand stretched out to her. She grabbed it, taking a long gulp of water.

“Th-thank you, Chrom.” She handed the cup back to him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“No problem. May I?” He gestures to the crate next to her. She nods and scoots over, even though there was plenty of room. Eyeing him, she noticed that the cape and shoulder guard he had on earlier were gone and he wore a blue tunic that only had one sleeve.

“I must thank you for earlier,” He smiled. “If it weren't for that amazing spell, Lissa and you would have been goners.”

“What was that thing?” Robin set her empty plate down beside her. “Is that creature common in this realm?”

Chrom’s smile was pulled into a frown, a look that didn’t suit his handsome features.

“We are unsure of what it was. None of us had ever seen something of that aptitude before. If it isn’t the only one, it may be a troublesome creature to get rid of. Hopefully on our march to Regna Fox, we won’t encounter anything like it.”

“I pray we won’t,” Robin absentmindedly placed her hand where she kept her tome. “It seemed rather fit to fight back if I hadn’t blasted it in one go.”

Chrom stared at where her hand lay. “If you don’t mind, may I have a look at your tome?”

Robin caught his gaze and pulled the book out. It seemed heavier than the last time she held it. “Of course,” She held it out for him. “What for?”

Upon grabbing it, Chrom’s eyebrows furrowed and he went quiet as he inspected it, flipping it over and turning the pages to look at each one individuality. It was only when he was satisfied, that he spoke again.

“I assume Lissa had told you about our fallen comrade?”

Robin went quiet, nodding to his response. “Yes, I am truly sorry for all of your losses.”

“It’s quite alright,” He chuckled. “We all agree that you both have close similarities. It reminds all of us how the future could have been and how brave it was.” His grip tightened on the book. “He...had sacrificed himself for my elder sister and it pains us all to think that we could have lost an Exalt, but we lost our Tactician and friend.”

Robin paused. “I’m sorry, the Exalt?”

“Yes, my sister does her best to keep morale up in both our kingdom and our small brigade.”

“No, wait, I’m sorry,” Robin stammered, getting up to face this man. “You said your sister is The Exalt?!”

“Of course,” He chuckled. “What of it?”

Robin felt the blood rush to head, getting down on one knee. “Ah-oh my gods! Forgive me, milord! I-I had no idea!”

How could she have let the Prince sit next to her, share a meal with her, or even talk to one another with ease? A sense of Deja-Vu washed over and it only took a moment before Chrom’s laugh shook her body back to earth. Whipping her head up, she found Chrom holding his face in his hands, laughing into them. Her face felt hotter than before.

“Ah-hey! What’s so funny? It isn’t so great down here in the dirt, you royal highness!” She spit out the last part with a bite in her tone. If she had been intended to be a laughing stock, she would not have someone so noble above her let her be his jester.

“Forgive me,” He chuckled. “It’s just that...your reaction was the same as his. It’s almost like you’re the same person or siblings for that matter!”

He thumped her at the top of her head with her tome. “Don’t ever change, Robin. I would like to personally recruit you to the Shepherds as I saw how brave and strong you were earlier. But if I think that you’re anything like our last Tactician, I know you’ll lead us towards victory.”

Robin held the tome in her hands, staring at the cover. She had her doubts whispering deep within her brain, but her gut told her that this was the best opportunity for her. She could already imagine the battlefield in her mind, positioning others to their best abilities. It made her too excited to comprehend.

“I humbly accept, milord.” She bowed once more, in a gracious way. “I won’t fail you.”

“Please, no formalities.” Chrom held out his hand for her. “When it’s us, just call me Chrom. I’m not used to such polite ways.”

Robin hesitated for a moment, looking at his gloved hand. Would her dream come true if she touched his hand? How could she ever hurt him? It didn’t matter anymore. She thought, hope brimming within her. If it was a dream, then let it be so. She grabbed it and he hoisted her up with ease, pulling her close to him.

His smile was pure and it almost made her freeze up.

“Welcome to the Shepherds, Robin.”

Chapter Text

Since becoming one of the newest Shepherds, a few things had occurred to Robin on arrival. Many congratulated her with warm hugs and slaps on the back, while only a couple of people hung back to watch her. She had only noticed this when Chrom had announced it to everyone moments after she agreed. While everyone else was excited to welcome her, a few women gave her different looks. Only one man looked at her indifferently; the man peeling potatoes that night for dinner. He seemed to only turn away to retreat to his tent.

Robin found this small group to be perplexing. A dark, gloomy woman had given her a death glare, while another with long braided hair had simply just stared at her. The one that made Robin stop in her tracks was a child. She looked to be about in her teens with short black hair and eyes filled with wonder, but her eyes did not hold that wonder for Robin. She had stared at her with cold, sad eyes. She was lost in the crowd before she would see her again. The group was forgotten in her mind for a couple days as she was preparing to get ready to march with them to Regna Foxx. She had little to bring with her, but Lissa insisted that they go out together with a few other women to look for supplies and warmer clothes.

They all headed to the town together, paired off to make sure no one was left behind. Robin’s hands fidgeted under her long sleeves, remembering the man from before and the stares that the people had given her. What if someone recognized her and tried to report her to the head guards? No, it seemed unlikely as she was with the Shepherds and they stood right alongside with the royal guards at the palace. At the moment, she felt a hand on her arm. Jolting, she whipped her head to see Maribelle, the spunky healer she had met the day the golem had attacked.

“Are you alright dear?” She tugged at her parasol to open it, holding it over Robin’s head to shade her from the sun. “You look positively dreadful! Are you not feeling well? Would you like to accompany me under the parasol?”

“Oh, thank you Maribelle, but,” Robin gently took a step back, the sun warming her back against her coat. “I’m quite alright. The heat’s a lot cooler here. I’m sure you’ll need most of it to not burn your beautiful skin.”
The words came out of her mouth, before she knew what she was going to say. What did she mean that the ‘heat’s cooler here’? Has she been somewhere even warmer than this? Before she had a chance to even think about it again, Maribelle hummed in agreement to her statement.

“Why, thank you dear. I try my best to look my best, even when associating myself with common folk.” Her hair flipped up, when brushed back by her own hand.

“Common folk? I say we’re better than common folk if we’re fighting for their sake.”

The pair turned towards a buff woman, her tomboy-ish look catching Robin off guard. Maribelle huffed before turning away, charging right for Lissa to stand beside.

“Don’t boost her ego like that or it’ll make her head swell.” The red-head caught up to walk beside her. “The name’s Sully, pleased to finally meetchya.”

Robin nodded her head, vaguely remembering her face in the welcome crowd. “Likewise. I saw you training with the men earlier, did you decide to quit, to walk down with us...?”

“Nah, they took a break to do a poll and I needed to look for something in town before we went anyway.” Sully stretched her arms above her head. “Mmhg...it always feels good to train before heading out-hng!”

Robin looked down to see Sully suddenly slouched over, clutching her side tightly.

“Sully? Are you alright? Should I get a healer?”

“N-no...I’m fine...it’s nothing.” She panted, before slowly straightening out. “There, see? Nothin' to worry about.”

Robin studied Sully for a moment before frowning. “This doesn’t look like ‘nothing’ to me. I’m going to grab Lissa.”

“Hold on!” Sully grabbed Robin’s arm, catching her off guard. Sully paused and her face scrunched up again, her face dusting a pure pink. “Aw hell, don’t tell anyone ok? I’ve...put on weight. My muscle mass dropped.”

Looking Sully up and down, she didn’t see what the problem was. Sully had sported a training shirt, red to match her hair, with the sleeves crudely ripped off by the seams. Robin could see the defined muscles on her body and didn’t see any of it sagging from her limbs.

“Are you sure?” Robin let out slowly, craning her neck to look around Sully to make sure again. “You look great! Better than usual.”

Sully frowned and let go of Robin's arm, before stalking off. “Then you aren’t looking hard enough.”

Robin hurried to catch up to her. “Well, this is new.”

“Whaddya mean?” Sully gave her a side-eye.

“Well, I’ve always thought that you didn’t care what others thought about your figure and trained your arse off like crazy.”

“What’re you a ninny? I’m not talkin’ about my looks and figure, my muscle mass is down and if that’s what’s costin’ me on the field, it could get my arse KILLED!”

Her voice was rough and sounded like an agitated bear in the night, startling Robin.

"Eep! I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!" Robin felt her torso fold in slightly and she drew away from Sully, keeping a few places behind her.

"Huh? Why would I hurt you?"

Before Robin could respond, a shout was heard from afar, Cordelia was waving her arm to get their attention.

"Ladies! Hurry on over, we don't want to get separated!"

The two women picked up their pace and hurried on over to the group, meeting them at the entrance of the town square.

"Alright, we have an hour and a half till we need to be back to camp." Cordelia instructed, a paper in hand as she read. "We need to divy up these supplies and have enough time to shop for ourselves."

The long list was soon divided between the groups, Cordelia making sure everyone had a partner (Robin swore Cordelia had winked at her for a second). Cordelia then announced that they would meet back up in the same spot and went off with another Pegasus knight, Sumia.

Robin felt a hard slap to the back as Sully hurried over to the woman named Muriel, whom Robin met after defeating the Stone golem.

"Have fun, kid. Don't get lost!"

Robin waved and turned to see the woman with the braids again. She stiffened as she stared at her for a little too long before turning away.

"Let's go. No time to dawdle."

She walked to the nearest fruit stand and began purchasing different selections. Robin hurried over, her own piece of paper tucked into her hand.

"Um…"

"This one too. It's better ripe this season."

"...excuse me?"

The woman spun to face Robin with a bag full of fruit.

“Panne. Here, carry these."

She dumped the bag of fruits into Robin’s arms before walking away to another stand. Robin adjusted her weight and scurried to the next stand.

“I’m sorry?” Robin peered at the woman's face.

“Panne.” The woman said once again. “My name is Panne.”

“Oh! Well, it’s nice to meet you, Panne.” Robin untucked her hand from under the bag to extend it to her. Panne seemed put-off as she stared down at the gloved hand, making Robin nervous. After a moment, Panne then spun around, walking to the next stand.

“You need not to be so nervous around me, man-spawn. I have no reason to hurt you.”

Robin felt her mouth go slack-jawed, catching herself before hurrying back to Panne’s side.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to seem off-putting towards you.”

“Don’t be, you’re speeding heart tells me otherwise.”

Robin’s hand flew to her chest, her heart pumping slightly harder than usual. She stopped to stare at Panne. “Wait, you could hear my heartbeat?”

“Why of course, the Taguel have a keen sense of hearing.”

“Wait, really?!” Robin almost dropped the bag with excitement. “What is a Taguel? Can you elaborate on that? What else can you do? Do you have other hidden talents that a human can not do?”

Panne raised her hand to silence her, Robin immediately shutting her mouth. Panne stared off into the distance for a while, her face set in a peaceful and still manner. Robin waited patiently until Panne began speaking again.

“How strange. You seem alike and yet, so different.”

“Pardon?” Robin stepped forward without a thought towards Panne. Was she talking about the last tactician? It seemed everyone was eggshells when speaking about them around her and they would often act like nothing was wrong, but Robin was perceptive enough to tell that in each one of the Shepherds, there was something deep and underlying that cut at their hearts.

Panne turned to her, a soft smile reaching her lips. “If you must ask so many of your questions, let us do it in a quieter and less busy setting. Let us go.” With that, Panne began walking towards another booth to survey more adequate ingredients. Robin trailed along behind her, putting her input on the various fruits she had knowledge of and asking questions little by little when they had time. In no time, they had gathered the needed supplies and had time to look at other surrounding shops as they waited for the others to get done. They both decided to shop around for themselves as Robin pointed out some books for sale. She had secured three old books, two of them tomes, before an old man had stopped her with his boisterous rave about his new improved form of seaweed that contains “insane quantities of fiber”, doing a little dance at the end of his rave. Robin purchased the seaweed after some consideration, receiving an odd look from Panne before moving on to the next stall.

At the designated meet up spot, Cordelia and Sumia were already waiting for them with Cherche and a dark-haired woman, who Robin believed was Tharja. Robin recalled that Tharja seemed cold and uncaring towards her after joining the Shepherds and whenever they saw each other, Tharja would give her a scowl before stalking off in the other direction.
Robin was puzzled by her actions, but was reminded of how everyone else acted around her so differently and discarded it from her mind. The two met eyes and Tharja gave her another long frown and glare before turning her back to talk to the approaching duo of the youthful looking Nowi and timid Oliva.

Panne set down her share of bags and reached down to her toes to fully extend her body in a long stretch, letting out a soft growl from the back of her throat. Standing fully straight, she let out a yawn. “Hmm, dusk is breaking. I wonder…” Panne turned to Cordelia. “Do you think it would be more efficient for some of us to head back first? The others are taking too long and I fear we won’t have much time left to make it back before the sun sets.”

Cordelia thought for a moment, her eyes closed in concentration. “Oh dear, I should have deployed the pegasi for this trip, shouldn’t I? I should have known that some of us take a little longer than others.” Cordelia let out a sigh, a worried look coming onto her face. “I should have planned ahead more.”

Robin gave each individual a glance, studying each body shape and conducting a fast calculation in her head. Turning to Panne, she remembered about the Tagual’s body and shape.
“Panne, would it offend you to have you carry any of the heavy items in your beast form?” Robin chose her words slowly and carefully. “We can have a couple of us accompany Panne back to camp with the heavier loads and have the rest help the remaining stragglers. Sully, Cordelia, Sumia, Nowi, and Cherche can accompany Panne, while the rest of us wait for Maribelle and Lissa. Cordelia can come back with pegasi and we can go back to camp with the brought pegasi.”

The woman stared at her, mouths agape, Robin’s face heating up a little. Had she not made the right call? She is the new Chief Tactician, is this not how this works? Doubts began to creep into Robin’s mind one by one. Sully was the first one to move, moving forward to pick up her supplies and giving her a cocky smile.

“You can leave it to me!” She looked around the group before knocking shoulders with Cordelia. “You heard the lady, let’s get a move on!”

This snapped Cordelia out of her stupor, offering a small but confident smile to Robin. “Thank you Robin, we’ll be back as soon as we are able.”
Panne had her beast stone already out, before crouching low and jumped to flip right into her beast form. Robin had never seen anything so splendid. Her form looked as if someone had made a small rabbit into the size of a horse. Her armor had formed into the perfect size for the beast, making Robin wonder how that was accomplished. She was sure to ask Panne about that later. Panne had her way over to Robin, giving her a slow blink before gesturing her head to her empty satchels on her side. Robin let out a small, “Oh!”, and placed most of the bags that they had bought that day inside the two empty bags. She wondered how they also became so big after transformation. Another flash sparkled in the corner of her eye, catching her attention once again. A dragon stood, stretching its wings with great ferocity, letting out a yawn. Its scales were bright and oh so colorful! It looked as if the rainbow was captured inside each scale. Robin starred in another slack jaw awe, approaching who she assumed was Nowi.

“Aren’t I pretty, Robin? I always try to keep my scales nice and clean!”

Nowi’s voice sounded misty and far-away, but Robin knew she was speaking out. She gave her a little pat on the shoulder. “Of course! A lady should keep up her appearance.”

This made Nowi incredibly happy as she gave out a little huff and held her head higher. Nowi bent her head to both Sumia and Olivia, offering her back to ride on for the trip. Both had seemed hesitant, but agreed in the end.

With Panne’s sides weighed down with food and supplies, Nowi ready for flight with Sumia and Olivia, and Sully, Cherche’s, and Cordelia’s arms full of other items, the small company waved everyone off before Panne started in front of them in a light trot, the three ladies following close behind in their own jog. Nowi also prepared herself as she jumped into the air, her wings leaving gusts of wind as a goodbye. The sky was already a beautiful hue of marmalade as Robin watched at the sky behind her. Lissa and Maribelle couldn’t have gone too far, would they?

“Alright, let’s wait a couple minutes for the ladies.” Robin turned towards Miriel and Tharja, putting on a brave smile. “I’m sure they’ll be here soon.”

Tharja didn’t pay any attention to Robin and seemed more interested in her hair and nails and Mirel only gave her a nod before pulling out a book. This made Robin nervous as they both didn’t make any more contact with her. She knew that leaving them behind with her, she was well off in a fight if they were ambushed by bandits or enemies. They both carried exceptional skill in wielding magic and combat. Miriel has talent in skill, speed, and resistance and has incredible strength in magic. Her only downfall is her defense as she couldn’t take as much damage as Tharja can. Tharja may not be proficient in the areas that Miriel has, but she can sure take a punch. Her tome, Nosferatu, can gain HP from her opponent, having them take damage in return.
Robin pulled out the tome that rested in her chest pocket and opened it up. Her eyes had rested on the Thoron spell she had fired for the first time. When she had first examined it, the page only consisted of the spell name and transmutation circle. But as she practiced more and more, little by little not to disturb everyone with another spectacular show, more words had begun to etch itself into the page. A brief description and the different classes of the thunder spells, listing each one from weakest to strongest. Thoron was listed as the strongest.

A small shout interrupted her reading as she looked up to see the last light of day disappearing from behind the surrounding mountain ranges. In the distance, Lissa was waving her arm while running with a couple bags crammed into her other arm. Maribelle followed soon after with more bags than Lissa was carrying. She seemed to be in no hurry as she proudly walked behind Lissa. Robin closed her book and hurried over to meet Lissa halfway. Miriel noticed the commotion and made her way after Robin, writing in her book as she went. Tharja made no move to follow the others as she waited, seating herself by the small fountain that was centered in the middle of the square.
Lissa’s bags began to threaten to topple over the top as she kept running, some fruit falling out of the top. Robin hurried over to her side and caught some of the fruit, taking the bag from her arms before anymore could spill.

“Lissa! What is all this?” Robin gasped, out of breath from her short sprint to catch the fruit. “Panne and I already bought the needed fruit for the march.”

Lissa bent down, wheezing out a small cough. “Don’t worry! Maribelle found a cheap fruit stand and we bought a whole bag for 5 gold! We’ll even eat all of it within the next two days!”

Robin let out a sigh, before helping Lissa up. “I appreciate the thought, although I hope you plan to share with Stahl and Nowi if you need help.”

Maribelle finally caught up with the two and heaved down her bags. “Oh dear! Can you believe that we had to carry all of these? We ladies don’t need to pull something before a long march.”

Robin let out a small laugh. “I’m sure you did a good job from here to where you set off from. If you can carry men off the battlefield, you can carry a couple of bags.”

This made Maribelle blush and she turned her head in a huff, Lissa letting out a small giggle. She made a move to grab some bags, leaving some at Robin’s feet before stomping off towards Tharja.

“Don’t worry, Maribelle just needs time to warm up to you or she burns out too easily.” Lissa smiled.

“I certainly hope so,” Robin laughed. “She seemed to be more hoity-toity towards me as of late.”

The two laughed as Miriel approached and grabbed the remaining bags that Maribelle left. “How enlightening. You have seemed to have grown attached to the others surrounding you. Pray tell, has there been new updates in your life?”

Robin, taken aback by Miriel’s sudden question, looked at her quizzically for a moment. “What do you mean, Miriel?”

“In the past week, I have observed how depressed you have been. You seemed wary to talk to others, having them approach you first before talking. The only other variable was Lissa, who made you more relaxed and delighted as you went about your day. By my current observation, you have spoken to three others and have alleviated yourself from anxiety and strain.”

“Sooo, you’re saying I’ve been feeling happier lately?”

“Correct.”

Robin pondered Miriel’s words. She had a point. The entire time she has been with the Shepherds, she felt like she was walking on glass as she watched the commotion happening around her. She had felt anxious when she knew a certain group of people didn’t like her or accept her so easily. Her anxiety didn’t cease when Chrom was around her either. She would remember her dream on how she had killed him and when she talked to him for only a moment, that night she would have dreams about killing him again. Only when Lissa was around, she felt at ease.

“Huh. You’re right, Miriel. But, wait, you’ve been watching me?”

“Correct. You have piqued my interest to say the least. I wanted to collect data for further research.”

“Miriel,” Robin chuckled nervously. “You know you can ask me to help you. I don’t think I’m comfortable with knowing you might watch me sleep.”

“My apologies. I will ask your permission in the future, but know that you should wear a shirt when you sleep or you will welcome sickness into your body.”

Robin felt her face heat up from Miriel’s comment and moved to say something to her, but was stopped short as a shadow flew past her face. Looking up, she saw three white pegasi fly by and turn around to meet them in the square. Sumia beamed down at the group and waved.

“Sorry for the wait! Our newest member of the batch was a little too excited to go out and fly.” One of the pegasi gave out a whine and shook his head roughly, making Sumia laugh and give it a pet on the snout.

Cordelia helped Miriel and Tharja with their bags and each hopped on with one of the two riders. Robin helped Lissa onto the empty pegasi, securing the rest of the bags in the proces.

“Will you be alright by yourselves, Robin?” Cordelia asked. She wore a confident face, but Robin could tell that she was nervous.

“Not to worry,” Robin saddled herself in front of Lissa, grabbing the reins and a handful of the horse's mane. “I’ve read a book or two on riding horses and pegasi. They seem to be the same, fundamentally anyway.”

Cordelia and Sumia shared a look, before turning the pegasi towards the camp's direction. “Alright, but to be safe, get a running head start before taking off into the air. We’ll start first, but we’ll wait for you.”

Robin watched as the two knights gave a little kick into the side, causing the pagsi to start off in a trot before running and spreading its wings to be lifted into the air with grace. Robin steeled herself, letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She felt arms snake around her waist, turning to look at Lissa. The younger woman looked at her with a shaky smile.

“I may not like heights, but I believe in you! Just please get this over with.”

Encouraged by her friend, Robin turned back forward to see the pegasi looking at her. She gave its neck a hard rub and smiled at it. “We’ll do great, I believe in us.”

It turned back forward, starting off in a walk. Robin gripped the reins harder before giving the kick it needed to start off, letting out a ‘hiya’. The wind began to pick up, looking down she saw the wings that were once folded, open up and begin flapping in the rhythm of the movement. In an instant, the wind whipped at her face and Lissa’s scream resonated in her ears. The take off was scary, but the flight felt so...exhilarating! Robin looked around her to see the tops of the town and trees, the world seemed so small in comparison to the ground! Cordelia and Sumia sidled up to her sides, Tharja watching the scenery and Miriel writing frivolously in her book.

“How do you like it, Robin?” Cordelia did her best to shout into the wind, but Robin could only make out half of it.

“It’s amazing!” She let out a laugh and closed her eyes to feel the wind and sun kiss her face, bitterly cold and warm at the same time. Lissa’s arms tightened around Robin's waist again.

“Waaahh, let’s hurry back! It’s cold and scary!”

The rest of the ladies laughed or threw a glance at the princess, before dipping down to the camp. Upon touchdown, Lissa slid down the saddle slowly and folded into a crouch.

“T-that was scary…” She gasped.

Robin chuckled and jumped down from the perch. She extended her hand and helped Lissa up from her position. Lissa let out a sigh and shook off any more shivers that ran through her body.

Camp was already mostly cleared out, save for a couple of tents still pitched. One of them is hers. A small boy with a pot on his head approaches her, Donnel she remembers.

“Evenin’ m’ladies! I can take yer supplies fer ya? Gotta load up the cart!”

Both ladies helped Donnel take the rest of the groceries they brought to a cart full of other supplies and rolled up tarps. While they were securing the supplies, Donnel kept praising the fruits and vegetables that they bought. Going on and on about how well it must have been grown. Lissa and Robin shared a laugh when Donnel blushed when he was done ranting.

“Oh! ‘Fore I forget, Miss Lissa and Miss Robin,'' Donnel perked up, jerking his thumb in a direction. “Sir Chrom asked fer y’all when y’all got back! He’s in the mess hall tent.”

“Thank you Donnel,” Robin placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. “We’ll leave it to you to finish securing the supplies.”

Robin recognized something in Donnel when he looked into her eyes, something almost sad and proud, but it was swept away when Donnel gave her a smile and turned back to the cart. Robin and Lissa made their way to the mess tent, dusk finally turning to night. Some of the lanterns were being lit on their way, but only a fraction of the way could be seen. Thoughts swam in Robin’s head about what Chrom wanted. It could be another check-up on the route they planned, but Lissa finds that extremely dull. What could be needed from both of them?

They reached the tent, Robin holding the tent flap open for Lissa. “After you, you grace.”

Lissa giggled before entering, letting out a gasp before running deeper in. “Emm!”

Puzzled by the name, Robin entered in a panic. Her eyes rested on Chrom standing side by side with Frederick, a tall, elegant woman cloaked in dark robes standing by. Lissa had ran up to her and threw her arms around her, laughing and clinging tightly to her. Slowly, Robin approached the group, unsure how to introduce herself. Thankfully Chrom had already spotted her and stretched his bare arm out for her.

“Em,” He said with such gentleness and care. “This is who I was talking about earlier, Robin. Robin, this is my older sister, Emmeryn.”

Emmeryn turned her full attention towards Robin now, her face hard to read. Her beauty was more radiant than she could have imagined. Texts and books do not do her justice.

“Your Grace,” She curtsied as low as she could go.

“Please, rise.” Emmeryn’s voice was silken and smooth. Robin could only imagine that that is the voice of a leader and mother. “I do not wish for one to make notice that I am here.”

Robin rose from her bent form, her upper back brushed against Chrom’s hand, making her aware that his arm was around her the entire time. “Forgive me, but I do not understand.”

“Emm, is joining us on our trek to Regna Foxx,” Chrom answered. “We believe that she will be safer there and can become our diplomatic chip when push comes to shove.”

“As much as I dislike the idea of leaving our people, I must do what is necessary to prevent another accident.” Emmeryn cast her eyes down, long lashes covering any emotion that she held from Robin.

The room was silent for a brief moment, before Frederick cleared his throat. He handed Robin a parchment paper that was rolled and sealed. “Here are the details containing information about it. We did not wish to keep it from you, but we had planned this for a while.” Robin gave a small nod, breaking the wax seal. Skimming over the paper, she felt mixed feelings.

“Is this safe? Won’t your people worry and panic when they don’t see you during public outings?”

“We’ve decided to focus on keeping everyone in a false security by leaving a double of me.” Emmeryn explained. “A servant has willingly stepped forward to act as me when I usually go out to greet the people. We also have our militia heavily guarded and on standby if a dangerous act arises.”

Robin checked the facts once again, thinking of different scenarios to see the outcome. Nothing prompted any danger, but she only had an uneasy feeling about leaving the kingdom without its Exalt. After some deep thinking, Robin looked up at Chrom.

“Are we sure we want to do this?” She kept her voice steady and eyes unwavering from his. His remained the same with hope and clarity, not wanting to back down from this plan. Robin searched his face and after some internal struggle, she let out a sigh and a smile.

“Alright, if this is what you want, then let it be so.” She turned to Frederick. “When do we leave and how soon?”

The steward gave her a pointed look, before opening the nearest flap of the tent.

“Tonight. We leave as soon as we have all the tents and personnel are packed.”

Chapter Text

Within the hour, the Shepherds were on their way to Regna Foxx. The Fruit Moon in its nearly done waxing gibbous phase, made light down the path and reflected off any armor. Robin had instructed everyone to wear cloaks over their armor as they could be spotted by brigades or waiting thieves. She also made it look inconspicuous for Emmeryn to stand out within the army as Chrom had wrapped the darkest cloak around Emmeryn’s shoulders. But she didn’t need to tell them that. Chrom had already made sure to every member that Emmeryn was first priority when they were travelling and to make sure she was safe at all times.

She giggled at the thought of Chrom fussing over Emmeryn when it could go the other way around as well.

“Is something amusing you tonight, Robin?”

Robin looked up to see Emmeryn staring down at her from her horse. Chrom’s horse to be precise. He had insisted that she rode her all the way to Regna Foxx.

“I was just thinking, your Grace,” Robin mused, a smile creeping on her lips.

“Please, Robin,” Emmeryn’s voice cut softly. “Call me Emm for now. Think of it like an alias of some sort.”

“Of course.” Robin cleared her throat, pausing before asking. “Forgive me, but does Chrom always coddle you? I’ve never seen him so…” She trailed off, trying to look for the right words.

“Anxious?” Emmeryn let out a chuckle. “He’s not usually like this, but after I was almost kidnapped, he’s been fretting over every little thing. He tries very hard to keep our soldiers and people safe that he forgets to do the same for himself.”

The two looked up to see Chrom sitting beside Vaike on the convoy wagon. The tired look in his eyes, made him look old as he kept a look out for ruffians or thugs. A sigh let loose from Emmeryn and she turned to look at Robin once more.

“I do hope you can make sure he’s getting rest and keeping him in check. He’s been so wary these days, but I know I leave him in capable hands.”

Robin studied her face, she’s been getting very good at spotting emotions after reading and studying others. Again, a sad look was there, but more happiness and hope seem to spread to her than that of a somber one. Robin mustered up a soft smile. “I’ll do my best.”

With that, Emmeryn gave her one last smile of hope before turning back to look at the moon. Robin began to slow her pace, watching the others behind her catch up and pass her. She surveyed the crowd, seeing some awake while others rested. She spotted Lissa sleeping in one of the transportation wagons, her arms wrapped around a girl's small frame. It was the dark-haired girl, the one that had glared at her the moment they locked eyes. She had asked others about who she is. Her name was Morgan. Apparently, she was found the night of an attack on the castle and helped save the Exalt with the mysterious hero, Marth. She had claimed to be the previous tactician’s daughter, although he didn’t seem to have any recollection on who she was. But nonetheless, he had accepted her in the army and let her lead with him in battles. She had become distant to everyone, but the royal family, Frederick, and a couple of the women after what had happened. Could it be that she’s avoiding her because of that or because she reminds her of him?

She would have to find out later. Right now, her focus should be on getting the Shepherds to Regna Foxx in one piece. The night was still young and the air began to grow chillier. She knew the land to the north was inlaid with snow and storms, the small snow mounds and the bite in the air tells her that they must be getting closer.

“Hey, Robin?”

A chill slithered up her spine and she gave a little sneeze. Her coat may be keeping her from the cold, but she had a bad feeling stirring in her gut.

“Um, hello?”

Was it bandits? Could they be close by? Something was wrong…

“Robin!”

A hand clamped down on her shoulder and Robin let out a squeak and whipped out her tome, turning on her heel quickly. Kellam stood towering over her, his usual plain face irked up in surprise.

“Whoa, Robin,” He puts his hands up, in an effort to calm Robin’s surprise. “It’s just me!”

She let out a sigh of relief and tucked her tome back into her breast pocket. “Gods above, you frightened me Kellam! I could have seriously hurt you! Where on earth did you come from?”

“...I’ve been right beside you this entire time.” He deadpanned, his shoulders drooped in response. “Ever since you came back to the rearguard, I’ve been trying to get your attention.”

“Forgive me,” Robin tried to enlighten him. “I’ve been in my head this entire night. I’m very wary of our travels.”

She sensed that her words had somehow reassured him a bit as he broadened back up to his full height. He must be the tallest of the army, she thought. He seemed to tower over everyone else, even when he slouched or sat down. She was surprised to realize that his armor rattles louder than anyones, but his stealth makes it seem undetectable. She would have to ask him later how he does it.

“Anyway, what was it you were trying to tell me?”

“Hm? Oh, I was talking to Tharja and she had detected big traces of magic earlier. I thought I should let you know before we-”

A loud rumble stopped the army in its tracks, the ground shaking under their feet.The horses began to panic, Sumia doing her best to calm them. Robin steadied herself with one of the wagons she was next to, looking up to see one of the stone beasts she had encountered before emerging from the ground. Adrenaline began to pump in her veins and she studied the area quickly, making note of the woodland and terrain. She could try to lead everyone into the forest, but what would that do? It could easily move to knock them and nearby trees down, resulting in casualties that she does not want. The terrain was simple and easy enough: flat plains to help them move around it. She could do her best to flank the creature and take it down with a couple blows.

A pounding in her head began to swell and she dropped to one knee. Another migraine? Now ? Screams and cries caught wind to her ears and she looked up to see half of the Shepherds were split into two groups. The stone golem swang its arms slowly, but wildly. The pegasi fliers trying their best to distract it from hitting any of the traveling wagons or others.

She watched as Cordelia took a long dive in the air to try and hit its side, but saw the other arm getting ready to land a blow on her. A flame began to burn inside her and she felt her head swell again.

“Cordelia,” Robin gasped. “ Wait! ”

Before she knew it, she felt the world slow and her head felt clear again. She remembered something. Insight . She had forgotten that she could predict battle movements and see things on the battlefield. All in a flash, she could see different things. The amount of strength both enemies and allies have, different kinds of weaponry everyone owns, and who is better suited. It’s almost as if she could size up to enemies in a flash. Cordelia’s strength is only slightly higher than the stone golem and her speed significantly more, but she can’t see the fist coming at her from her angle. She was in a blindspot and it could result in a near death experience.

Using this opportunity, she spots Libra in front of the golem, a hand axe in hand. She breaks out of her kneeling position and rushes over, but in doing so, her insight disappears. Noticing she won’t make it in time, she called out to him.

“Libra! Toss your handaxe into the faceplate!”

Libra, shocked to hear her call, but grateful nonetheless, nods and plants a blow in the middle of the face plate. This causes the stone creature to lose motion in its arm and focus all together as it hits trees instead. Cordelia swishes below it’s armpit and scraps a good chunk of its life away.

Robin felt satisfied in making the right call, but it felt too soon as it let out a roar and smashed it’s fists into the ground, grabbing a handful of rock and gravel. Sucking in a breath, she tried to control her insight once more. Time once again slowed and she noticed it’s trajectory aiming for Cherche and Stahl in the rearguard. Tharja and Miriel were perfect supports for them as Maribelle could watch over them as healer.

Snapping out of it, she called out once again to the rear, instructing them her plan. All agreed and, thankfully, Cherche was the only one who took damage from the falling rock. Her head had a dull throb, but she had already used Insight twice already. Despite knowing how to use it, she was inexperienced still from not using the skill for so long. She looked forward again, instructing each Shepherd to get into pairs. She reached the wagon where Lissa and Morgan were held up. Lon’qu was already at Lissa’s side, guarding her from any fallen debris.

“Are you alright?” Robin shot Lissa a worried look, trying not to take her eyes off of the enemy.

“We’re fine! But Emm-!”

“I’ll handle it, don't worry!” Robin tried to give Lissa a brave smile, but Lissa didn’t seem to take it, looking every bit worried. She was clutching her staff tightly and shivering from the cold and worry. Robin turned to Morgan, her sword already out and ready for battle. “Follow me.”

The young girl seemed to hesitate, but followed Robin regardless. Skirting around the golem was no easy feat as it was still swinging its arms to catch the pegasi fliers. Robin did her best to call out instructions to others, making sure to optimize each and every one of their skills to its fullest against the golem. Robin made a move to go around to the right, but was caught in its arm swinging towards her and Morgan. Robin opened her book to summon Elwind, only narrowly catching it’s arm from crushing the two. She caught Chrom in the corner of her eye. He stood with Vaike and Frederick in the golems blindspot; right behind it. She was glad to see them uninjured, but was displeased to see enemy men surrounding him, Vaike, Frederick, and Emmeryn. She pumped her legs fast, using elwind to propel her forward, to get to his side, but was stopped by a thief. He dropped down in front of the pair, his posture loose and unorthodox. In his hand was a knife, it looked too beautiful to be seen dirtied by someone's blood. Jewels were encrusted into the handle, the handle made of gold.

“Hold it, girlie,” The man's face showed bloodlust and pleasure, disgusting Robin. “I’ve got business to do with you.”

He took a swipe at her with a knife, Robin swiftly dodging it.  He noticed her eyeing the knife and chuckled, taking a few more swift jabs at her with it.

“Oh? You’ve taken a liking to my predecessor's sacrificial knife, eh? It is meant for someone as glorious as me to use it. It was bestowed upon me by our lord and savior, Grima! But don’t worry, I’ll make sure it eats up your blood fast. He, too, will know of your blood.”

Elfire was shot into his face, making him stumble back a few steps. Robin started to feel a bit of her energy spent, but she knew she had to push back against her limit to win against this man. He cursed and yelled, crouching to rush forward once more to take wild slashes at her. Two of them nicked her arm and face. The cuts stung against the cold air and she could already feel a trickle of blood go down her face. The crazy man giggled with glee and tried to aim for more swipes. Lower this time, aiming at Robin’s abdomen, but was met with a sword to the leg. Morgan had rolled below and was able to sever a tendon in his leg that made him buckle. Another cry rang out from him and he shot a glare at her, throwing a knife at her, but was blown away by Robin’s wind spell.

Robin began to feel a dark energy rise from within and it made her stomach churn. She tried to bury it, bringing forth the feeling of Elthunder instead: an electrifying feeling that sent pricks down to her fingertips. She aimed it right at the man, letting out a cry.

“You’re finished!”

It hit him with a satisfying blow, the man letting out one final scream, before falling to the ground. Looking over to Morgan, she gave her a nod. “ Come on, let’s go.”

The two didn’t leave a moment to lose and dashed over to Chrom, most of the men already down. Leaving three left, Vaike and Frederick made a wall between them and Emmeryn. Emmeryn close by with a healing staff in hand. They both made moves to hit two of the men, but the last move made his advances towards Chrom.

A burly man, packed with muscle and holding no weapon, threw punches at Chrom. The prince dodged them with a parry to the sword each time, but was blown back a few more steps. The man grabbed onto Falchion, trying to pry it away from Chrom’s hands, the two in a struggling match.

“Tell me, young prince,” The man's breath reeked out rot and old mead. “Tell me where the experiment model is and I shall spare your life.”

“Model?” Chrom strained. “Do you mean, my sister?”

“The woman? No.” The man finally gave up pulling, and went into pushing this time. Throwing his shoulder into Chrom’s ribcage. This knocked him over, the wind forcefully pushed out of his lungs. Gasping for breath, he felt a kick into his side. A handful of hair was grabbed, pulling Chrom from the ground. He yelled and tried to make a grab at the man's arm. “What I want is the little bird. She flew away from her nest and we need her back.”

Then it dawned on Chrom. Robin? They were after Robin? Chrom made a swipe to the man's legs, successfully getting him face down into the dirt. Making sure the man’s hands were underneath his knee, Chrom grabbed Falchion and pressed the blade close to the man's throat.

“Tell me, are you with the Grimeal?”

The man only answered with a laugh.

“ Answer me! ”

“If we are, would you really be upset with losing another precious tactician?”

This made Chrom’s blood boil and without a second thought, sliced the man’s throat open. The man laid there silently, blood seeping into the ground as he died out. Looking up, he realized that they had to still deal with the giant stone monster that had emerged from the ground. He let out a guttural noise of displeasure and rushed forward to hit the base of the creature.

“Chrom!”

He halted midway and saw Robin rushing to join him, Morgan by her side. With her tome out, she casted a thunder spell into the back of it’s head. It let out another roar and seemed to stop for a brief moment.

“Frederick and Vaike, stay together! Chrom, pair up with Emmeryn!” Robin began to instruct, her eyes burning with focus. “We’ve almost got it, we just need to all hit it at the same time!”

With the three pairs ready, Robin instructed them to flank each side as she and Morgan stayed right behind it. With each and every pair of the army paired and ready to strike on Robin’s say, she raised her arm to let out the signal. But not before she could summon a wisp of magic, the golem let out a roar and whipped its head into the ground, dragging it back and forth. The allies that were in range were hit with massive damage, but with the help of Lissa, Emmeryn, and Maribelle they had enough energy to carry the final blow.

With Robin finally ready, her hand was raised and she let out a loud, “ Checkmate! ” and Elthunder came down from the sky to strike it in the head. That made it clear to everyone to hit it now. With the golem stunned, the army let loose and hit it with everything they had. The golem didn’t even get a chance to react, before crumbling into pieces before them, into the cracks it came from.

There was peace for a moment, and Robin let out a sigh of relief. Her energy was spent and she knew that not everyone came out unscathed. Her wounds began to burn and she needed them to get treated. Turning to Morgan, she let out a relieved smile.

“Nicely done out there!” She praised me. “I knew you were skilled, but you were exceptionally well. You read my moves to counteract them!”

The young girl stood there, looking blank at first, but then was surprised. “Oh, um, it was nothing. I just use my insight to watch your moves.”

Robin blinked in surprise. She already knows how to use Insight? She was impressed. She recalled finally mastering Insight before she was 19, but a young girl close to 15 was remarkable.

“You did very well,” She placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure you have some remarks and comments about our journey? I would love to hear your input at the next strategy meeting.”

For the first time since Robin joined, she found a small sparkle in Morgan’s eyes. She no longer looked like she was in deep mourning, but had found excitement and joy. Emotions that young girls, such as herself, should be emoting. Finding that she had moved something within her heart, she made a move to Chrom.

“Come on, let’s regroup and-”

Robin’s world began to spin and shift and she caught herself before she could hit her head on the ground. She had noticed that the cuts she had received from earlier were numb, but she had deduced them to be from adrenaline. Now, her arm had gone numb as well as one of her legs. Her face twitched and she couldn’t feel her lips. Her ear was beginning to lose hearing as Morgan’s panicked cries rang softly in her ears.

Before Robin could react, she saw the crazy man from earlier, rise from his spot. His face and body were coated with burnt skin and blood, the wild look in his eyes still there. He rushed forward to stab at Morgan and Robin used Insight to slow the flow of time once more, only to quickly grab Morgan with her free arm and shield her from the blow.

But the blow never came.

Waiting a few seconds, Robin looked up and was met with a cloaked figure in her vision. Time was once again slowed and Robin could only see specs of blue within her vision. The ground glowed with a bright blue, illuminating around them. A spear was run through the man’s body and the knife was held high mid-swing. The person pulled the spear out forcefully and made a swipe to vault the person far from Robin. After forcefully sweeping the blood of the spear, they turned to crouch in front of Robin. Golden eyes peeked through beneath the hood and Robin tried making out any distinghable facial features, but her vision had gone blurry thanks to the poison.

A cool, refreshing feeling washed over her body, making her drowsy. Her hearing had gone back to normal and her arm and leg no longer felt numb. Fighting the urge to stay awake, she once again peered into the hood. A soft smile was given and the golden eyes blinked once more before disappearing, time moving righteous once again.

Morgan rustled beneath her arm and looked up into Robin’s face. Her eyes once again, starry, but also worried.

“Robin! Are you alright?”

She didn’t seem to have noticed that anything had changed, but Robin could live with that. She nodded, haphazardly. “I’m fine,” She gasped, her voice hoarse. “I might just need some rest and some healing.”

Morgan made a move to squirm beneath her arms and made her way over to Chrom and Emmeryn, tugging on Emmeryn’s cloak. The trio rushed over, Emmeryn focusing her energy into the staff. The staff healed up her wounds, but couldn’t get rid of the drowsiness that Robin was experiencing. Who was that person and why did she save her? Was she watching her? Did she know her at all?

Robin felt arms help her up and she was met with Chrom’s eyes. He smiled at her and tugged her arm over his shoulder.

“Looks like we carried the day,” He chuckled. “I’m glad everything worked out in the end.”

“How is everyone? Anyone else injured?” She looked around, trying to get a good glimpse of the rest of the army.

“Only a couple scrapes,” Frederick butted in. “Nothing more. The healers are more than capable of keeping them in shape.”

Robin let out a relieved breath, one she didn’t know she was holding. She was growing more weary and tired. Her legs moved sluggishly and she could barely keep her eyes open. Before she could even react, she was placed on a wooden surface. She pried her eyes open to see her on one of the wagons. Chrom had gathered some blankets and placed them next to her.

“We’ve had a long journey, get some rest.”

Robin shook her head and tried to get up. “Not yet, I need to make sure the convoy isn’t damaged and some of the wagons still need repairing. There’s too much work to do.”

She managed to get on her feet, but her knees went weak. Robin cursed her incapable self of doing such high magic. She needed more practice to become stronger. Chrom caught Robin before she could fall, helping her back onto the wagon.

“There may be work, but you need rest. We cannot function together as well when one is not in the right mind. Let me handle it.” Chrom locked eyes with her, his face set in determination, but she knew that he was worried. She felt conflicted, but she knew she could trust him and the others. They did survive without her for so long.

“Alright,” She said softly, slowly gathering one of the blankets in her arms. “But one condition.”

Chrom stopped at her request, an eyebrow perched. “And what will it be?”

“You should also get some rest. Emmeryn is worried too for your health.”

Chrom chuckled and ran his gloved hand through his hair. There were some bits of dried blood and dirt matted into his hair, but they were shaken out when his hand ran through the locks.

“All right then, agreed.”

He took another blanket and placed it over her legs. With a smile, he turned to hurry over to the rest of the army. They were picking up any weapon, tome, or extra cargo that had fallen in the midst of battle. She could see and faintly hear Chrom giving orders, watching them disperse across the area. Many of the men were lifting the fallen rock from the creature out of the path. Frederick, most noticeably, swept away smaller rocks and pebbles when an area had been cleared of bigger rocks. She chuckled and snuggled in one of the crooks of the wagon, her head resting on the headboard. Before long, she had already succumbed to sleep, unknowing that she was being watched from afar.

The woman watched her and clutched the pendant she wore around her neck. She knew that Morgana had entrusted her to watch over Robin, but Nelson was close to capturing her. She couldn’t hide from Robin much longer if these attacks kept occurring.

“Morgana, lend me your strength.” she mumbled, praying that Morgana could hear her.

Where ever she was.

~ ~

Sharp cold air woke Robin up. A nip at her nose, made her sneeze and no matter how close to bundled the blanket to her body, she was still freezing. Finally embracing it, she threw the blanket off of her and rubbed her face softly, making sure the heat from her hands could warm her cheeks.

Opening her eyes was another challenge to brave as the light was bright and stung her corneas. Once finally open, she could only see white. It was everywhere! Robin couldn’t believe it. Jumping over the side, her boots made a loud crunch when it made an impact. So much snow in one place and time!

She scooped some up in her hands, holding it close to her face to see a glimpse of the small unique flake. An object hit her arm, making her stumble a step. The snow she had been holding fell from her hands and she turned to look at whoever hit her.

Nowi and Vaike stood still, eyes wide. Nowi gave a glance at Vaike, quickly pointing a finger at the man.

“He did it!”

“What?! Oh for cripes sake-Nowi you liar! We know you did it and no one's savin’ your hide!” Vaike had begun to approach Nowi with a huge ball of snow, patting it down for extra support. Nowi let out a squeal and ran over to Robin.

“Robiiin! Save mee!”

Robin had watched this scene, but instead of helping Nowi, she also began to pack a ball of snow into her hands. A smile curled up on her lips.

“Oh Nowi~,” Robin sang-song. “Do you think I could forget a mischievous stunt like that? Prepare yourself!”

With that, Robin launched her snowball and began an all out snowball war in the middle of a march. The rest of the army watched with curiosity as entertainment ensued. Emmeryn watched from afar. The little fun the three had bought a smile to her face, recalling early memories from her childhood with Chrom and Lissa. Making her mind up, she trotted her horse next to Chrom’s wagon and tapped his shoulder, jolting him awake from his drowsiness.

“Dear brother, I believe we should take a rest from our march and sit awhile. The troops look hungry and cold and we still have most of the day left to travel.” She slowed her horse down into a stop and slid down the saddle. “Besides, I would like to stretch my legs for a while.”

Chrom was too tired to argue and simply gave a nod to her words. He slowed his horses as well and commanded Frederick to send word to the others about their short rest. After a while, fires were started and the smell of beef stew gently wafted into the air. The snowball fight had a couple more contenders as the army settled down. Giaus and Donnel had joined Robin’s side in defeating Nowi, Vaike, and now Morgan. Robin had shot too far and accidently pelted the back of Morgan’s head. That had meant war between the two, although Morgan looked like she was having fun.

Before long, the two teams began to feel the fatigue and cold succumb to their bones. With a truce between the teams, they all trudged over to the campfire where Sumia was serving the soup.

“Here we are!” Sumia placed one of the bowls in Robin’s hands. Her hands warming up instantly from the transfer of heat. “Be careful, the soup is hotter than you think.”

Robin gave her a grateful smile and made her way back to one of the wagons, careful not to spill the soup on her hands. She found Morgan had already claimed a spot in the corner with Robin’s blanket from earlier.

“An enemy and a thief?” Robin chuckled, sitting on the edge of the wagon. “And here I thought we were allies.”

Morgan looked up from her soup, startled at the sudden conversation. “OH! Uh, yeah. That’s me, a cunning child.” She flashed a half-hearted smile, tugging the blanket around her body more. Robin studied her physique, watching her closely. Her guard was up more than usual and she was referring to herself as “cunning”. Was she belittling herself? How come? Robin could see how talented and smart she was. She had read battle plans and strategies from before her time with the Shepherds. Every battle was spot on! There were always a few mistakes and mishaps, but the point was that she had successfully gotten the army back in one piece.

She scooted into the wagon, opposite of Morgan. She stirred her soup a little to cool it down and thought carefully, watching the pieces of meat and vegetable move within the broth.

“You’re right,” She said slowly. “You are cunning. But I sense more than that. There’s a wonderful young girl that aspires to be something more. You may not see it yet, but many of us do. I’ve seen your works and plans.”

She saw Morgan tense up in the corner of her eye. “...You have?”

Robin hummed and took a sip of the soup, slowly not to burn her tongue.

“Of course, I had to get a feel of what I was getting myself into when joining the Shepherds. Those strategies were wonderfully made, I hope to see more of you during our war meetings.”

There was a quiet stillness between the two while they ate in each other's company. Robin had just finished her bowl and had got ready to get second helpings when she felt something touch her knee. Morgan held her bowl out to her, her face half covered in her blanket.

“Thank you.” She mumbled. “I really appreciate it.”

Robin smiled, taking the bowl from her. “Of course, anytime.”

She hopped down from the wagon, another crunch coming from below. She had turned to leave, but was stopped again by Morgan’s call.

“Hey Robin, what made you want to join us? I mean, you came from somewhere too right? Where was your home before us?”

This made Robin freeze. Those burning questions that she kept forgetting to think about, it had all come back to her to haunt her. She didn’t want to think about what horrid things she might have done in her past or who she was. 

She flashed Morgan a smile, a half-arsed one at best, and tried to play it off. “How about we talk about that some other time?”

Turning sharply on her heels, she made her way back over to the campfire and pot. She never knew who she really was. Will she ever? All of her thoughts only consisted of being with the Shepherds, making sure they’re ok and alive. But never has she tried to divert from the path. Even from before, all she could think about was getting into the castle in Ylisse. Finding the capitol, meeting Lissa, Chrom, and the others; was she trying to subconsciously do something malicious to them? The image of Chrom dying in front of her flashed in her mind once more and she shook her head at it, willing it to go away. It felt like a dream, but her other senses told her otherwise. It was real. She knew it was real. But Chrom stood by the campfire, alive and well.

She didn’t want to ponder it any further.

“Robin! Back for seconds?” Sumia took one of the bowls from her, filling it halfway. “Sorry for the smaller portion this time, but we need everyone to have two fillings before we set off again!”

“Not a problem,” Robin cleared her throat, trying to choke down any uneasiness she was feeling. “I have Morgan’s bowl too.”

“Perfect. How did you like it? I had some help from Olivia and Frederick, but I believe this is my best soup so far.” Sumia handed her back her bowl and gestured for the other. Robin complied and watched her fill the other bowl.

“It’s wonderful. I really enjoy the hint of spice that you had put in there. It really gives it a nice kick!”

“I’m glad you liked it! This lady was selling some exotic spices in the market and I thought it was perfect!”

“Really? You must tell me what it is.”

Sumia pulled it out of a pouch on her hip. Black seeds clattered inside the glass bottle, an oily liquid coating the sides of the bottle.

“She told me that she had marinated some peppercorns with fish oil, to bring out the best taste, for a couple weeks.”

Robin blanched at the sound of fish oil, but quickly recovered as the soup had tasted just as good. She thanked Sumia before heading back to Morgan. She now knew that it was better sometimes to not know what was in food.

She handed Morgan back her bowl, before scarfing hers down, trying not to think about the fish oil. Morgan had given her a pointed look, before also draining hers rather fast. Before long, everyone in the army was full, well-rested and ready to go. Well, except one.

Chrom was struggling to stay awake. From the incident of last night, to making sure Robin was resting well, and the anxiety for his dear sister's safety, he had hardly grabbed a wink himself. He steadied himself by one of the horses and let out a breath, watching it rise into a powdery puff. He prayed to Naga that the rest of the trip was quiet and they would all get there in one piece. The gruff bandit flashed in his mind again, his words bothering him.

Was Robin related to the Robin he knew before? If they were, why the same name? The questions that lay in front of him made no sense to his tired mind and the cold didn’t help. He made a mental note to tell Emm and Frederick later about the man and his words.

Robin was rinsing hers and Morgan’s bowls in the snow, when she noticed Chrom’s unstable persona. She approached him, the bowls clattering loudly together. Chrom, not knowing she was behind him, jumped when she put a hand on his arm. It was warm against his cold open bicep. It was also far more slender and smooth than he thought. His thoughts began to travel and he quickly pushed them far from his mind. He cursed how stubborn he is when it came to warm clothes.

“Chrom?” Her voice was far away in his ears. “Are you alright?”

“U-uh, yeah!” He ran a hand over his face to wake himself up. “ ‘m just tired.”

Robin frowned at his mumbled speech. 

“Come on, let’s get you some blankets.” She pulled at his upper arm so he could follow, but she found that he resisted. His bicep bulged under her hand as he stood there firmly and tried to gently remove his arm from her hand.

“I’m quite alright,” He forced a smile and placed a gloved hand over hers. “I just need to walk it off.”

Robin whipped her eyes to his, hers firm and narrow. He had told her to get some rest and he hasn’t even done the same for himself! The nerve of this man. She made a move to grab his hand, but he noticed and tried to pull away. But she was faster. Clutching his hands in hers, she dragged him to the wagon she and Morgan occupied and practically threw him into it. Chrom was surprised and now very awake as she had put her hands under his armpits and hoisted him enough to have him sit in the wagon. Laying on his side, he stared at her with wide eyes, completely shocked at her.

She was unmoved as she grabbed an extra blanket and threw it on top of him. No words had been exchanged, but the two knew exactly what each other was thinking as they stared at each other. Robin’s stare was more sharp and pointed, daring and challenging to say the least. Chrom had the expression of a kicked puppy dog, but Robin did not give in.

“If the captain is unable to work, then the Shepherds tactician has to step in when the captain cannot!” Robin kept her voice clear and stern. “The head Tactician's orders are to get some well-needed rest. The assistant Tactician will help keep an eye on you while you are resting.”

Morgan gave a start and looked at Robin with confusion. Pointing to herself, she mouthed, “me?”, to which Robin nodded her head to her, before whipping it back to Chrom.

“Is that clear?”

All Chrom could do was nod.

She finally let out a breathy sigh, her gaze growing soft. “Chrom, we cannot function well if one of us isn’t getting enough sleep or exercise. You of all people know this. Please try to take better care of yourself. I will watch over the Shepherds and Emm, but try to get some sleep before we get to Regna Foxx.”

With that, she turned on her heel and headed for the head wagon where Frederick and Emmeryn waited. Frederick was the one who noticed her first, straightening up with a stern face ready for display.

“Robin, where is Chrom?” He demanded. She could almost sense hostility, but she knew he was just concerned for the Prince’s presence.

“Peace, Frederick.” Robin let out a shaky laugh, suddenly nervous in the underwhelming stare that the knight gave. “He failed to get proper rest last night, so I had him take rest near the convoy with Morgan.”

One of Frederick’s eyebrows irked up a fraction before he regained posture. “Understood. I had noticed that he was on high alert the entire night. I must thank you for doing a deed that I had missed earlier.”

She let out a wary laugh. “No, no. It’s quite alright! I’m sure one of us would have caught it and done the same.”

“I, for one, am glad you did so.” Emmeryn spoke up, a smile radiating from her face. “He’s always been a stubborn boy, even when he was younger. Perhaps, I shall tell you more stories later?”

Robin perked up at the sound of a younger Chrom running around claiming wild things.

“I would be delighted!” She gestured towards Emm’s horse and the path ahead. “Let’s head out before we lose any more light.”

As the troops got ready to tread the path once more, two individuals sat together, unsure of themselves. One of them had to sleep and the other had to watch them sleep. Chrom had adjusted himself to lie on his back, removing his cape to tuck under his head to use as a pillow. Two blankets wrapped around him, one of them was Robin’s. He could still smell a bit of the soap she used on it and he felt his face grow warm. She is his right hand man, not to mention an almost carbon copy of the previous Robin. He did not want to get mixed up in complicated things in the middle of a war.

“What do you think?”

Morgan’s voice cut through to him, his head turning to her. She had her legs folded to her chest with the blanket wrapped tightly. Her eyes studied his demeanor closely.

“What do you mean?” Chrom asked, cautiously as he knew where this might be heading.

“She’s just like him and you expect us all to accept her just like that?” Her voice trembled slightly, trying not to waver. “She can’t replace him, no matter who it is. Why did you have her join us in the first place? I know I could do the same as her or maybe better!”

Chrom sat up from his place and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her breath was shaky and her eyes were clouded with misty tears, anger, and sadness. She looked away, a sleeve reaching up to wipe her face.

“I understand your pain.” He spoke softly for only her ears. “We all are. You’re right, she can’t replace him. But her condition was just like his and yours. No ties, no family, and nowhere to call home. I would do the same thing to anyone else.” He looked up to find Robin laughing with his sister, a hand covering her mouth as she gleefully smiled. “I can see the same potential as his and while you have amazing talent, you could also learn from her. She has the same experience and knowledge as all of us. She can also learn from you too, so you have to keep her on her toes.”

He gave her a wink and smiled, bringing her in for a side hug.

“But I know he’s still out there. We’ll find him, I know it.”

He felt her head nod in agreement and arms wrap around his torso. The two stayed like that for a while, but soon both drifted off into sleep, where Robin had occupied both of their dreams.

Chapter Text

The Shepherds arrived at the border fort and were greeted with a warm welcome by the Khans, Basilio and Flavia, with cheers and warm embraces. Chrom was the first to be greeted with a slap and one armed hug by the male Khan and a punch to the arm by the female. He then introduced Emmeryn to the two of them, both switching from a boisterous duo to serious diplomats in mere seconds. They had exchanged a few words before the Khans had announced to the fort that the army would stay till battle plans were ready, electing cheers from most rallies.

The soldiers at the fort helped unload baggage and showed them where they would be staying. Robin was about to follow one of the groups when she heard Chrom call her name. Looking over, she could see her name elicited stares and some movement froze in the room. She, too, had stopped herself in the middle of walking. But Chrom paid no heed and continued to wave his open arm for her to join him.

Pensive, she nervously made her way over, knowing she was being heavily watched by both Khans and others in the room. Approaching them, Chrom began formalities.

“Basilio, Flavia, this is Robin. One of our newest members. I have her alongside Morgan as our army’s tactician.”

The silence in the room is deafening as Robin is being stared at. She brought her hands together in front of her and rubbed the back of her hand nervously. She could feel their eyes bore into her. Flavia observes her with hardened and calculated eyes, hands on her hips. Basilio's was more loose and did a quick rundown. He was the first to react, clapping a firm hand down on her shoulder.

“Well now, it’s been a while since we’ve got fresh meat in this ol’ war.” His voice boomed throughout the building and echoed in the shadows. She was sure she had never met someone so boisterous before. He practically swept Robin around to have her follow him, his arm pressed firmly around her shoulders. “Welcome to Regna Foxx! Come, let me show ya 'round!”

Taking a peek behind her shoulders, Chrom gave her a reassuring smile and waved her a farewell. A nervous smile was on his face, but she knew she could trust him.

As the male Khan left Robin, Flavia sidled up to Chrom’s side.

“What were you thinking?”

Chrom lowered his waving hand and continued to watch the pair leave. His words were stuck in his throat as the question came back up once again.

“I understand that you are still in mourning, but replacing him isn’t the answer.” Her voice was soft, yet firm and it spoke many lengths. “What did your sister have to say?”

“She seemed upset,” He cleared his throat. “But she’s having a great time with-”

“That's not who I meant,” Flavia interrupted. “The Exalt.”

Chrom went silent. When he had spoken to Emmeryn about Robin, she seemed visibly upset at first. Chrom was conflicted at first too. There were too many similarities and too many factors that seemed too great for people to grasp at first. 

Chrom used to have nightmares of the Robin he knew dying, leaving, or lost somewhere. And he would always stay awake after experiencing it from too many sleepless nights. He couldn't bear the weight of losing someone who he was so close to. He was his wind at his back and they were almost like brothers, save for their lineage. So it shook him to the core when Lissa came running to him, fighting back tears to tell him that they had found Robin. He had rushed to the medical tent, but found no Robin that he knew. Only a female that looked exactly alike. They could be twins, but Robin didn’t remember his past. Lissa was sobbing quietly as she explained that she ran into this Robin in the market, doing what she always did with lost children or travelers; helping and lending a hand to those in need. Frederick stood by quietly, his mouth in a firm line, but both siblings knew that he was trying to keep his composure. She had a fit when she heard Lissa mention Chrom’s name and collapsed. She looked like she was in pain and was sweating in her sleep. Chrom couldn’t stay in the tent any longer and fled to the outer perimeter of the camp, standing in the tree line of the forest. He couldn’t believe it. It felt too surreal. It was Robin, but it wasn’t his Robin . He felt this stomach churn and he began to dry-heave towards the ground. Sinking to his knees, he began to let out a sob that was pushed down for so long. He didn’t know what to feel, but after his cries settled he knew that wouldn’t let another die on his watch. He had called each and every member personally to carefully tell them what lay behind the tent. Each person was distraught in their own way, some angry rather than sad. Later that night as Chrom was introducing Morgan, Robin had cried out from inside the tent. Lissa was at her side, her healing staff hovering above Robin. Robin’s body was flailing about and she looked paler than any sheet he’d ever seen. The other healers, who had already been in the tent, hurried to calm this spasm. It had turned out that Robin had caught a fever and was suffering from it. Chrom led Morgan out in a hurry, already scarring the poor girl to watch another person who resembled her father go through another horrendous act. The fever went on for three days, finally breaking the evening of the third day. She woke up the day after.

He knew that Robin was beloved by many when he was still around and replacing him was not the best idea to keep his memory alive. But he knew that both himself and Robin would not want to turn their backs away at a person’s time in need. He felt that it was just right . He didn’t know how to explain it, and yet the other members of the Shepherds and Emmeryn trusted him to let a new Robin take a place in their army. Only a handful of people in the army disagreed with him, but he knew that they meant well.

“She...was not happy,” Chrom finally responded. Flavia’s features grew hard at this, opening her mouth to retort. “But, she was not upset either. She saw what I saw in Robin and many others can see it too.”

Flavia was silent for a while, the two of them reminiscing in old memories, before letting out a sigh and slapping Chrom on the back.

“Well, you may be right.” She chuckled, a smile finally gracing her features. “Let us see how she fares in a little competition tonight, yes?”

“...huh?” Chrom stumbled a bit from the force.

“In preparation knowing that the Exalt may have graced us with her presence, we’ve prepared a little tournament to show Her Grace our strength. Just to keep morale up.”

Chrom let out a groan, remembering the last time he was in a tournament for the Khan.

“Worry not, my friend!” Flavia let out a laugh. “This won’t be for the throne! It will be a one on one battle style! Your men and women can enter to participate if they so wish, but Basilio and I have entered Robin and Lon’qu to test their skills.”

She threw an arm around Chrom’s neck and whispered low in his ear. “Just between you and me, I reckon Basilio’s missed Lon’qu quite a sum.”

The two shared a laugh, knowing full well how true that was.

~ ~

Basilio had taken Robin around one of the nearby towns, choosing to take her to bars and some shops that were open. He bellowed words of flattery and bought her gifts, which she refused unless it was a book she was eyeing. She knew something was up, but she couldn’t really place it. After taking her to one last shop, he took her on a stroll by the nearly frozen river nearby Arena Ferox.

“Alright, Basilio,” Robin gave him a side-ways glance. “What’s this about? I can tell that you have been hiding something from me or you’re bribing me. So, which of the two is it?”

The large man let out a hearty laugh, bringing Robin in with his arm to give her a little jostle.

“You don’t beat ‘round the bush, do ya? Tell me, what made you say so now?”

“I might have wanted a little bit of fun before getting to the serious bits.”

“I like your style!” He barked out a laugh. “To put it bluntly, I want you on my team.”

Robin paused, her lip twitched. “Pardon? Do you mean to say you want to pluck me from Chrom’s campaign?”

“Not exactly. See, we’re holding a tournament to showcase our finest warriors in front of your Exalt and Flavia already has a good team already. She even recruited Chrom! Once again, that woman has beat me to it again!”

Robin let out a small chuckle, her thoughts starting to sir. Chrom will be serving the East Khan and if she would join, that would mean they would be enemies. Something seemed almost primal to challenge someone that holds the blood of Naga in their veins-

Hold on. What? The blood of Naga ? Robin recalled that Naga was one, if not the only, strongest dragons to defeat the Kingshield Duma, Kingsgrail Mila, and the fell dragon, Grima. There were many disputes as to whether Naga existed as a man, woman, or dragon, but to Ylisse history, Naga came in the form of a beautiful woman. She went around the world, seeking peace between dragons and mortals, granting power to humans in the form of weapons and power within the royal bloodline. She was known to some as a loving and caring mother to all that lives or was cold and extreme to exterminating threats to peace.

How did she know that Chrom held the blood of Naga? He never told her that. But she knew . There weren’t any doubts that told her that he didn’t hold the holy blood. These intrusive thoughts scared her. How did she come into possession of these thoughts? Who was she before she woke up?

“So what do you say, Robin?”

Basilio’s deep voice shook her out of her stupor, her nerves frazzling her body. She shook off an icy chill going up her back and recomposed herself.

“I...think that would be a fantastic idea.” She put on a smile, a glint of competitiveness shown in her eyes.

Basilio grinned back at her and clapped her shoulder. “Wonderful! Let me show you how this will play out.”

Time passed to the evening, many of the competitors readying themselves for the battles and scrimmages against their future opponents. Eventually, the competitors were all called to the Arena to rally and wait for the tournament to begin. Robin stood farther away from the group, surveying each person with her Insight, calculating her strengths and weaknesses for each one. She decided to bring out a Levin sword from the convoy and replace her own book with a copy of Arcfire. She didn’t want to pull out a strong spell at the wrong time as she did with the first stone golem.

“Robin!”

Chrom came striding forward, his attire different from his usual one sleeve and white cape. Instead, he only sported a different dark blue tunic that had both sleeves, hiding the brand on his right side. It went to his knees, a slit cutting down from his right side and fell just short of his knees. His lower face was hidden with a dark wrap-around cape, but she could tell he was smiling underneath the layer.

“How dashing you look, milord.” Robin giggled, her voice playful yet snarky. “What’s with the new look?”

Chrom frowned and grabbed a handful of the dark cape that flowed behind him. “Flavia tells me that I should hide my identity till I get to the semifinals. I do not see the point, but if it’s supposed to be a surprise then I shall abide by her rules. You’re also one to talk.” He gestured towards her. “Basilio wrapped you up in the rules too?”

Robin looked down to her own outfit. She had borrowed a simple tunic from one of the female villagers and some leggings to pair with her combat boots. She also took out her signature twin ponytails and replaced it with a high singular one. Lissa insisted on twisting in a braid on one side. The only thing she had kept the same was her coat, which rested over her shoulders; her arms out of the sleeves. No matter how many times Basilio tried to make her keep it with him, she promptly refused. He had also admitted that it would ruin the “surprise”, but allowed her to keep it. To make it more inconspicuous, she turned it inside out. 

“I guess so.” Robin sighed. “I wonder if the people competing know that some of the shepherds are in this tournament?”

“Who else decided to participate?”

“Lon’qu and Olivia were thrown in to participate per Basilio's orders. Four others also wanted to join and test their strengths: Cordelia, Gregor, Stahl, and Vaike.”

“Of course Vaike would want to.” Chrom chuckled. “I bet he’s dying to go against me.”

The two laughed, imagining Vaike being absolutely pompous the entire time. The two carried on a conversation for a while longer before being interrupted by Basilio’s voice booming throughout the Arena.

“Welcome all to the arena! We have been through a great deal of struggle and mishap, but look no further as we’ve held a tournament with one of the greatest leaders on the continent, The Exalt from Ylisse!”

Emmeyn stepped out from behind the curtain and stood in between both Khans, a radiant smile displayed upon her face. Robin couldn’t see so far, but she could tell she was humble about the title Basilio gave her as she looked timid and nervous when he announced it.

“We hold this tournament to showcase our best fighters and duelers! Make Ferox proud with your might! Let us begin!”

Flavia stepped up now and held a roll of paper in her hand. “I shall now pair you with your opponent. There is no time limit and any weapon is fair game. Only four pairs are allowed in the arena and we will announce each winner after each round.”

Falvia began to rattle off names and slowly each member within the group made their way to face off their opponents. Chrom and Robin noticed that neither one was called at first, but that didn’t matter as watching the competition was more effective to know their future opponents. The first round quickly went by as the weaker ones were weeded out from each group. The second group was called and both Vaike and Gregor were called. Neither was against each other, but both beat their opponents with ease. 

The third group was next: Olivia and Robin were called this time both against burley men twice their size. Robin had made her move to sit in the upper right corner of the arena, her opponent following her. She waited till the man was situated with hefting his large axe off of his shoulders before greeting him with a smile and a ready battle stance. It only took a couple swings of her Levin sword to render her opponent useless, using a fraction of the electricity to shock his muscles.

She could hear cheering from one side of the arena when she had won. Looking up, she noticed Lissa and Morgan, faces bright and hollering cheers to her. She waved at them and retreated to the winners bench near the exit. Olivia was still battling her opponent, but it was short-lived as she danced around him and finally pulled out her duel swords and knocked him unconscious. A roar of cheers erupted from the crowd, startling Olivia. Her face turned beet red and she scurried over to Robin, her hands over her face.

“Well done, Olivia.” Robin shouted over the cheers. “You were lovely out there.”

“Oh, please.” Olivia laughed, her face still pink. “I appreciate it. I’m really only good at dancing, but it’s nice to hear that you liked it.”

With the last pair finishing, Flavia announced the winners of the third round. Robin and Olivia waving to the crowd. Many of the Shepherds waved and cheered for them in the stands. Stahl and Lon’qu were in the fourth group, the both of them proceeding to the next round easily. Chrom and Cordelia didn’t show up until later rounds. Robin had lost track after the 12th round, but recognized Cordelia when she entered the field. She didn’t wear her armor and only wore her tunic dress and skirt, her usual red hair was tied up this time in a ponytail with a candy orange ribbon. Robin hadn’t recognized it before and thought that she had perhaps bought it at the market. She had defeated her opponent with graceful feats and spun her lance to showcase her strength and skill against her opponent that held a sword. Chrom was in the last group to go. Many were confused who the cloaked man was. Flavia really did a good job hiding his identity, as she used a fake name to hide who he was. He defeated his opponent easily, sounding the horn that the first round of the tournament was over.

Flavia and Basilio then split the winners in two separate groups, which Robin had anticipated. On one side was the East team and the other the West; one each for the respective Khan leaders. She saw that Lon’qu stood on her side as well as Olivia and Vaike. She assumed the others, including Chrom, were on the other side.

She sidled up to Lon’qu, causing him to jump.

“Looks like we’re on the same side, huh?”

“Get back, woman.” He grunted, his face dusted a light pink. “I do not wish to converse with you.”

Robin raised an eyebrow and smirked at his reaction. She had heard that he had a phobia of women and now that she was close to him, she could finally put her plan into action.

“No worries, I’ll stay far from you.” She said slowly. “But we should reconvene with the other to ensure victory.”

She called over Olivia and Vaike, who came promptly over. She discussed strategy with them and went over some key points she noticed when observing other opponents. She didn’t fail to point out her comrades on the other side's weaknesses either. If one of them were to fight against them, it would be a good fight. She made sure that when she talked to the group, she stayed close to Lon’qu on one side and had Olivia stand on the other side, boxing both Vaike and Lon’qu in between them. At some points, she noticed that Lon’qu would become flustered when she asked him a question and inched farther from her, but she made sure to nonchalantly move to step closer to him. It would slowly work, but she had to keep at it.

After the minutes go by to ready themselves for the next round, Flavia begins to call out the next pairs. The second round is a breeze for Robin. She ensures that her other teammates went through smoothly and finds out that they did. She finds out that Stahl had barely made it through and has a feeling that he’ll be the first one dropped out in the next match. To which she was right as he lost not too soon after in the eighth round. Vaike was the next to go in the twelfth round, but he put up a spectacular display against his opponent. She watched as the rest went through without a hitch.

The numbers were dwindling slowly and she noticed that they must be close to the quarterfinals. In the next round, Gregor was one of the very few who lost. He wished the rest of them luck with a smile and made his way to the infirmary to ensure he didn’t hurt himself too bad. Olivia was the first to go against one of their comrades. She fought against Chrom, but her efforts were not in vain as she also did a number on Chrom, ripping his cloak just a bit. This made her nervous and that left her open for Chrom to aim for her weakest spot and she had to concede.

Finally they had entered the Semi-finals. Robin and Lon’qu on the West and Chrom and Cordelia on the East. They were given an hour break to be up and ready for the last battle and a chance to change back into their normal outfits.

Robin sat in one of the rooms that was designated to her, pulling her hair back in the signature pigtails she wore. She loves trying new styles, but she’ll always love her hair in this style. Maybe it said something about her. 

A knock sounded at her door and she answered it to find Olivia standing there.

“Olivia!” Robin didn’t mask her shock. She didn’t think someone would want to seek her out so close to the beginning of the match. “What a surprise, shouldn’t you be in the stands?”

“I wanted to wish you good luck on your next match.” she said timidly, her hands clasped in front of her chest. She didn’t make a move to come inside. “I also wanted to give you some tips on Chrom, if you are pitted against him.”

“I appreciate your sentiment, but I already know so many of Chrom’s moves.” Robin chuckled. “So even if I do against him, I know how to defeat him.”

“Oh…I see,” Olivia looked deflated.

Robin knew that she wanted to help and felt grateful that she wanted to help out. She patted her on the shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile.

“We can most likely talk later, but I have to get back to the arena to watch the rest of the opponents. Need to scope the competition.” She walked out and waved at her. “Wish me luck!”

With Robin out of sight, Olivia’s soft features twisted in disgust and she clicked her tongue. She turned sharply on her heel and started off in the opposite direction that Robin went, her mind jumping from one thought to the other. How dare she not take the advice of someone close in her barracks? Didn’t she trust all of them? And how does she know all of his moves? What, does she watch every single one of them? Disgusting.

Entering one of the rooms, she slammed it shut. She ran her hands through her hair and clutched at it, wanting to rip it out of her head. Her plans weren’t working. Why aren’t they working?! The bangles on her wrists began to feel suffocating and tight and the room was spinning. She yanked them off and threw them at the wall, screaming out her frustration.

“It didn’t go well, again?”

Garrick once again was sitting across the room and giving her a shit-eating grin. “Olivia” scowled at him and ripped her disguise off, revealing it to be Nelson. He shook off his transformation magic, the cute female face melting off and he threw off the wig that sat on top of his head.

“Of course not!” He spat. “She’s either too clever or too stupid to take the bait. How come every time we ambush them with a good plan, she always foils it?! We almost had her last time, but that damn songstress had to intervene! If you hadn’t been taken out by that prince, we would have gotten away with it!”

Garrick grimaced at the memory and rubbed at his throat. A light scar lining his neck where it was sliced open. He watched as Nelson continued to rant and rave about his failure plans and let out a chuckle, folding his arms and legs together. He has never seen Nelson so troubled and angry before. Nelson spent years serving Grima with his experiments and Garrick has noticed that working in confinement has made his patience grow thin. Garrick has plenty of patience to ride this little adventure out and watching Nelson slowly go mad was like watching a kid yell at their favorite television show.

“If you are so imprudent about getting FF1-C2,” The burly man scoffed. “Then we need to devise a plan to capture her at the right moment.”

“You don’t think I’m trying?! How will I redeem myself to our lord? He will dispose of me, I know it!” Nelson’s voice was becoming shrill and his face becoming red. It then relaxed a bit before he started to sing praises. “But if he does dispose of me, how will he do it? Auugh, just imagining him above me…”

He whipped back around to Garrick, his face hardened with a cold stare. “Since you know so much, how do you propose we go about this?!”

They sat in silence for a bit, before Garrick pulled out a book from one of his bags. He began flipping through the book silently before stopping on a page and turning it to face Nelson.

“If what our Lord has told us is true,” He pointed to one of the paragraphs written out on the page. “Then our opportune moment is when they defeat the jester, Gangrel.”

Nelson snatched the book out of his hands and reviewed it, staring at the answer. His scowl turned into one of pleasure and he began to giggle manically.

“Of course our Lord would have all the answers!” He coughed and threw the book back. “Fine, I will follow what you say. But we must go back and see how the others are doing on our other experimental beings. We must be ready.”

~ ~

Robin climbed stairs to the arena, the crowd loud as ever and the cheers echoed down the halls. She noticed Stahl and Olivia talking by one of the entrances, watching one of the battles. She frowned and recalled seeing her just now. Did she run to meet Stahl just now? She approached them and they greeted her, Stahl pointing out for Robin.

“Look!” He shouted over the noise. “Lon’qu’s just finishing his last match!”

He was right and watched as Lon’qu finished off the woman he was pitted against. He let her get up and both bowed to each other before walking off towards the changing rooms. Robin clapped with everyone and leaned towards Olivia.

“Hey, so you wanted to give me some pointers earlier?” She tried to yell in her ear. “I had no idea that you were going the same way as me, what did you want to tell me?”

Olivia looked over to her and gave her a puzzled look. “What are you talking about? I’ve been here with Stahl since I lost!”

Robin stopped and her brows furrowed. If that wasn’t Olivia just now, who was that? Her blood ran cold and she began to go through scenarios and possibilities that could have happened or could happen. If there is a double, it could have the intention of hurting the Exalt or even another party member within the army. Robin opened her mouth to tell Olivia about her double, but was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder.

“Did you see that? I hope we’re not pitted against that!”

She turned to see Chrom in his usual attire and his eyes were glued to the arena around him.

“Chrom!” Robin started. “I need to tell you-”

“That was spectacular!” Basilio’s voice boomed forth from his sitting area. “We now have our last champion for the Semi-Finals!” Cheers erupted from the stands. Robin could feel a small migraine coming and she was becoming irritated with all the noise. “I’ll welcome our next challengers to the floor: To support the East, Cordelia!”

The Pegasus rider hurried out to the floor, her Brave Lance ready at her side. She waved at the crowd and another wave of cheers sounded.

“And for her opponent, Robin!”

Robin blanched at her name. How was she on so soon? And now of all times! There could be an imposter among the crowd and she wouldn’t know where they could be! Laughs and hollers went her way and she felt a push on her shoulders.

“What are you doing?” Chrom laughed in her ear. “Go out there and win!”

She stumbled under the weight of hands pushing into the arena and hesitantly walked forth, but not before taking a look back to give a worried look back to Chrom. He must have seen it as his expression fell and also shot back the worried expression. Turning back, she locked eyes with Cordelia, who had a determined and stern expression. Robin felt something was off and a flag went off into her head. Could she also be an imposter? There was only one way to find out.

A horn was sounded at the start of the battle. Cordelia spun her lance and charged at her, trying to leave no time for Robin to react. But Robin was just as fast, she whipped out her Levin sword with her dominant hand and arcfire with the other. Charging her Levin sword, she let go of it and used some wind magic to spin it in the air and released a bolt of lightning from the tip of the sword. Cordelia dodged it and swung her lance to try and hit Robin’s side, but was blocked and Robin parried it with ease. Using the jagged sides of the sword, she tried to lock the lance in and run up the side, aiming arcfire low into Cordelia's abdomen. She had dodged once again, but not coming out unscathed in the process. Her side was hit, but the cut wasn’t too deep.

Cordelia thrusted her lance out of the lock and stuck it into the ground. She performed an aerial jump kick, grabbing the hilt of the lance and propelled herself into the air. She got a few hits into Robin’s back and side, before keeping a distance to gain the upper hand.

Robin panted heavily and came out of her crouch, dusting off her coat a little. The arena was loud, but all she could hear was the sound of her blood rushing through her head. Her sides began to sting and she could feel the bruises forming on her back. Surveying her opponent, she saw that Cordelia carried a certain air around her and walked a long circle around her. She didn’t seem to be another person, but was confident and determined to beat Robin. Her clothes were burnt in some places and her hair was still tied up in the ribbon, albeit some strands of hair coming undone from it. Dirt and dust were smudged on her face from kicking up the arena floor, but both were covered with the floor debris.

 She didn’t want to use Insight yet, she wanted to save it for when she made it to the Final round, but if she must then she will. She raised Arcfire and felt mana flow through her to the book, pages flying from one end to the other, before she dashed forward and crossed her arms. She let out a burst of fire, crying out, “Arcfire!” The flames found Cordelia’s feet and crawled up her figure before exploding on impact to the key word.

Cordelia let out a yelp, stumbling back from the blow. She thrusted her lance forward in a blind rage and found Robin’s shoulder, digging it deep. Robin also let out a grunt, before propelling herself backwards with her low-level wind spell.

Both women landed on their backs or sides, grunting from the wounds that have been inflicted. Robin touched her shoulder and winced at the sharp pain and warm blood flow into her fingertips. Her head began to swell once again and she grimaced. Her head begins to explode with memories that she hadn’t recalled before; fire everywhere and someone above her, sneering at her while laughing at her pain.

She shook herself out of her stupor, rage filling her emotions and she charged forward at the rider. She used Insight, using moves she hadn’t recalled knowing before as they produced themselves before her. She hit Cordelia left and right and even threw her sword at one point to throw in a couple punches. Something inside her made her feel some sick pleasure seeing her comrade lie below her, blood oozing out of her nose and her face covered in soot and dirt. She felt a grin spread against her cheeks and she kept punching repeatedly, a giggle escaping.

Cordelia was stunned at the sudden rush, but quickly retaliated and pushed back with the hilt of her lance. Robin summoned her sword once again. She felt a little braver from the adrenaline rush and aimed a bigger shot of lightning at Cordelia. Cordelia took the blow, but emerged from the smoke and dust to deliver a flurry of blows that rendered Robin’s legs useless as she found the back of her knees bleeding. 

Laying on her back, she watched as Cordelia stood above her and raised the blunt end of her lance to deliver the final swing and afterwards, everything went to black.

Chapter Text

Her head was aching when Robin awoke. Whatever had been done in the battle has brought itself with her to the infirmary. She found herself lying in a cot, a thin military blanket thrown across her. Her coat lay folded on a chair by her cot and her boots underneath her cot, leaving her with only her tank top and pants underneath the sheet. Her shoulder and her knees were wrapped up in bandages, but she could tell that they were mostly healed. Most likely the cause of repetitive healing staves,salves, and concoctions.

Sitting up, she surveyed the room and saw many of the past opponents that didn’t make it. Libra was tending to one of the men that had also just woken up, handing out some bandages and checking for fresh open wounds. He made his way over to her, giving her a small smile.

“How are you feeling?” His voice was soft as he handed her a waterskin. It was mildly bitter; it was most likely laced with a vulnerary for healing. “You and Cordelia really did a number to each other that round. I was worried that she cut off the muscles behind your knee, but it seems that she was delicate so you could walk.”

Robin drank greedily and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “She put up a wonderful display. She’s an exceptional fighter-It almost felt like she was going to finish me off for good.”

Both chuckled nervously, before Libra set down his basket of items. The vulernaries rattled around quietly within the items.

“May I?”

Robin nodded, letting him pull back the covers to examine her legs. With her pants rolled up above her knees and her lying on her stomach, Libra unwrapped the cloth. He was quiet for a moment before humming to himself.

“Is everything alright?” Robin asked nervously.

“Hm? Ah, yes. It’s just peculiar.” He trailed off. “The cuts were deep, but not enough to sever the ligaments near your knees. It should have left a light scar, but it seems…”

Robin did her best to peer around her shoulder to look at her legs.

“...like nothing ever happened at all.”

Libra was right. Her skin was still a smooth cream color and there was no indication of scars or wounds. She jolted up and brought her legs up to take a closer look. Nothing. The skin was as fresh as a newborn child. A cold ball coiled in her gut; something was wrong. She glanced at her shoulder and looked back at Libra. He caught on to her implications and started to unwrap her shoulder as well.

On the last wrap, both held their breath as Libra gingerly peeled back the layer.

A dark wound was revealed with bits of flaking dead skin and dried blood bits. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t totally healed.

Both let out a sigh and Libra reached for a salve he had in the basket. Robin examined her shoulder and then her legs. Did someone use Mend or Recover? But if they did, it would have healed her shoulder and others around her too. Her thoughts were interrupted by a cold slimy feeling on her shoulder. She hissed as some of the slave got into some of the open wounds that hadn’t healed yet.

Both sat in silence as Libra applied what was needed and re-covered her wound with fresh bandages. When he was done, he left the ointment on her cot, leaving with a smile.

Robin watched nervously as he left and made a move for her coat and boots. She didn’t know what everyone still thought of her, but she knew there was a lot of mistrust and grief when it came to her. Of course, it will take time for them to warm up to her. Libra was an interesting man to say the least, even when he is an enigmatic person. He seemed kind, but Robin felt like there was something deep and dark underneath his kind exterior. He seemed perturbed by the fact that her skin had healed well on her legs, but not on her shoulder. He didn’t seem to trust whatever force of nature she was. She felt the need to help him and hurry after him.

But now is not the time. There still was a tournament and Robin still needs to find the infiltrator from earlier. Throwing on her coat and pocketing the ointment, she made her way to the opening. She was startled to find Chrom sitting at the cot closest to the open tent.

“Chrom!” She hurried over. He noticed Robin and gave her a shy laugh, waving at her with one hand as the other was getting healed. He looked roughed up for sure, but even he came out of it better than she did. His face was covered in dirt and his hair splayed up in different angles. A healer had just finished healing the last of his wounds before giving a low quick curtsey and scurrying away to the next person.

“How did you fare?” Robin did another quick take on his person, seeing his leg and arm wrapped in cloth with blood faintly peeping up on the surface. “Not well, I assume?”

“You have a keen eye,” He joked sarcastically. “I was bested by one of the best swordsmen in Ferox.”

“Lon’qu.” They both said at the same time, earning a chuckle out of both of them.

The man didn’t seem to know when to hold back in a duel, the only exception was if his opponent was a woman. Robin surveyed the medic tent once again and helped Chrom to his feet.

“So now Lon’qu and Cordelia are against each other.”

“Indeed.” Chrom stretched his arms and Robin heard a crack from some joints. “Let us pray that Lon’qu does not become too eager and takes Cordelia out like you were.”

Robin winced at the memory. “It was a very…fun and interesting challenge. Cordelia is better than she thinks. She has the potential to become the pegasi knights leader.”

Chrom chuckled and agreed with her. They both exited the tent and made their way back to the arena stands to watch the final round. The two talked fervently and excitedly about the match and about their previous matches. It was easy to talk to each other, as easy as the water flows down a stream.

Wind poured through the entrance to the arena, blowing her hair into her face and mouth. She spat any stands that stuck to her mouth, while Chrom laughed at her reaction. She pouted and pushed his shoulder playfully, before taking handfuls of her hair and started tying it back up. 

“You should keep your hair like that.” Chrom spoke. He brushed his fingers through some locks, shocking Robin. “It looks nice.” 

She felt like time was frozen and her heart started to race. At first, it felt like she was having a heart attack, but she knew she would be fine. Letting go of her hair, she let some of it fall on his hand, causing him to pull away from the weight.

“Whatever you say, Captain.” She let out a nervous chuckle, trying to keep her gaze elsewhere. He chuckled at her response.

“You’re starting to sound like Sumia.”

“And you’re starting to sound like Virion with your remark.”

He turned to her with a confused look. “Virion?”

She returned her look and stared at him. Did he not even realize what he did? He’s more daft than I thought. ” She thought. “Never mind that then.” She laughed off.

“By the way,” Chrom seemed to shake off what she said and kept going on casual conversation. “What did you want to tell me earlier? You seemed nervous.”

Robin froze mid-step and remembered the imposter.

“I believe that someone was trying to get to one of us during the tournament.” Robin breathed. “Someone came to my room posing as Olivia and tried to enter my room. I left and found the real Olivia watching one of the matches.”

Chrom’s eyebrows furrowed. “Who would have…” The man that Chrom fought days before they arrived at Regna Ferox came to mind. “Listen Robin, when we fought the stone golem, there was a man who wanted to take you. He told me to ‘hand her over or else’.”

Robin put her hand over her mouth. Why would someone want her so badly? Unless it was staged something like a coup. Perhaps they were after her power? Or possibly the book? There seemed to be variables to this that she could not see.

“For now, let’s keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. We know our comrades better than anyone. If we feel the need to, we must question them with something only we know. We should tell Emm, Lissa, and Frederick as soon as we can.”

“I agree. Let’s go.”

The two made it to the mezzanine booth where both of the Khans and Emmeryn sat and watched the fight. Emmeryn was the first to notice them and gestured over for Chrom to stand next to her. Robin stood back farther behind them.

“I must congratulate you, dear brother.” She held her hand out to hold his, which he took with eagerness.

“Emm, I didn’t even win.” He chuckled and placed his other hand on her shoulder.

“I know, but I watched you fight your hardest against the best. You deserve to be awarded with some sort of praise.” She gripped his hand and smiled warmly.

“Thank you sister.”

Robin smiled as she watched the two siblings laugh and watch the match. She felt almost jealous of their sibling love. Was there someone or maybe a family waiting to hear she was alright as well? The thought was swift as the wind; Momentarily there and gone the next. Not everything can stay happy; there must be bad news as well as good.

“Your Gr-I mean, Emm,” She stepped forward and went to Emmeryn’s unoccupied side. “I fear we have something dire to tell you.”

Robin is the one that mostly talks as she explains the situation as the rest listens. When she finishes, all are silent in the midst of cheers and cries of joy around them. Flavia looks to Basilio as the latter sits with furrowed brows and a calm demeanor. Emmeryn shows little fear, but her eyes are glazed with worry and anxiousness. Basilio is the first to speak.

“We’ll have extra guards posted outside the arena and we must make sure our borders are secured. Everything that comes in and out of the border must be checked thoroughly.”

“I couldn’t agree more with this oaf.” Flavia jumps in. “We must alert our closest advisors and comrades. They can execute plans amongst themselves better than we could.” She let out a small chuckle, her eyes endearing as she looked out to the fighters cheering.

Robin steals a glance at Chrom and watches him grip Emmeryn’s hand tighter. She remembers that he had told her before that she was saved by the old tactician and him. A plan that could have gone awry at any moment. If anything were to happen to them in her stead, Robin could not forgive herself.

“We plan to tell The Shepherds about it immediately as soon as the rest of our companions are done with their battle.” She steps in. “If we must, we would need to have a secure route back to Ylisstol if necessary.”

“A route back?” Flavia scoffs. “Whatever for? You all were invited by us to stay a couple days to enjoy festivities and make peace with our people.”

“Forgive me,” She bites back on her tone, making sure not to sound aggravated. The last thing she would want to do is offend the current Khan. “I only mean to say this as a precaution to ensure a way back if anything were to happen to Ylisstol or a threat were to appear for-”

She stops as she locks eyes with Emmeryn. Her worried look gone, instead a steely cold look stared right into her. Robin closed her mouth and hastily looked away. She couldn’t bear disappointing the Queen of Ylisse, Chrom’s older sister at that.

“Forgive me, your Grace” She says softly. “I did not mean-”

Emmeryn holds up her hand to silence her.

“Peace Robin. It is alright.” And to Robin’s surprise, she takes Robin’s hand in hers and squeezes it reassuringly. “I understand. If you are worried for my safety, it wouldn’t be the first time someone was. But please, everything in the kingdom will be alright. My people assure me that we have strong will and people to defend themselves. We will harbor the image of peace in any continent, wherever we are.”

“...thank you.” Robin smiles softly at her and squeezes back.

The group is silent for a moment, before Flavia gets up and wraps her arm around Robin’s shoulders.

“Let’s say, you and I have a drink sometime!” She laughs aloud. The tension seemed to melt away fast as Flavia took Robin’s arm and had her sit next to her on the bench. The rest of the evening was merry and joyous as Everyone watched the finale of the championship. Lon’qu and Cordelia fought hard against each other as the arena cheered for their respected picks, but with one final dash towards the man who so loathed women, Lon’qu went spinning and landed on his head quite hard. Cordelia was deemed the winner and was showered with flowers and embraces from her fellow comrades in arms.

As the Khans relay congratulations to the winners and runner ups, Robin and Chrom both congratulate her with hugs and laughter. All are silenced as Emmeryn stands to speak.

“What a wonderful display of bravery and strength I have witnessed in this arena today!” Her usual soft voice echoes throughout the arena, a tome in her hand. Robin notices that it is an advanced tome that uses wind to project her voice. “I must commend you all for your wonderful displays! Despite our misgivings and misconceptions, we all are truly friends and comrades in our borders and out. I pray that all of us see each other in a more peaceful time and greet each other again as we all did today!”

And with her last word, the arena burst into cheers and shouts rallying towards Emmeryn. It had seemed louder than before as the graceful leader waved and smiled at the crowds. Robin joined in and cheered as loud as she could for the person she so looked up to.

~            ~

Later that night, the army moved themselves to the barracks where they all drank and ate together, still singing praises and cheering on the winner and the competitors. Cordelia was laughing as she sat next to Gaius and Sumia, rambling about her match and even waved at Lon’qu who gave her a nod before getting pulled along by Lissa who sat him next to her and Maribelle and Libra.

Robin watched the crowd while she sipped on her tankard of mead, allowing the sour and sweet taste slowly dissolve on her tongue. Stahl, who is currently next to her, makes a remark on Oilvia’s form during her battles which causes said dancer to blush excessively before covering her face with her hands. The table only showers her with affection and praise, which makes her face grow more shades of red than any sun or spell could do. Miriel writes down in her book, observing Olivia before peppering her with questions.

A thunk startles her as another cup is placed by hers. Chrom’s laugh echoes in her ear as he replaces Stahl's seat, while Stahl is dragged off by Nowi who cries for him to help her with a bird. Robin tried to notice him too much, pretending to be heavily invested in Frederick's remarks to Vaike's moves during the match and what he could have done better.

“You put your hair up again.” Chrom’s breath tickled her neck, startling her and sending shivers down her spine.

“Oh! Well,” Robin spluttered, raising her hand to rub her neck nonchalantly. “Nowi begged me to let her do it this time. I guess I’m just letting them accessorize me to their heart's content.”

Robin inspected the new hair do. Her hair was put up in its usual place, but now a loop was strung in as braids fell from her head. It was a childish hairdo, but she let Nowi do as she pleased as she got jealous when she saw Lissa do her hair earlier. She rubbed one of the braids in between her fingers and chuckled at the thought of Nowi pouting.

“But I’m perfectly content in my original style myself.”

Chrom laughed. “I’m sure if Vaike wanted to personalize my hair, I would have to turn him down. Can you imagine?”

Robin let out a snort and laughed as she could see Chrom with a ridiculous comb over with spiky hair flowing out the back of his head. The thought was hilarious. The rest of the night was eventful as some became a little too rowdy and drunk as songs were being shouted aloud and at one point a dance had begun. Some had pulled out their instruments and started playing a cheerful shanty. Robin danced with many of the female members and once with Gregor, Donnel, and Ricken. The night seemed to melt any fear and worry away-

-but as it always goes; where there is good, there is also bad.

A shout emitted from afar, only some heard. It was only when a foot soldier was yelling asking for Chrom and Robin had everyone stopped the festivities.

“A m-message! Dire news! Lord Chrom! Lady Lissa! A message from Ylisstol!”

Chrom hurried to the man's side, holding him up from exhaustion.

“Peace, friend. What is it?”

“L-lady Emmer-ryn…” He panted, breath masking his words. “Lady Emmeryn has been attacked!”

Chapter Text

  It took everything in her not to panic. Her gut sank so deep within her that she felt nauseous. Her eyes flickered over to Chrom. His face was so pale. His expression was so hard to read as many emotions flashed across his face. She finally stepped forward and put her hand on his arm, snapping him back to reality. He slowly looked at her and only stared at her until Robin squeezed his arm a little.

“Take us to her,” Robin spoke clearly, trying hard for her voice not to waver. “Lissa, Chrom, let’s go.”

The trio wasted no time and followed the messenger back to the arena where Emmeyrn and the Khans were for the night. As they approached the arena entrance, Robin noticed the figures of the Khans and a shadowy figure behind them. Has another assassin come to kill another country's ruler? Chrom had already noticed the figure as well and had Falchion in hand. Robin pulled out her own tome and readied a small wind spell in precaution. 

“Flavia! Basilio! Look out!”

A chill went down her spine and without thinking, she fired the spell. The two immediately went into a stance, Flavia pulling out her sword from her belt and Basilio raising his fists in defense. But instead of turning and attacking the approaching figure, they pressed their backs together and shielded them.

The spell hit the two soldiers, both guarding the spell with their arms and weapons. Their resistance was surprisingly high as the both came out either unharmed or slightly scathed.

Chrom sprang forward and raised his sword high, fury seething from his body. Flavia used the rainguard of her sword and locked the prince in, pushing against him harshly.

"Fool! What are you doing?!" Flavia growled. “Do you wish to play games with the Khans of Ferox?!”

Behind Falvia, soft eyes peeked over her shoulder. Emmeryn stood behind Flavia, shocked and confused. Her tome was pulled out and she quickly tucked it under arm as she stepped forward.

“Chrom?” Her voice was soft, but firm. “What is the meaning of this? Is everything alright?”

For only a moment, it was quiet. Robin could only stare in relief as the Exalt stood before her, very alive and very well. Lissa was the one who broke the silence, bursting into tears and sobbing before running into Emmeryn’s arms. Robin and Chrom both collapsed to their knees as relief washed over them as well as exhaustion.

“Care to explain all this?” Basilio towered over the two leaders, arms folded and shooting them a hard glare. If Robin had a father, she could imagine Basilio would be it. His stare was unbearable and stung just as sharp as Flavia’s sword.

“Th-the messenger…” Chrom finally spoke up, his form also slumped as he cowered from Basilio’s glare.

The large man whipped around to look at the messenger, once again glowering while holes were being burned into the man's head.

“I-I received a message from Ylisstol th-that L-lady Emmeryn was attacked.”

The Khans and Emmeryn shared a collective look of confusion. The woman said was standing just fine in front of her and very well in fact. And then it dawned on Robin.

“The double…” She whispered to herself. “Sir, tell us what else you know.”

The man explained that Gangrel was spotted with a group of bandits and assassins. Within the hour of him being spotted, servants had found “Emmeryn” wounded with several cuts and non-threatening stabs to her body. Gangrel fled once the guards were engaged and left the group to perish, saving himself. 

The group was silent as the man explained the situation and once he finished, Robin thanked them and asked everyone to step inside a nearby room. The room smelled a little like sweat and wet dirt, but that was because it was a changing room for the arena. She asked the messenger to stand guard and tell them if anyone was approaching. The man was eager to help and agreed. Once she stepped inside the closed room, she faced the others. She knew that this was a crisis and that the Exalt must want to rush to go back home, but there are things that must be taken care of.  She felt the anxiety as much as she did. There was a reason her gut was churning earlier and why she wanted to secure a route back. The news earlier had made her stomach drop so far that she thought it wouldn’t have a stomach by the time they made it to the arena. 

“So, we all know that ‘Emmeryn’ was attacked, which means he was waiting for us to leave her side to make an attack.”

“The townspeople must be so worried,” Emmeryn patted Lissa’s back in reassurance, trying her best to comfort her. Robin knew better than that and could see that she was also trying to reassure herself. “We must make haste back. I know I said I wouldn’t worry earlier, but I pray that nothing else has caused any more calamity or I…”

“Hold on, sister.” Chrom butted in and moved to both of his siblings' sides. “We left the double in your stead for this very precaution. Our fears were true. We need to be cautious.”

“Chrom is right.” Robin folded one arm over the other and tapped her chin, thinking. “We can use this opportunity to intercept Gangrel and put a stop to his deeds, once and for all.”

With a plan in mind, the group exited the room and asked the messenger for more details and learned that Gangrel fled to the border of Plegia and Ferox, a place called the Border Wastes. There was a message to any plegian available to come and aid him on his way back to the border. Anyone who aids him would get a hefty reward sum.

Basilio even made sure there was an escape route, nudging Robin in the side while laughing. Robin got the joke, but felt some sort of irritation when he did. It was a good reason to be cautious, but now it took a little strength for her to not pull out her thunder spells right then and there. Flavia made sure to punch him hard in the side, before whisking Robin away to Chrom’s side.

The group stayed later than usual before calling it quits for the night on the plan. The Khans departed to their own homes while waving goodnight to the rest. The four of them made their way back to the campsite where everyone was still awake and restless. They were all greeted by shouts and questions and when they saw Emmeryn step into sight, they all crowded her as well as either cry or thank the Gods for her safety.

Emmeryn made sure to pass by each person and assure them that she was alright, even to those who didn’t even see her as their own leader. Robin made sure that the word spread throughout the army that a war meeting was to be held and had Frederick spread the word.

Once everyone was gathered, Robin began laying out maps of the area that she had dug up from the inventory. It seems only Morgan, Chrom, and Miriel had ever pulled out the maps during the past couple months as some of the maps and past strategies were covered in dust and soot. She rolled out a map of the border between Plegia and Ferox and directed everyone to look at the pieces she had laid out on the map.

“Chrom and I will lead the assault, charging right for him. I can only take 11 others besides Chrom and I. I need people with high resistance to magic as Gangrel has called for reinforcements, but we cannot forget that there can also be weapon wielders on the field as well. There's also a rumor of treasure there, so I would like to take Gaius so he can pick the lock and obtain the item.”

In the corner of her eye, she noticed Gaius fist pump the air as he turned to Cordelia to whisper something in her ear. She giggled at him and then swatted his arm. Robin watched them as Chrom continued his portion of the meeting. How did she not notice how close they were before? But then again, she hasn’t been paying attention to others' love life’s. She knew how Lissa had a small crush on Lon’qu (since Lissa won’t stop talking about it), but that was all she knew. Perhaps she could pair them together during the next battle…No, she couldn’t risk it. Cordelia’s resistance to magic was too weak. If she were to get injured, or in an even worse critical condition, she couldn’t forgive herself. And neither would Gaius.

Her mind traveled while observing the meeting, making note of anything suspicious activity during the meeting. Who was the imposter? Were they still lurking within them? Nobody seemed to be out of place. Tharja was still glaring at Chrom as usual. Morgan was furiously taking notes in her tome and making short quips during battle preparation, the job of assistant tactician being taken seriously as she stared at the map and its figurines down. Maribelle examines her nails, while Gregor bites at his. Lon’qu sat in the shadows listening as Nowi peered at the map and its wooden figures, poking some in an attempt to play with them.

Everyone looked right in their place and Robin’s gut only churned as anxiety got the best of her. The back of her right hand itched and burned, taking everything in her not to take off her glove and scratch it. Furrowing her eyebrows, she recited a small mantra to calm herself. It’s ok. You can trust everyone here. No ones going to betray you. It will be fine . All the while, she’s reciting plans and tactics to everyone as she does. Pointing out hidden spots that could provide harm to anyone who could step close, fortresses that could provide shelter for times being, and pairings that could be made if in need of a tight pinch.

“I will take Gaius, Sumia, Donnel, Maribelle, Tharja, Libra, Olivia, and Ricken onto the battlefield. Make sure to check your weapons and inventory before we march. Otherwise, you’ll have to stick to bronze weapons that Chrom will be carrying.”

A few groans were let out and Robin smiled at it. One of the battles on the way to Fort Feroxx, they were ambushed by some Risen. A creature Robin had never encountered before. She later learned that through apocalyptic occurrences that happen across the continent, these man-looking creatures sprouted from darkness and filth and attacked any living thing that moved. In the middle of a fight, Donnel’s silver lance broke and he panicked. Chrom, thankfully, carries extra weapons onto the field. But only bronze weapons at the moment. The silver weapons were being primarily used at the moment and the only other weapons available were the bronze ones. Donnel had more trouble trying to kill the creatures when they started to surround him. Apparently, this sort of occurrence happened a lot.

Clearing her throat to get their attention back, she spoke up once again.

“I also need a team to go with Emmeryn as she rallies and proves that she is indeed alive and well. This can prove to be an advantage as Emmeryn is one of the countries most looked upon leaders. We must also ensure that the news of Emmeryn being assassinated is true at the time being. We must have Gangrel believe that he did his job and when the time arises, Emmeryn will step in and prove that he failed and we will deal the final blow. Frederick will personally escort her to the nearby towns. Do we have any volunteers to help Frederick in planning a secure route?”

At first it’s quiet and Robin loses some hope for the team, until a hand is raised. Morgan stands out in the group as her face is set with determination. She felt her lips tug into a smile and nodded at her.

“Wonderful, thank you Morgan. I will have you take the lead with Frederick then. The rest of you who aren’t joining us at the border will help escort Emmeryn.” And with that, Robin had Morgan devise her own plan to help her and Frederick. Morgan was instructed to take the rest of the team and escort Emmeryn around the destroyed villages to raise morale and heal the injured. Morgan would report back to Robin and Chrom to ensure a route to meet them at the border wastes.

The meeting comes to a close as Robin wraps up the last of the battle plans. Robin pulled Emmeryn, Frederick and Morgan aside to a quieter part of camp, instructing them to plan carefully together and to go as soon as tomorrow to take refuge in some villages.

After dismissing the two, she stretched her arms and let out a big yawn. The day had gotten away from her and before she knew it, it was already dark. The moon was beginning to peak out  from behind the clouds and a warm  breeze began to blow through the camp. Emmeryn smiled at her and patted her back softly.

“Thank you Robin. For everything you do.”

“Oh it’s no problem at all, You’re-Emm.” Robin laughed nervously at her mistake. “Forgive me, I’m still not used to calling someone of your caliber an informal name.”

“It’s quite alright.” Emm chuckled. “You’ll get used to it soon. I believe I shall retire for the night. If you see my brother, tell him I will be in Lissa's tent.”

“Of course, good night.” Robin called as she watched her retreating form. She, herself, should get to her own tent as well. Gathering her things together and hefting the maps in her arms, she made her way back to her tent. She planned on reviewing the battle plans once more to make sure everything goes well. But before she could, she ran into Cordelia. The both of them let out squeals or yelps as they almost drop their items. Robin, her maps and Cordelia, a bundle of weapons.

“Robin! My apologies, I didn’t see you there.”

“Neither did I, the fault is both of ours. We weren’t paying attention.” Robin chuckled. The pair was silent for a moment. It felt a little awkward as the two stood there in front of each other for a little bit. It felt a little tense as the fight between them was really intense. She hoped that Cordelia didn’t feel any resentment towards her after the battle. After a couple seconds, Robin stepped a little to her right to let Cordelia through.

“Well, I guess it’s off to bed now. We both need to get a lot of rest before the battle.”

“R-right.”

Robin did her best to stay calm as she walked away, praying it didn’t look like she was walking away too fast.

“Robin?” Cordelia called after her. When Robin turned, Cordelia was already catching up to her. When she finally reached her side, Cordelia stopped and bowed her head. “I…I just want to apologize for earlier.”

“Huh?” Robin looked at her, baffled. Was this because of the fight earlier?

“I was really taken back by your fighting earlier that I forgot that we were fighting for sport. It felt…like a real battle. I was immersed by your fighting, that my instincts kicked in. I was really worried about your legs after that fight-it was a relief when Libra told me that they healed completely.”

“C-Cordelia, it’s ok! Besides, I should be apologizing to you. I was more worried about you. I had struck you with fatal blows, it’s a miracle you survived those attacks!”

“I appreciate your sentiment and accept your apology-on one condition.” Cordelia hefted up a javelin from the pile of weapons she was carrying. “Tell me what you think of this javelin.”

Robin was taken back by this. She looked at Cordelia and then down at the weapon. At first glance, anyone would think that it was another regular weapon. But as Robin inspected it more, she noticed that the handle and point was handmade. There was a design carved into the handle, wrapping from the hilt to the handle.

“W-wow…Cordelia, this is beautiful. Did you make this?”

“I did. I was given feedback on my last one and this is the result, but I fear it needs more work.” Cordelia had a sad look in her eyes, but she looked so longingly at this weapon that Robin could only deduce this as the fallen comrade. He made such a big impact on his comrades that Robin could only feel inferior to him. How could she fill his shoes and have the others trust her as they did him?

“So, what do you think?”

Cordelia’s voice shook her out of her stupor and she gave a look back over the javelin.

“The only flaw I can find is the point. It’s begun to wear out and become dull. It’ll become hard to put an end to our enemies. But other than that, it’s very well-made. The balance is perfect for your form and perfect length too.”

“Thank you.” Cordelia looked down at it and smiled. Her smile looked more sincere and Robin could see how much she cherished it. Looking over at her once more, she remembered the scene from earlier.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Gaius?” Robin nudged her arm a little and smirked at her. Being a woman, it wasn’t hard to resist gossip and knowledge. She also wanted to break the ice a little. “You guys were chatting a lot during the war meeting.”

“H-huh?” Cordelia’s cheeks slushed a soft pink. “Where did that come from?”

“I saw how you two look at each other. Are you guys…?”

“OH,  GODS NO!” Cordelia's voice was loud, gathering any eyes near them to look towards. “I-I mean, we’re just close friends. There’s nothing going on!”

Robin knew that look. It was that longing look that Lissa gives Lon’qu when he narrowling saves her from an attack.

“...” Robin stared Cordelia down, giving her a silent look of confirmation. When she didn’t say anything back and her face became a darker shade of hue, only then did Robin cheer quietly. “Cordelia, this man likes you! And you like him too! Can you believe it? How can you not see it? You two are adorable for each other.”

“I can’t see it happening,” Cordelia groaned. “He only comes over to be with me when he has nothing else better to do. I’m sure from all my constant nagging that he’s already annoyed by how I act. He even says that I act like his mother. Hah, can you believe that?!”

With the way she was acting, Robin could see how she felt. Despite being a genius and like other pegasi riders, Cordelia wore her heart on her sleeve. The affection she held when she kept rambling on about him made no difference to her protests.

“...and I’m sure that he already slacks off more than usual when he sees I’m doing the rest of chores or helping with kitchen duty! He just becomes more lazy whenever I’m around to-”

“Cordelia!”

She stopped, eyes wide from how loud Robin shouted. Her mouth half open mid-sentence.

“You need to make peace with your feelings.” Robin placed a hand on her shoulder. “Even if he doesn’t see you in that way, you should tell him how you feel.”

The two sat in silence for a moment, lamenting on the thoughts from the night.

“Alright,” Cordelia finally announced. “I’ll tell him when we all band back together at the border.”

Robin mentally slapped her head, but if that’s how Cordelia wants to do it-she’ll leave her be. The two bid each other goodnight and parted to each other's tents. Robin smiled to herself-she finally made up with Cordelia! Well, sort of. They weren’t on bad terms in the first place, but it seems like a start. As Robin approached her tent, she heard her name.

“Robin?”

Morgan stood in the shadows besides her tent, spooking her. Her hair and coat made her blend into the dark, making her unseen.

“Gah! Morgan?” Robin felt her skin crawl as she jumped. “What are you doing over here? Isn’t your tent farther away than mine?”

“Yeah, but I wanted to go over some plans for the route back to the border.” A book was held close to her face, shrouding it. She peeked over it shyly. “Could you go over them with me?”

Robin gave her a look-over, the back of her hand twitching once more. She’s not an imposter, right? Robin’s mind swam, but she let out a breath and had a question set on her lips.

“Morgan,” Robin’s voice sounded stern when she heard herself. Morgan looked surprised. “Can you tell me you gave that book?”

Morgan’s eyes went wide and then casted her eyes down to the tome she was holding. Robin couldn’t tell what expression she wore, but she slowly reached into her robes to find the tip of her own tome and got ready to pull it out.

Silence filled her ears as she waited for Morgan to speak. It spoke volumes to her, but she had to be cautious. Before long, Morgan made a noise that startled her. It sounded more like a squeak as she opened and closed her mouth, nothing coming out as her lips quivered.

“...m-my father gave this to me,” Morgan lifted her face higher, tears welling up into her eyes. “...just before…”

Robin's eyes went wide and she let go of her own tome. Before she knew it, she had dropped her scrolls and maps to comfort the girl. She had swept her into her arms and held her as tight as she could. She didn’t know what possessed her to do it, but she had this feeling that this was right.

“I’m sorry, Morgan.” She whispered into her hair. Putting her hand to the top of her head, she began to run her hand through her hair. Mentally, she began to scold herself. How could she accuse this poor girl, she had gone through enough already and now she’s adding fuel to the fire. Morgan’s shoulders shook a little beneath her own arms and she squeezed her a little tighter. “It’s ok to let it out. It must’ve been hard for you to lose someone so important to you.”

After a second, Morgan let out a quiet sob. Robin felt her arms clutch at the front of her robes and she broke down even harder. After a while, Morgan finally lifted her face from her front. Her face was streaked with tears and other fluids, while the rim of her eyes were tinged pink. Robin pulled out a handkerchief she found in her pocket and began to wipe her face gently, earning some groans of protest from underneath the cloth.

“Come on, I’ll brew you some tea inside my tent.” Robin guided her in, lighting several lamps in her way in. After seating her on her bedroll and starting to boil some water, Robin excused herself to pick up the maps she dropped. Luckily, neither of them stepped on them and was only a little dusted from the dirt. A sharp whistling noise caught her attention, the water was ready, and she made her way back inside. Setting down her scrolls, she pulled the kettle from the fire and placed it on a pile of rocks she had set aside for it.

“What kind of tea do you prefer?” Robin asked, trying to keep her voice soft to not alarm the younger girl. “I’m no conusoir like Frederick or Maribelle, but I have my own tastes. I usually keep sweeter leaves and even more sugar to help me choke down the bitter aftertaste.”

“Um, green tea or Oolong is just fine.”

Robin took out a canister from her knapsack and opened it, scooping out enough for her tea ball and placed it into the kettle. She took off her coat, folding it by her bedside, and began to make herself busy by tidying up the tent a little, self-conscious that there was another person in her own tent.

“...I’m sorry,” Morgan mumbled, her eyes casted on to the ground. “I’ve been really mean and cold to you lately. I’ve just been really upset that you seemed to be replacing him in everyone’s hearts…”

“It’s all right,” Robin said softly. “I understand that ever since I was welcomed, everyone’s been a little stiff. It’s only natural for you to be uncomfortable and threatened when someone new arrives, especially me.”

She poured the tea into one of her cups she had from her knapsack and handed it to her, careful as she tried not to spill. Morgan took it from her hands and held it close to her lips, taking in its fragrance.

“But, of course, I want to become closer to everyone as we’re all fighting against the same cause. It’s only natural to become friends with your own allies.”

“...so, what are you fighting for?” Morgan peeked up at her from behind her hair to look at her, evaluating Robin’s expressions and body language.

“...” Robin froze as she had her teacup lifted to her lips as well. Another question Robin had buried deep to not question or think about. The back of her hand was itchy again and there was a throbbing from behind her eyes. What was she fighting for ? To find out her identity? Or was her memory hiding something important to her?

“To be completely honest, I don’t know.” She finally admitted. “I have nothing to hide, but something feels wrong when I’m around everyone. I know I belong, but at the same time I don’t. Everything and everyone seems so familiar. I…I had a dream. Chrom was there and he helped me, but in my dream I betrayed him. It felt so real, but it was part of a dream! With my amnesia, I can’t seem to remember what is real and what isn’t.”

The two sat in silence for a while, before Morgan spoke up again.

“It was like that for me too.” She took a sip out of her cup. “When I first woke up, everything felt familiar. I knew where I was, but I didn't have a clue how I got there. Eventually, I ran into The Shepherds and that’s when I saw him: my dad. When I saw him, I knew who he was. He looked younger than I remembered, but it was definitely him. I don’t even remember who my mom was. I had a keepsake, but I lost it when I was attacked by Risen. I knew who everyone was, vaguely, but everything was a blur before that. Dad said it was like that too when Chrom and Aunt Lissa found him too.”

Robin stared into her drink. So, she wasn’t the only one who experienced these things. This felt like no coincidence. Three people waking up with no previous memory and felt a connection with a random group of strangers? Something wasn’t right.

“You know, we’re all alike in a way.” Morgan said quietly. “I mean, you look exactly like my dad! Except, you’re a woman and all that.”

Robin chuckled at her statement. “I’m glad you think we’re alike. I feel the same way. I…hope we can start off on the right foot now.”

The two smiled with each other, before Morgan asked to look over her battle plans again. With a new found hope and connection, the two chatted the night away discussing strategies and eventually found a peaceful rest until the next morning.

Chapter Text

    The air was hotter than usual, causing Robin to flop over on her back. She was sweating. Excessively. Her bedroll was damp with her sweat and her clothes were sticking to her body, making it impossible to sleep or be comfortable. As the sun was rising slowly in the sky, Robin knew that it would only become hotter until night came. She exited her tent to find relief from her stuffy tent, but was only greeted by a small breeze. The relief only lasted a second.

    Two days have passed since the Shepherds split up to rally and conquer. Robin had made sure to wake Morgan and send them off earlier than intended to help the nearby villages, while on the other hand Robin wanted the rest of them to leave as soon as possible to catch up with Gangrel.

    Robin almost regrets leaving so soon. The closer and closer they get to the border, the hotter and hotter it gets. Despite the summer slowly coming to an end in Ylisse, it was still just as hot near Plegia. She opted out from putting her coat on and headed to the center of the campsite, her stomach rumbling for breakfast. Donnel sat by a pot over a fire and tended to it, sitting on one of the dead trees they all dragged together the day before. She let out a yawn as she sat down next to him.

    “Mornin’ Donnel.” She mumbled. “Waz fir br’fast?”

    “Mornin’ Robin! Just another day of rice gruel.”

    “Hm…” She grunted and tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. Donnel sounded way too chipper for the morning, but he was always an early riser. He always tended to the barrack and palace gardens back at Ylisstol. Donnel had been selling some of his produce as they were ripe and ready, saying that the gold he obtains helps them on their expedition. He had harvested some delicious watermelon the last time and it was perfect for a hot summer day. She wished she could have some right now. 

    “Here Robin,” a voice chirped from behind her. She turned around and saw Sumia holding a bucket and some towels in hand. “You can wash your face with this.”

    Sumia handed her a towel and placed the bucket down. Robin thanked her and scooped some water with her hands and splashed her face. The water was cold and shocked her awake immediately. Using the towel, she wiped her face off and handed it back.

    “Thank you Sumia. Where did you get that water and how did you get it to be cold?”

    “Oh, Ricken helped us! He had a couple boxes full of ice that never melts and had some kegs of water cooled with it.” Sumia folded the towel back together and picked up the bucket. “Be sure to see him if you’re thirsty too, he’s rationing out the water for our canteens.”

    Robin thanked her and stepped away from the fire, the smoke and heat beginning to get back to her head. Stepping away, she began to pull her muscles and stretch. Frederick was always on her when they needed to do morning exercise. When she first started marching with them, she was greeted with a loud trumpet tune and Frederick pacing outside everyone’s tents. Everyone knew the plan and what to expect, but Robin didn’t. When she was done with her first training with everyone, it was already before noon and her body felt so sore. Frederick claimed that her body was too soft and that she didn’t have the expected muscles with the power she’s been using. With mind and body, power and magic can also build with constant body building. But now Frederick wasn’t with them. Robin had to keep up the regime herself if she wanted to build a little muscle and get her power back up.

    She began with simple stretches before turning to running and speed. After doing a couple laps, she saw that there were a couple people following her. One of them was the blue-haired lord. She chuckled as she realized that she had set an example for them. As he caught up to her, he let out a wave.

    “Morning, Robin!” He panted. “I didn’t expect you to follow Frederick’s regime so studiously.”

    “Well, you know how Frederick puts it, ‘When one slacks off, they will soon fall behind.’”

    He let out a winded laugh, almost losing his footing in the sand. Robin chuckled again to herself, trying not to become winded herself. The two ran side by side until Robin noticed that the two of them were bouncing from being the lead.

    “Are you challenging me, milord?” Robin smirked at him, hoping to get a rise out of him.

    “And what if I am?”

    “Come on, lovebirds.” Gaius’s voice came up from behind, startling her, and began to pass them, inciting a more promising challenge. “Get a move on!”

Robin scoffed, feeling her face heat up, and pumped her legs harder to catch back up.

    “Wha-? Hey, wait!” Chrom called, as he also tried desperately to catch up too.

    Soon there was a race between them as the others watched. Robin finished first as she began to use low-level wind spells to sprint across the sand and dirt mixture. Maribelle called for them as Robin and Gaius began to tease each other and call unfair shots.

    “Come now, don’t be such brutes and eat!” She called. Robin, still flicking sand at Gaius with her wind spells, hurried over to the group. “And you, Robin, need to act more like a lady. A lady shouldn’t be philandering out in the open like that.”

    She pointed down at her clothes. Robin looked down, examining her attire. She didn’t think what she had on was bad. A plain sleeveless shirt with combat pants and boots, minus the stuffy coat. For Gods sake, she first woke up in these clothes. It was the only thing that made her believe she was a different continent. Her attire was conversely different from what everyone else was wearing; her dark robes and plain attire contrasted their bright and pastel colors. She shrugged at Maribelle and gave her a smile, stating that it was the only thing she had and if she could she would get different attire. This prompted the noble lady to perk up and go off on planning a whole afternoon to go dress shopping as soon as they got back to Ylisstol.

    Soon after, Donnel started to hand out bowls of gruel. At that time, everyone was already awake and ready to eat. By the time the sun was at its peak, the camp was packed and ready to keep marching onward. Robin and Chrom took the front with Libra and Olivia in the rear. They walked for most of the morning and at one point, stopped to take a break and drink water.

    “We shouldn’t be too far,” Robin studied the map in front of her. “We should be there by mid-afternoon.”

    “Where are we now?” Chrom leaned over her shoulder to look at the map with her. His breath was on her neck again and she felt it heat up. How could he just come up close behind her like that? Doesn’t that look too intimate? No, it’s not. They’re just comrades. Everyone’s like this when there’s a war to finish. There’s no room for anything when you’re pressed back to back with your ally, fighting off the enemy. She pushed her feelings and thoughts away and focused back on the map, pointing at an estimated spot where they are now.

    Robin left Chrom to scout ahead while she made her way to the rear to check up on the everyone. Everyone seemed to be worn out by the hot sun, but their spirits were high as she talked to them. A couple people were developing blisters in unprotected spots and friction between clothes and skin. Libra and Maribelle were already on the case as they applied ointment to those who needed it. As she inspected the weapons cart, she spied a a blue pointy hat poking up from behind the tall tarp. Moving around, she found Ricken hunched over towards his lap.

    “Ricken, are you alright?” Robin placed her hand on his shoulder. He jumped, pressing papers into his chest.

“R-robin! How long have you been standing there?”

“Um, only till now. Are you…writing something?” Robin tried to peer around to see what he was writing, but Ricken turned his body to shield his writing.

“N-nothing, I’m not doing anything!” His voice cracked, a sign of maturity as he was still growing up. “Just studying!”

Robin smirked and blew out a small gust of air, sending some papers flying. Ricken let out a small cry of protests and tried to get up to catch them, but Robin was too quick. Snatching them from the air, She read the first and only line.

“Dear Mom and Dad…Oh, you’re writing to your parents?”

Ricken grabbed the papers from her hands, crumpling them up within his palm. “Yeah, so what?”

“That’s wonderful! I’m sure they’re worried about you and would want to know what you’re doing.”

“Yeah, well that’s the thing. I don’t want them to worry!” He snapped.

Robin was taken aback, but only for a second. She knew Ricken was sensitive, but that was only because he was entering an awkward phase of his life. He was growing up and he felt inferior to the others since he was one of the younger soliders.

“It’s only in a parents nature to worry, Ricken.” Robin gently placed a hand on his back. “Granted, you would feel the same way if you had kids of your own.”

“Wha-don’t talk to me like my parents, I’m not a child!”

“Don’t worry,” Robin laughed. “I’m not. Just think of it as friendly advice from one comrade to another. If you need help in the future, just come let me know.”

She patted him on the back before moving on to looking at the rest of the party. Mentally, she checked off one task after the other. She had to ensure that everything would go to plan and nothing was left behind. Emmeryn and them should be meeting with them as soon as they were on the field and with that, the morale will shatter amoung the Plegian army.

    After refilling their canteens, they marched on once more. Time passed slowly and as Robin watched the horizon, she noticed a speck in the distance. At first, she thought it was trees or rocks, but as they neared closer, it appeared to be a person. Robin put her hand up to signal everyone to halt. Chrom was already at her side as he stared them down.

    “Who is that?” Robin cupped her hands over her eyes, shading the blinding sun.

    They appeared to be walking leisurely towards them, becoming closer and closer, but eventually stopped. It took a moment of Robin to register that they had a blade in hand. The hairs on the back of her neck bristled and she became worried for a moment that it was the enemy. But then, all of a sudden, they were attacked in a flash. Another figure emerged out of nowhere and puffs of dirt began to cloud the air.

    “They’re in trouble!” Chrom exclaimed.

    “Everyone, the enemy is near!” Robin threw her hand out and began to instruct the others. “Secure the supplies and remember your formations-move out!”

    Robin and Chrom both gave each other a look and knew exactly what to do. They bolted forward towards the duo battling ahead of them. With her tome in hand, she summoned Elwind. As she neared the pair, she noticed that it was a woman who she spotted earlier. Her blue cloak was spotted with dirt, mud, and blood and her blue hair was tied up. Her stance was loose and showed slow-signs of fatigue and exhaustion.

    With one push, she thrusted her hand out and aimed at the enemy in the white cloak. She pushed herself to guard the woman and defend against the enemy's attack.

    “Back off!” The wind spell deflected the swords hit and knocked them away, a calculation Robin had misread. But this led Chrom to have a swipe at them too, narrowly missing them. Robin squinted as the dust began to settle, looking for the face of their enemy. The figure rose and when they lifted their head to meet Robin, red eyes glowed from underneath the white hood.

    Robin’s head exploded. Her vision became blurry and unfocused and her strength began to seep away. What was happening? What was wrong with her? Her hand began to burn and the voices around her were beginning to fade away, replaced by hushed whispered ones. Come, come. It was so loud, but yet so quiet. The end is nigh. With her last ounce of strength, she raised her hand and summoned mana into her palm.

    “Thoron!”

    The spell fired from her hand, but she couldn’t see where it was directed to as she fell to her knees in exhaustion. The air began to whip around her from the force of the spell and the sand began to impair her vision. Everything hurts, she thought. It burns. Her head was still throbbing as she tried to control her breathing, closing her eyes to regain consciousness.

    She felt hands around her arms and some gentle shaking. Voices were all around her, trying to communicate. She couldn’t tell who was who or what was what. Opening her eyes, she noticed that the world was slowing down, everything was moving like molasses. There was double of everything. She saw Chrom in the distance, fighting the white clad figure. A voice, it was muffled underneath a ringing—she heard coming from beside her. It was the woman she had saved. Her eyes were wide and frantic as she tried to talk to Robin. She looked so familiar…where has she seen her before?

“...” Her head felt like it was gonna split in two. Where was she? How did she get here? Where is she? Wasn’t she with…?

Robin raised a hand to her head, trying to stop it from swaying. Her hearing slowly came back to her as she tried to organize her thoughts. Everything seemed so familiar and so alien to her. It hurt. She was beginning to remember things, but she couldn’t remember what. What was going on?

“...er! …yo…ear me…?” The woman’s voice was becoming clearer and the ringing was going away. It felt familiar. The shaking and screaming that was echoing in her ear. She felt so warm in her bed. Wasn’t she in bed? “Wake up! Don’t give in!” The birds chirped their morning songs and someone was next to her, groaning as well from the needless shaking and yelling.

“‘Cina, don’t shout so loud in my ear.” Robin groaned. “I’m awake…”

It took a moment to process what had just come out of her mouth. The woman also stopped talking and moving, her hands hovering around her. Robin’s eyes became more focused now and she turned to the woman she called ‘Cina’.

“...Mother?”

It was barely above a whisper, the woman’s lips began to quiver as she stared at her. Robin stared back, squinting her eyes. Her head began to pulse again and for a moment she began to remember something. It was a faint and fragile memory, but she remembers cherishing this child as she did to her.

“I…remember you,'' Robin said slowly, trying to make out the face in her memory to be the same one in front of her. Everything was in pieces. She recognizes her, but she doesn’t remember from where. “...but I—”

“...it’s alright,” Cina spoke softly. She squeezed her shoulders. “You needn’t push yourself. Let’s just keep it a secret between you and me. For now, you may call me ‘Marth’.”

“...,” Robin’s head kept throbbing as she tried to recall the memory again, but it felt so blurry and surreal. “I…alright. For now, I shall call you Marth. But I have questions for you later.”

‘Marth’ nodded her head and helped Robin stand, having her lean against her own weight. Her legs felt like jelly, another memory—remembering that this had happened once long ago. Her head hurt from the amount of pounding her head was getting. Looking up, she saw Chrom running towards them. She patted Marth on the shoulder and, reluctantly, she let go of her. Pulling a concoction out from her pocket, she down it in one sitting. The bittersweet taste left a sour aftertaste in her mouth. Within seconds, she felt immensely better. Her headache was still present, but she could deal with it for the time being.

“Robin!” Chrom’s eyebrows were furrowed, his expression worried. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Robin tried to play the part as she wiped her mouth and dusted off her coat. “Thankfully Marth stepped in to help me.”

Chrom’s and Marth’s brows shot up, both sharing an identical look of surprise.

“Oh, you met already?” Chrom turned to the woman, raising his hand in a greeting. “Hail Marth well met. It’s good to see you again.”

“And you as well.” She replied, bowing her head slightly, her bangs covering her eyes. She did not raise her head after.

“You know her?” Robin eyed the two of them. Their features were strikingly similar and what’s more, she had taken the name from the Hero King, Marth—Ancestor to Chrom. She pondered if they were related at all. But that couldn’t be, since she was apparently her mother.

“Yes, she saved Emmeryn when an assassin attacked the castle. Although,” Chrom rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “We have met before that.” 

“What happened to the enemy?” Robin questioned Chrom, saving the young lady from any more talk about her.

“She retreated.” Chrom sighed, sheathing Falchion. “She seemed to only have eyes for Marth and when I went for them, she seemed disinterested in me.”

Robin placed a hand over mouth. Why only go for Marth? Robin didn’t see any valuable items on her person and her attire was soiled with blood and dirt. She would have to pester ‘marth’ even more later. What was the enemy's goal here? Were they with Gangrel?

“...well, regardless of her proposition,” Robin pulled out her tome once again. “We must be prepared. It isn’t over yet.”

She motioned for them to follow her, before taking off to the battlefield ahead of them.

~ ~

    Aversa surveyed the tattered camp as she walked. Soldiers were bruised and battered as they lay bandaged on the ground. Their bodies were hunched over, some staying out of the sun, while others sat bleeding like stuck pigs . She scowled at the mess she was looking at. She knew that He had a plan for all of them, but why give this job to Gangrel? He was becoming out of hand; the fate that was written before them foretold that Gangrel would fall here, but that could have been easily prevented if she was leading these troops. Everything was going to plan, but Gangrel had to put in an extra step and attack Emmeryn a day earlier than what was planned.

    She noticed him, standing a ways away from camp. A gleeful smile on his face. Letting out one last breath to calm herself, she composed herself and walked up behind him.

    “Milord,” She announced herself. “The enemy has been spotted and has taken the field.”

    Gangrel lets out a laugh, clasping his hands behind his back. “Back already? I feel like I just said goodbye!”

‘Hmph, ignorant fool,’ She thought, brushing back her hair with her hand. ‘Know your place.’

    “Our scout reports to us that they seem to be in good spirits.” Aversa strokes her cheek with a long fingernail, leaving out an important piece of information. She wouldn’t need to report to him much longer at this rate.

    “Why do you care what she says? She’s not with us anyways! Hee hee…! I could break their ranks as easily as I break wind.”

    This sent him into a fit of giggles. Aversa rolled her eyes and lit a small fire underneath his feet, sending him into a little dance. She could care less what could happen between a little spat between him and her. She already saw what happened to Nelson and she wasn’t worried one bit.

    “You watch your tongue. Our Lord has graced us with more power and servants to take over this world, mind you. Hmph, I would like to see you dance and sing like that for the rest of your puny life.”

    Gangrel stomped the fire out before lurching towards her, pulling out his Levin sword and raised it to her neck. Aversa made no move or expression if this alarmed her at all.

    “Listen well now dear,” He licked his lips. “I don't give a damn to what you all say, but if you also want to get out of here alive—I suggest you start listening to what I say.”

    Before she could retort, a foot soldier came running up to them.

    “Y-your Highness! I-I have dire news!”

    Gangrel snarled and lowered his blade. “What is it now? Speak!”

    “O-our troops are laying down their weapons and deserting the field!”

    No surprise there. Aversa crossed her arms and hid her smile behind her hand. This should serve him right.

    “Aversa,” Gangrel growled. “There is a truth in this world and if I must teach that Ylissean welp, It will be that one must either be strong and live…or die by my hand! Bwa ha haa!”

~ ~

    “The army is in disarray,” Marth explained through breaths as they hurried down the sandy slopes. “Gangrel has been abusing his power and the soldiers are beginning to flee and lay down their arms.”

    “How?” Chrom asked. “This is incredible! Where did you hear this from?”

    “I ran into the East Khan and your merchant on my way here. Many are seeking refuge in a nearby village. They say that The Exalt, Emmeryn resides there and is making her way to the Border Wastes.” Marth looked at them in disbelief. “Is this true? Is the Exalt still alive?”

    “Yes,” Robin responded, she ducked into an empty fortress. “She was accompanying us to the recent tournament in Regna Feroxx that we were invited to.”

    The two others followed her, breathing heavily to catch their breath. Robin stole a look at the woman. Marth’s face was washed with relief. “Thank Naga,” She breathed. “I had feared the worst when I heard grim news.”

    “We had taken the extra precautionary tests and set up a double to make sure she was safe.” Chrom responded. “After the first attempt, we knew something like this was bound to happen again.”

    “Lady Emm is rallying in different villages to gain morale,” Robin put in. “We have half of our band traveling with her to ensure her safety. They plan to meet us here at the border today as we bring down Gangrel.”

    “She believes in peace, for a world that deserves more than it's worth.” Chrom wielded Falchion, examining its blade carefully. “And now we can make sure that that future is ahead of us.”

    The three of them readied themselves and checked their weapons. Robin knew that the battle was nigh, but something, or everything, seemed to be wrong. Her head was still aching and her memories seemed to become foggier the more she forgets to think about it. Something wasn’t right. The group was startled as they heard a horn blow in the distance. They climbed the fortress stairs and found themselves faced with a torn army. Men and women stood on shaking legs, some of them still bleeding from a previous battle. Robin couldn’t even stand to look at it. How could someone let this happen to their own troops? Just by looking at the field with her Insight, she knew there was no hope in winning for them. There were no healers around as well as any abundance in weapons. Some were using cooking utensils or branches from the ground. In the distance, Gangrel stands tall and proud from his own fortress, surrounded by more lackeys.

    “Well, well, well,” Gangrel cackles, his voice being projected from a special tome. “Good day to you, little princling! How do you fare on this hot day? Still sobbing over your sister?”

    “There will be no more out of you, Gangrel.” Chrom’s voice was clear as he addressed The Mad King. “Today will be the day that Ylisse and Plegia finally get the peace they deserve. Your tyranny shall reign no more!”

    “Bwa haa haaa! You think you can make peace with war? Look around you, no man will ever know peace. You don’t even know the first thing about it!”

    “I know more than you shall ever know and there’s one who wishes it for her people and anyone else in this world.”

    “Pah ha ha! Your sorry excuse for a sister? She would do nicely as a decoration for ‘peace’. You and I are the same. When war asks us a question, we answer with action and blood!”

The army in front let out weak responses, a small cry for a smaller king. Gangrel was trying to get a rise out of Chrom and Robin could see it building.

    “...Chrom.” Robin steps up by his side and puts her hand on his arm.

    “I’m quite alright,” He says softly, his demeanor changing as fast as lightning. “He and I could never be the same.”

    “Ugh, may I vomit now? How can you make goo-goo eyes right in front of me?” Gangrel faked gagging and started laughing at his own antics. “Gods, such flowery devotion for a field made just for battle. We both are beasts—beasts who want to do nothing but kill! We devour anything in our way and cut down those we don’t need! We use those for our own selfish needs!”

    “If that’s so, this could explain why others choose to abandon you. You poison others and fester maliciousness in their blood. No one wants to stand beside a king who hurts his own people.”

    “Such a clever mind paired with a quick tongue, it will look wonderfully paired with the body of your sister!”

    With that his voice was dispersed and another horn was sounded, signaling soldiers to commence battle. Robin spied the others approaching the battlefield, some of them already wounded or tired. Looking back at the ragged enemy, she felt pity and knew that if she did not do something, she would regret it later.

    “New strategy!” She called out from the fortress to the rest of the brigade. “Spare anyone who lays down their arms! If they wish to fight for Gangrel, they’ll hold steady!”

    The trio made their way down from the fortress, Marth forking off from them with a new plan that Robin gave her. Robin and Chrom made a beeline for Gangel, attacking anyone that approached them with intent. Robin noticed that many mages on the field were carrying wind tomes and that their own thief was making its way towards the west chest on the field. Gaius was further away from the chest than them, making her only a little nervous. She knew that if they possess the artifact, they can always get it by slaying him. But if they were forced to get it by Gangrel, then another innocent life would be taken away.

    “Gaius!” Robin called out, blocking an attack from a mercenary. “Get to that chest as soon as you can!”

    The battlefield was becoming bloody, riddled with bodies. But why did it feel like there was so much more than before? Slowing time, she used Insight once more and saw that soldiers were coming up from the fortresses by Gangrel. They must have used the underground ways to get more soldiers to filter through onto the battlefield.

    She cursed under her breath and aimed a fire spell into a couple enemies, only to get hit back with Arcwind. She stumbled, cursing even more. She was getting hit left and right, due to her being careless.

    “I can try my best, but I won’t be able to get to it on time!” Gaius yelled back.

    “Don’t worry,” a voice called out from ahead. “I’m open for business!”

    Just then, a woman fell out of the sky. Blocking an incoming attack, she gave Robin a wink before slashing at the attacker. Robin stared at the red-head, her mouth gaped at what she just witnessed.

    “You alright?” She asked. She was a lean woman, dressed in red and a small cute bear hung from the handle of her sword. She wore a sly grin and she looked at Robin with calculating eyes.

    “Ah, uh yes.” Robin finally mustered out. “Who are…?”

    “My apologies, we haven’t been introduced yet!” She grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously. “The name’s Anna. I’ve been gathering intel for Chrom and the gang. You must be Robin!”

“Uh, yes. How did…”

“Oh, I’ve heard all about you!” Anna giggled and blocked another attack from behind while making eye contact with Robin. “There’s already so many reports that I hear from Chrom—”

“ANNA!” Chrom yelled from beside them. “Hurry it up over there and get straight to the point! We have a war to finish!”

“Ugh, fine.” Anna ran her sword through the enemy and huffed like it was nothing. “His lordship is so touchy…here, ya go!”

Anna threw a brick at Robin, who caught it as she blew a wind attack to her side.

“Snatched that from the west! Now ya boy can go to the other in the east.”

Robin pocketed the bullion and told Gaius the news, to which he signaled to her and ran off to retrieve the other artifact. Anna bid her farewell as she jumped over more enemies and disappeared within the crowd. With one of the chests secured, Robin headed over to Chrom and decided to act on the plan.

“Let’s go!” She aimed a fire spell at their feet, cutting off any enemy that tried to follow them. “We can cut through here!”

The soldiers around them were already weakening and some were already abandoning the field. Robin looked across the field, searching for the other group as they rallied. She could hear Gangrel’s pitchy voice cackling from across the field. She knew they were close. She yelled for Chrom to throw her a sword, catching it while aiming down to slash at an enemy.

As the fight continued, she heard a rallied roar from the other side of the field. Looking up, she saw a faint sign of green and white flags bellowing in the wind. An army crested over the sandy dunes, Frederick leading the charge with Emmeryn close at his side. As they approached closer, Plegian soldiers started to stop and look. Some were already laying down their weapons and turning tails as they saw hope on the edge of the world.

“How…dare she come to haunt me here!” Gangrel spat. His face was contorted and twisted, features that did not suit him. “Have you come to die by my hands once again? Who said you could draw another breath! I saw you die, laying on the palace floor so miserably!”

“You mistake your intentions with foolish mistakes that has cost people their lives. I beesch all of you to listen to reason and lay your arms down! War can only bring hate and sorrow that will torment us endlessly.”

“Another silver tongued royal has entered the fray!” Gangrel had a maniacal look in his eye as he staggered back and forth. “All I wish right now is for my sword to cut you down in one fell swoop only to kill the rest of your Ylissean pups in my path!”

“Will you reason with no one Gangrel?” Emmeryn called out one last time. Her arm rested on Fredericks horse, ready to rise up and command the army. “Seek the truth in my words and we can enter parlay once more.”

“The only thing I want is the Emblem and you to be GONE!”

“Then we all will do what we must to contain peace…as I will do to stop you and your tryanny.”

With Emmeryn’s signal, the Ylissean army charged forth. A battle cry echoing throughout the field. Already quaking in their boots, some soldiers threw their weapons onto the ground and began to run.

With Gangel so close and the field in dissarray, Robin aimed a wind spell at him. She hit him successfully, a howl coming from him.

“Let’s do this!” She called. But before she could take another step, Robin felt her cloak pulled from behind, becoming separated from Chrom. She grasped desperately to grab on to him; his cloak, arm, or clothes, but to no avail as she was swept away in the crowd. Her head began to pound again and she felt a fireball hit her arm.

    “Chrom!” She cried out, making sure he knew where she was. She dodged an axe and fired a gust into the crowd, creating some space.

    “Robin!” He stretched his hand out to grab for her, but was stopped short. His body surged with heat and shock. He was hit with lightning, Gangrel had his levin sword out behind him.

    “Come little princling,” He taunted. “Don’t keep me waiting!”

    Chrom staggered to his feet, blocking several blows from soldiers around him. Gangrel began to yell at them, throwing lightning at them.

    “No, no! He’s mine! Leave him to ME! I want his head and his sisters on a pike!”

    Chrom gritted his teeth. How could this insane man be fit to be a king? Who could ever know.

    “My sister and I wish peace for both of our countries, but as long as you draw breath, no one shall know. For Ylisse!”

    With a dash, he cleared the distance between him and Gangrel in a second. He could feel Naga bless his speed and agility as he locked swords against his opponent. Their fight went on as Gangrel danced around him, laughing as he did so.

    “Hmmm…” Gangrel pushed against him, a shock of electricity going up his arm. “That’s a cute little bird you have there. Would be a shame if it was left in the mouth of a cat.” He laughed out loud once more before Chrom felt a searing pain in his abdomen.

    He grunted, looking down to see a dagger plunged into his torso. He raised his leg and proceeded to kick Gangrel in the gut, sending him flying across the sand. Yanking out the knife, he tried to stop the bleeding with his hand before chugging down a vulnary. The bleeding stopped, but the wound was still there. He would have to get Lissa to fix it when he sees her next.

    “I saw your tactician,” Gangrel creeped around him, his stance low and crablike. “He seemed to be doing well. Even though I don’t care for him, at least he knew who to join.”

Chrom’s blood went cold. Robin? He saw Robin? Does that mean…? Oh Gods, Chrom’s mouth felt dry all of a sudden and began to swallow nothing but air, trying to keep his head focused. He felt his legs shake, if only a little, and he grabbed on one of his legs to stop them.

“You know nothing of our comrades.” Chrom tried to keep his voice steady.

“Of course I know them!” Gangrel’s laugh was sharp and pierced his ears. “We’ve met before. That silly woman and others. That blasted dunce fooled my plan once, so I had my dogs siced on him!”

Chrom was at a loss at his words. Is that why there was a sudden ambush that day? Who was that assassin that attacked both Emm and Robin? Why do they want to destroy the peace they’ve worked so hard for? A shock went through him and he began to taste blood in his mouth.

Gangrel made another dash towards him and metal clashed together once more, grinding together in a horrible symphony.

“Perhaps I should steal away another bird this time too?” Gangrel’s voice was low, but powerful in his ear. “Once I tell her all that I know, she’ll come running to us. We'll have an advantage against all who dare to hurt us.”

Chrom’s body felt hot and he pushed Gangrel’s sword away, using his leg to kick him down on the ground. He aimed his sword at him, slashing away at his body. He couldn’t think properly. Was he yelling? Something was burning up from inside him. Gangrel just layed there, laughing as he swung his sword at him.

Gangrel raised his sword and then Chrom felt a shock go through his body. He stumbled back, seeing the ground come closer as he fell to his knees.

His vision was beginning to look blurry and Gangrel’s voice echoed in his ear. Why did they have to take Robin? Why did he sacrifice himself for their sakes? Chrom began to feel the despair he felt when he first lost his sister to the clutches of Gangrel. Was it the same with Robin? Was he held captive and forced to work for them or was a traitor all along? The strength in his body was gone, he felt no desire to go on. All this time, what was he fighting for? A hope to fix between countries and borders, but he had made so many friends along the way and one of them changed the ways he saw everything. But now he was gone. It wouldn’t be bad if he left, right? Did he even care?

He felt his hair get tugged upwards, forcing his head up. Opening his eyes, he looked Gangrel in the face. A sneer was painted on his face, glee shining in his eyes. He didn’t have the strength to go on.

He closed his eyes, forgetting about everything and everyone around him, and felt ready to embrace a cold death.

“CHROM!”

His eyes snapped open and his senses felt heightened as he heard his name. It was clear as day. The only voice he could hear within hundreds. Within an instant, He saw a flash and then purple smoke erupting throughout the air. He rubbed his eyes to see Robin in front of him, the purple mist emanating around her.

He only stared at her as she wrapped Gangrel up within the mist until there was nothing but an orb surrounding him.

Robin whipped around at him before slapping him hard in the face.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!”

Chrom sat there in shock, his mind not processing what had just happened to him. His cheek stung and he could feel it starting to swell up from the force. Robin grabbed him by the shoulders and began to shake him with every word she spoke to him.

“What do you think you’re doing?! Are you deliberately trying to get yourself killed?! What would your sisters say?!! As soon as we are done killing this bastard, I am personally going to tattle on you to your sisters! Now, snap out of it or so help me I’ll—”

Robin was cut off as she found herself with a jagged blade sticking out of her chest. Robin choked on her breath, feeling something burn her throat as she coughed something up onto her coat. The two of them froze and Robin could feel something rise within her. At first she thought it was blood, but it was cold and dark. Chrom’s blood went cold once more and he felt something surge within him. His sword felt lighter and his body felt like it could go faster.

At the same time, the two of them whipped around, just to raise their weapons right at the laughing king.

"Now I'm angry!"

"You're finished, Ruin!"

Gangrel watched in horror as the two soldiers turned towards him and both weapons wielded right at his chest. Both had a death glare aimed at him and in a split second, they had pierced right through his body.

It was a very sudden and painful death. Gangrel could only feel anger and sorrow; not for them but for himself, as he had realized the mistakes he had made. He was supposed to fix his country, but was filled with greed and malice. He wasn’t always like this.

Using the last of his strength, he raised one hand to grab the women's robes and pull her in as he used the other to grab the sword that he struck through her, cutting his hand.

“F-fool of a prince…shall die alone…” The last bit of madness laughed out, before he became serious. “Bew-ware bird…the creator shall…s-slap the mouth it feeds…”

Robin felt the sword get tugged into her body more, letting out a cry as it twisted inside her. With Gangrel’s words thrown into the wind for her to hear, he let go of his last breath and fell to the ground with a thud.

Soldiers around them began to celebrate, a rush of adrenaline shooting through their nerves. Many Plegian soldiers either began to fall to their knees in relief or began to vent their sorrow to the Gods.

Robin’s headache was pulsing once again and with a sword stuck through her, she began to feel her consciousness fade. She weakly grabbed onto the Chrom’s cloak and fell to her knees, coughing up a dark substance onto the sand. She heard Chrom calling for a healer and his arms were around her, avoiding touching the sword.

Within moments, she found many people surrounding her. Emmeryn kneeled in front of her, jostling her awake to look at her. She was saying something, but Robin couldn’t hear anything. The voices were back again and they were angry.

Wrong…wrong! How could you-! She felt another slap to her face, waking her up once more before a sharp pain flushed against her body, causing her to cry out. The plan is ruined…eliminate…ELIMINATE! She saw Gangrel’s sword from her field of vision and found hands pressed against her breast where it was lodged. Another calming wash covered her body and her pain dissipated. The voices began to disappear and her hearing came back, but with the adrenaline gone, Robin became tired. Forcing herself to open her eyes, she leaned towards Emmeryn.

“...Thank you, Emm.”

Robin felt her self fall forward and into a deep sleep.

Chapter Text

Aversa watched from afar as the clone summoned two low level Dark spells that the clone wasn’t supposed to be familiar with, and shrouded Gangrel in it. The fight was almost over. She let out a sigh and rubbed her temple. She knew how dense Gangrel could be, but to unknowingly keep the cycle going? He knew of the entire plan and yet, the future still went out the way as He predicted. She watched as Gangrel leapt forward and thrusted his sword through the other. Aversa made no move as she knew what it was capable of doing. She let out a sigh as she watched Gangrel die, knowing he would be resurrected later. She made sure to let a spy watch over his body when the battle was over. It would become a pain to transport the body across the border, so she gave the spy a teleportation device in case anything would happen. The scene in front of her unfolded as she watched the war that the King started crumble. She knew she didn’t have to be worried, but an inkling of weakness still lingered as she watched the experiment fall to her knees.

She had always been watching over her. She was there when she took her first breath and when she had her first conversation. It was always her that had to take care of her.

With one last look, she watched it become healed and slump over. She turned towards her pegasi, a figure in white sat on the back end, red eyes staring at her calculatingly underneath the hood. Aversa did her best not to scowl at their new member. He had to travel a far ways away to obtain such a trinket like this one.

“Do not fret, little one.” Aversa smiled coolly. “I did my best to secure the best possible route for us and our little bird has not perished yet.”

“Would you think He would agree?”

Aversa gripped the reigns tighter in her hand as she mounted, taking every ounce in her not to turn around.

“Let us hope so.”

~ ~

Everything was cold. Cold was everything she has ever known. Voices would always be murmuring in the background, too soft and distant for her to make out. She would lay there, hearing all of these hushed murmurers.

She’s been here before…so familiar…where was she?

There was someone…someone with her at all times. Was it a man or woman?

…Morrigan? …. Chrom.

Her senses felt dulled and sluggish as she searched her memories for what was her true self. Before long, she began to hear voices again. They spoke softly as they were by her side. Her instincts kicked in and she began to feel fear and uncertainness. The voices were getting louder and louder, before she heard a low rumble in her ear.

It’s alright. You’re ok.

The words comforted her as she began to settle into the warmth before falling into a deep, warm slumber.

~ ~

Peeling her eyes open, she slowly moved her head to the side. Everything in her body hurt and her body felt sluggish. Just like before.

Ugh…her brain feels foggy and muddy. She couldn’t place where she was or what she was doing. There was a dream she had before waking up, but she couldn’t remember what it was about. She groaned, rolling over on her side before feeling a sharp pain in her chest. Groaning once more, she flopped back onto the pillows she laid upon.

Doing her best to control her breaths, she surveyed the room she was in. There were five other beds in the room with her. One of them was covered by a white sheet, someone possibly residing behind it. The ceiling was tall and the room was bathed in a soft peach and cream. It looked like she was back in the Ylissean palace.

Robin tried backtracking what the last thing was that she could remember. The battle. She remembered piercing Gangrel with that awful spell. She remembers summoning it and feeling a murky, black substance gather in the palm of her hand. Her emotions were not in control at the time, it was the same feeling as when she fought Cordelia. A wild surge of power and uncontrollable anger. Gangrel had spoken to her before he died right in front of her. His eyes growing dull and his body going as limp as a doll.

And then it hit her. It felt like she was thrown against the earth and her breathing became shallow. She had killed him. She had killed someone. Staring down at her hands, she saw the murky purple substance again. It was bubbling up from nothing, the spell not holding its form and dripping down onto her hand and onto the sheets. She began to sink back into the pillows, trying to keep her hands away from her. It crawled up her arms and made its way towards her. It was so cold and slimy and as it made its way into her mouth, she began to suffocate. It crawled down her throat and threatened to choke her, take her breath and steal it from her.

It hurts….it hurts ! She clawed at her throat and chest. Her face felt hot and her eyes began to sting, tears forming and ran down her face. A hand grabbed at her arms and hands and she could hear voices around her. Were they the voices again?

“...bin…..Robin!”

Opening her eyes, she saw the room again. Everything looked as if nothing had happened. The room glowed from the sun and the walls pristine. Nothing changed except the people who surrounded her. Chrom sat closest to her, holding her hand and rubbing her back.

“Robin, are you alright?”

She looked at him, wide eyed as she breathed heavily.  The tears were flowing easily down her face now and her hair clung to her face from the thrashing. Her throat hurt when she tried to speak. Nothing came out, only soft wheezes.

“Here, let me help you.”

Libra came over by her side and lifted a cup of water to her lips. She drank slowly, but with each sip she got greedier and almost chugged the cup if Libra hadn’t taken it away.

“...what happened?” She croaked out, her voice scratchy and low.

“We’re back in the Ylisse, the palace.” Chrom answered. “Your wounds were severe but Emm saved you and patched you up. The fatigue also got to you as you collapse in her arms. We made it back safely, but some of us suffered grave injuries.”

She sat there, taking in the information as she listened. She was unconscious for two days, waking up in delirious fits from time to time. She couldn’t remember that she had. Chrom had some muscle spasms as Gangrel had applied the shock to him and some stab wounds to his body. He told her that it was going away, but there were still times where his fingers would twitch and his muscles would tremble underneath his clothes. Ricken had sustained a head injury while saving Sumia, where she would only have broken her leg in a fall with her pegasus. The pegasus’s wing was badly injured, but fine nonetheless.

Gaius was resting on the bed on the other side of the room with her. He waved from behind the curtain as a healer tended to him on the other side. He had a run in with Gangrel’s subordinate and servant, Aversa, and had suffered some injuries that would have killed them if Cordelia and Emmeryn hadn’t jumped in to save him. She fled as soon as they became outnumbered.

The army outnumbered the Plegians and after the battle, many fled or surrendered; Emmeryn helped both sides as she believed in peace between nations. Many people who were wounded or refugees from the war with Plegia ran to Ylisse and Emmeryn welcomed them with open arms. The double they had planted had recovered nicely and stayed by Emmeryn’s side as a lady in waiting till the next task. Emmeryn herself had to get to work, securing safe travel routes and writing letters to the head of each country, asking for a meeting to prevent anything like this from happening again.

When Chrom was done explaining, the sun had reached the afternoon and she was greeted by many visitors. Lissa and Morgan were the first to stop by as the princess sobbed dramatically next to her, wailing about how glad she was to see Robin awake. Morgan had brought her some fruit and books for the time she stayed in bed resting. Before she left, she whispered to her, “Don’t get too lazy. I’ll be working on more tactics for you.” Robin gave her a wink and the two of them shared a smile.

Nowi and Stahl visited her, recieving a good luck stone and a couple of fig cakes. She also received pudding from Vaike, books from Miriel and Sumia, and flowers from Virion. Cordelia and Tharja also stopped by to pay her a visit. Tharja also left her one of her favorite novels as well as a small doll that resembled her. When Robin asked what it was for, “To keep an eye on you.” She remarked, giving her a smirk and walking away hastily.

A sparkle caught Robin’s eye and looking down, she spied a ring on Cordelia’s finger. Robin drew a small gasp and made eye contact with the knight. Cordelia looked bashful and tried to hide her hand, blushing as red as her hair.

Robin pestered her for details and eventually Cordelia cracked and blurted that Gaius had asked her to marry him. Gaius let out a little whoop from his end and laughed, sending Cordelia to blush even harder.

“Can you believe it, Bubbles?” He hollered, his smile broad and childish. “She said YES!”

The girls laughed at his antics as Cordelia gave a rushed farewell and left some tarts on the bedside before she hurried over to Gauis, drawing the curtain to shield them.

Within the week, she had received many presents, baked goods, and books (those were her favorite). And with each passing night, Chrom would always visit her by the end of it. He told her he had to stay the night in the medical wing due to Emmeryn’s orders. Chrom had some sort of fit during the night once after the battle. He had lost control of one of his limbs and he said it felt like his heart had stopped for a split second. He was lucky that Emmeryn had come to check up on him or he would have keeled over and died.

Robin didn’t mind that he was there. She kind of liked it. They always talked before bed, snacking on the goodies that she had received during the day. He would tell stories of his childhood or about silly scenarios that ensued within the barracks.

“I can’t believe Nowi and Donnel did that!” She laughed.

“I was so surprised to see the two of them throwing rocks at birds,” Chrom chuckled, his head leaning into his hand. “I had to tell them to throw them somewhere else. Poor Kellam had been hit in the head with a stray one.”

Robin laughed, airing out her sympathy for her forgotten friend. The two of them had bonded on their way to the tournament. Soldiers began screaming about a ghost who haunted them and would  steal weapons from out of thin air. Robin had enough of their hogwash and began to investigate. Kellam was found sharpening and fixing all of the weapons that Cordelia had missed and was putting them right back where he found them. She learned to squint her eyes and look to the left whenever she was looking for him and he was always right there whenever she needed him.

Chrom threw her an orange as she was reminiscing, barely catching it as she fumbled a little with it. As she began to peel her fruit, she heard a loud crunch and looked over to see him mid chew. A giant bite was taken out of the orange, the sweet substance dribbling down the rind. He looked at her incredulously.

“...what?” His mouth full of juice and orange peel.

Robin stared at him, her mouth open as she watched him chew and swallow the entirety of the peel and its meat.

“Did you just…eat that with the orange peel?”

“Huh?” He took another bite, staring her down as he chewed.

“You did!”

“Am I…not supposed to?” 

Another crunch.

“Wha-Of course not! You could get a stomachache!”

He was halfway through his orange as he stopped and glanced down at it, before taking another cautious slow bite. Robin screamed, a smile appearing on her face, and dove for his fruit. He dodged and started to run from her as she chased him around the medical wing. She was much better now that she had recovered after a week and was slowly getting back to exercising; with caution of course.

The two of them were then yelled at by Cordelia, a regular visitor as she tended to Gaius almost daily.

“Off to bed, both of you!” She shooed them away and watched them both climb into bed before turning around.

Robin laid there, staring at the ceiling. She tried following the carvings that were etched in the cream colored walls, but was quickly distracted as Chrom began to whisper to her.

“Psst, hey Robin?”

She let a smile show through. He sounded just like a teenage girl, whispering at a slumber party.

“Yeah?” She whispered back.

“When do you think you could leave the medical wing?”

She paused, thinking. “I don’t know. If Maribelle and Libra say I can soon, then I could be out by this week.”

There was silence for a while and Robin, for a moment, thought he fell asleep.

“Hey Robin?” Oh, he was still there.

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re here with us.”

She laid there, staring at the ceiling once more.

“Me too.”

~ ~

Robin awoke to a scream, startling her awake. She was still disoriented as she sat up, trying to pinpoint the person in the dark. Chrom was thrashing in his bed, groans and cries for help echoed in the room. She threw the covers off of her and jumped to his side of the bed, pausing for a moment.

What should she do? Libra and Maribelle were on duty tonight, but they’re stationed farther than she could walk at the moment. Without hesitation, she grabbed Chrom by his arm and tried shaking him awake.

“Chrom! Chrom!”

He turned over, grabbing her arm. She winced as he tightened his hold. She underestimated how strong he was and she grabbed a hold of his wrist. 

“Chrom, wake up!” She looked up to see Gaius limping over in a crutch. His eyes were wide as he stared helplessly.

“Go get help,” She ordered, her voice booming throughout the room. “Anyone you see and whoever can help!”

He nodded and hobbled as fast as he could out the door, his voice fading away as he called for help. Robin felt her hair tug downwards and let out a yelp as Chrom pulled her hair. Grabbing his hand, she tried to gently pry his fingers from her locks. She quickly replaced her hair with her fingers instead, grasping his hand tightly as he cried out.

She had sat there for a brief moment until she had an idea. Sing for him . She didn’t know how she came to the conclusion, but she pulled herself closer in and wrapped an arm around him to rub his back. Still clutching his hand, she opened her mouth and sang a small melody.

La la la…la la la la la…Fly away towards the sky and light, my little one…la la la la…

She didn’t know how or why, but she sang as if she knew the song by heart. She didn’t know the words, but at some point she figured out a little bit of the chorus. As she kept singing, Chrom’s thrashing came to a stop and his cries came out softer now. She stared at his face as tears rolled down his cheeks. Her heart ached at the sight of him. How could a world this cruel do this to others?

The door banged open to Lissa and Emmeryn, who were still in their nightwear, while others were healers that also came to help and stood behind them. The group hurried over to the pair, Emmeryn thanking her before they moved him cautiously from her lap. His hand still clutched hers tightly. 

“Thank you for your help, Robin.” Emmeryn’s voice was soft, making her head dizzy with sleep. “‘Go get some rest.”

Robin nodded, her head bobbing up and down like a child. Slowly, she pried her fingers from his and stepped back to let the healers check up on him. With the adrenaline fading, the pain and drowsiness caught up to her and she shuffled back over to her bed. Laying down, she turned her head once more to see Chrom’s form being tucked into bed as he was getting healed.

“Can’t sleep?”

Lissa approached her bedside, holding a cup of water. Robin nodded silently, her voice hoarse from singing. Lissa handed the cup to her and watched her drink it all in one go. Lissa’s hair was down for once, an elegant cascade of curls that framed her face in a way that made her almost look like Emmeryn.

Robin handed the glass back to Lissa and snuggled back into her pillows. Lissa smiled and giggled at her and raised the blankets up to Robin’s chin. Once she was all tucked in, Robin felt herself grow warm and her eyelids felt heavy. She heard Lissa tell her one last goodnight before succumbing to sleep.

~ ~

A week had gone by and Robin was walking around the castle walls. Well-sort of. She did her best to not limp, but the pressure on the left side became too unbearable at times and she had to use a crutch every so often.

The wind was becoming cooler and leaves were browning as they fell from the trees. Fall was approaching them soon, but it wasn’t due for another month. She spent most of her time with the Shepherds as she wanted to get to know them more and more. At other times, she would usually sharpen her mind and either play a tactical game with Morgan or read another strategy book.

Today, she began to practice her spells on the dummy’s in the barrack courtyard. Morgan watched from afar, ready to jump in whenever Robin strained herself. She had found new spells in her book the day before and wanted to try them out. Two of the spells were unfamiliar ones. Ruin , a spell that clouds an enemy in a thick miasma of dark energy and Nosferatu , a spell that gives the user the ability to heal themselves from the enemy's wounds.A spell that Tharja was more familiar with Nosfertu, her favorite spell to cast. When Robin had tried them out, Nosferatu had no effect. There were a couple nicks and scratches on the dummy, but there was nothing close to damage. But as she fired Ruin, from a series of movements, she saw the black goo erupt from her hands. Her breathing became labored and her vision became fuzzy. She hadn’t realized that she was on the ground until Morgan was at her side, calling her name.

“...Robin! Are you alright?”

“...” She steadied her breathing, before trying to stand. Her legs felt like jello as she leaned on the younger girl. “...forgive me. I am alright, but maybe I should pass on spells for now.”

“How do you know those spells?”

The two girls looked behind them to see Tharja, stepping out of the shadows with her arms crossed.

“Pardon?”

“Those spells are only meant for Dark Mages and Sorcerers.” Tharja approached Robin and held her hand out. “Your tome, if you may.”

As soon as the book was handed to Tharja, she flipped through the pages. She spent most of her time staring at the two new spells in the book. She paced for a while before stepping aside to aim at the practice dummy Robin was working on. With a hum in the air, Tharja let go of the book and began to go through the series and movements of Ruin. The book would levitate above her open palm for a couple seconds until it touched it for a brief second, only for it to levitate back up.

With the incantation spelt out in front of her and the spell building up in her hand, Tharja aimed the spell and the dummy was clouded in dust. With a flick of her wrist, she turned and the dust hardened. Hard debris and pointed spears formed around the dummy from all sides.

Robin stared in awe and couldn’t help but to clap from the art of spell casting. Tharja stared at the pages once more before handing the book back.

“Hmm…Interesting. These spells may be low level for dark mages,” She spoke low and to the point. “But to you, this might as well be an S level spell. To achieve such a high damage and precise spell, one must allow darkness to seep into one's heart as well as have high willpower to even achieve holding the spell together.”

“O-oh,” Robin let the information seep in and stared down her hands, wondering how the spells came into her hands in the first place.

“But,” Morgan stepped up, her hands in fists excitedly. “It is possible for her!”

“What?” Tharja snapped, her eyes cold. “Didn’t you hear me? She must-”

“-allow darkness in her heart and high willpower blah blah blah. I know! But I saw her use Ruin before.”

Both older women looked at Morgan incredulously.

“What?” Robin asked.

“When?” Tharja demanded at the same time.

“At the border, when we were fighting Gangrel. I was watching Chrom get beat up and Robin stepped in and went whooosh ! And there was a big purple orb-just as spectacular as yours Tharja!”

“What about me getting beat up?”

Chrom was walking over with a basket full of sandwiches and fruit, a smile adorning his face.

“Chrom!” Morgan grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the circle. “Tell Tharja! Tell her that Robin can do anything!”

“H-huh? Umm…I don’t know if I can do anything with this kind of matter.” He chuckled, looking awkwardly at the ladies.

“This isn’t a matter if Robin can do anything,” Tharja snapped back. “It’s about Robin using things she isn’t supposed to.”

Robin spied Tharja glaring daggers at Morgan and the latter doing the same back. Robin got in between the two before anything could happen next.

“Alright you two,” She laughed nervously. “Let’s save sparring for another day…Ooh! Is that pudding I spy in your basket Chrom? Well, don’t mind if I do!”

The four of them ate lunch outside and talked amongst each other. Tharja and Morgan were debating the best thing that Robin can do the best, which made her happy but uncomfortable as well. She didn’t think she could do everything, but it was surprising to hear the amount of things they saw her do.

“They sure are animated today.” Chrom was leaning in towards her, handing another half of the sandwich. Robin had already scarfed down a whole sandwich already. Training was hard work and you had to keep your stomach full for strength.

“No kidding,” Robin mumbled into her sandwich. She leaned against him, comfortable with using his side as support. “I haven’t seen Morgan excited to talk about anything besides tactics like this before.”

The two laughed and started to chat about the upcoming days ahead of them. Emmeryn had planned to have an open ball for all countries to participate in, inviting anyone who would join. There was also a festival coming up that aligned with the ball. She must have planned that on purpose for everyone to join in on festivities.

“When will this ball happen?” Robin wiped her mouth, mayonnaise sat on the corners of her mouth.

“In about 2 months. Emm wants to stay prepared and try to plan ahead of time.”

“We would have to be on guard for this event, have some soldiers posted out front.” Robin tapped her chin thoughtfully. “We could be by Emm’s side and have Frederick out front-”

“Whoa, hold on.” Chrom chuckled. “Emm already told me that The Shepherds would be taking part of the ball. We already have some pegasi knights and other foot soldiers ready for this event.”

“O-oh…” Robin deflated, feeling a bit left out from these plans. Emm seemed to be handling a lot of her affairs on her own. At the moment, she felt a little useless and small inside her coat.

“Are you thinking how you can’t be of any help?” Chrom nudged her with his shoulder.

“...” She grimaced at his perception, feeling her neck go hot from embarrassment. “Maybe, but I didn’t think your sister would be a big party planner.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” He laughed. It was deep and warm in her ear. “She’s not. Lissa is taking charge of it. Emm thinks she needs a job to do, instead of pestering Frederick and Lon’qu all the time.”

The two laughed at that remark. Lissa had spent most of her time pranking others and bugging anyone that would hang around her. She had a good heart, but a young one at that. Robin had brought up her recent theory of her crush on Lon’qu and was received with a spluttered answer and red face. Of course no else knew. Robin was a trusted keeper of secrets as Lissa couldn’t even bring it up with anyone else besides Emmeryn and Robin. It seemed romance was in the air as many of the soldiers were planning different events together and spending time together. Since the war was over, many had a lot of free time after patrol around the perimeter. Some members went on an expedition to the borders between Valm, Plegia, Or Ylisse. 

It felt good to talk so gailey and merrily with everyone. Times felt simpler and easier. She felt her cheeks flush under the sun and her chest felt full as she laughed and talked with others.

After lunch, Robin hung around the barracks with Chrom and others. She suddenly remembered Cina, the woman who was (supposedly) her daughter. She soon learned that ‘Marth’ had stayed closer than she thought and spent most of her time in a nearby village. Chrom and Frederick had seen her in the city market and tried to recruit her, but she had declined. As soon as she was able, Robin took a walk there and visited her. She didn’t have to go far. A couple of directions and asking local villagers made it easy to find her. She was shocked to say the least when Robin appeared at her doorstep.

“R-Robin!” Her face was covered with a large sun hat as she tilled a field outside her house. “What are you doing here?”

Robin waved at her, smiling. She held up a basket. “Don’t worry, no one followed me! I just came to see how my daughter was doing.”

Cina jumped at Robin’s words, looking around to make sure no one heard.

“M-mother!” Her voice was hushed, but loud enough for Robin to hear. Her hoe was thrown to the ground abruptly. “You aren’t supposed to be saying those things so loudly!”

Robin tilted her head to the side, hands firm on her hips. “And why not?”

The younger woman hopped from foot to foot before grabbing Robin’s wrist and dragged her inside the stone house. It was fairly furnished with the bare necessities like a table and chairs with a simple kitchen inside. There was another room inside that must have meant that that was her bedroom. It was quaint, but she could tell that the house hasn’t been lived in for a long time. It's only occupant owner was the tanned girl in front of her.

Cina sat her down and explained in a hurried manner that not many know of her origin and if other people knew that they were related, questions would be raised and it could set things back.

“What do you mean?” She asked. “What kinds of things could be set back?”

Once again, Cina squirmed in her seat, her eyes lowered. She sighed before setting her head down on the table, her forehead touching the cool wood.

“It’s complicated.” She sighed.

Robin sat there, staring at the girl. She seemed to be close to her own age and seemed tall for her age. It perplexed Robin to have been a mother at her own age, but if her math summed up, the family relations wouldn’t. 

“You know, I’m still shocked to hear that I have a daughter.” Robin said slowly, watching Cina flinch. “I mean, I don’t even remember much from my past, more over someone in my family. But I have a feeling that we’re connected. It’s fate in a way.”

Cina raised her head ever so slightly.

Robin smiled at her and smoothing her hair, brushing away the blue strands coming out from the ponytail she had up.

“We’ll figure something out.”

Robin made a point to visit regularly. After each visit, every time Robin would know how it feels to be a mother. She knew nothing of how to take care of a young child or baby, but she would learn from having a teenage daughter. She felt at one point that she was finally getting the hang of things. She wanted to get to know her daughter more and more, feeling that she should make up for a lost time that wasn’t there. She learned different things about her: what she liked to eat and wear, along with her blunt humor and minimal facial expressions. As they grew closer and closer, the two began to open up to each other more. Cina liked to garden, one of her favorite pastimes that she learned from her Mother, but she also liked to train vigorously as well; a trait she says she got from her Father.

Cina had kept quiet about her Father, Robin’s husband. Robin teased her, begging her to tell her what he was like and who he was, but her daughter kept her lips sealed with a ferocious glare (another Robin trademark). Robin would always return to the barracks, her mind filled with the options of who was her husband.

“By the way, Emmeryn has invited anyone from all over to a big ball at the end of next month.” Robin snapped her book shut. A romance novel that Sumia had recommended ages ago. She had just finished the third book in the series and it was quite captivating.

The two girls were sitting under a big oak tree not too far from Cina’s house. The field was turning yellow with hints of green. There was a warm breeze, but the ground was cool beneath them.

“Hm?” Cina looked up from her own book, the first installation of ‘Mad Tales of a Bloodthirsty Falcon Knight ’. “I’m not too keen on big balls and dresses. I had no idea it was happening. When will it be?”

Robin giggled, bumping her on the head with her book. “I just told you silly! The end of next month.”

The two girls giggled and Cina pushed the book away. “That should be around the Harvest Festival, right?”

Robin thought for a moment. She was right. The Harvest Festival was the same week; the ball was being held on the last day of the harvest week. “I believe so. Did you want to participate in it?” 

“...” Cina sat still for a moment, staring at the cover of her book. Robin looked up from her own and closed it, leaning forward to catch her attention. 

“Are you alright, dear?” 

Cina nodded, silent in thought. “...When I was younger, you and father would take us to the festival. We would join in on the dances and games. I was just reminiscing about it, that is all.” 

Robin took in her words, placing a hand on her knee. “We can still go out if you would like. Just the two of us.” 

Cina shook her head. A small smile, weak and soft, quivered on her lips. “One day, when peace is restored fully, I would like to go.” 

Silence filled the room. The sounds of crickets chirping and birds singing its goodnight song filled the empty space around them. Robin finally tugged her daughter into a side hug, combing her fingers through the silky smooth hair.

“Then it’s a promise that we will have to honor.” 

As Robin made her way back to the barracks, she thought back on the conversation she had. The world was peaceful at the time, but how long until it shatters once again? She thought back to Cina’s smile and excitement. Her heart melted at the fact that even inside, she was still a child at heart. She wanted to go out desperately. But she also had mentioned ‘ we’ . Who was ‘we’? Was there another child with them? Who was it? She made her way to the barrack library and started pulling out books and maps mindlessly. She could not get it out of her head. Was it another girl? Or a boy? Does her husband know of this? What if they both were dead or worse, like her, amnesia ridden to the point where he could not remember her either? 

“Robin!” 

She looked up from her notes and books, pages scattered everywhere, to see Chrom waving at her from across the way; his practice sword in hand, pointing at a training dummy. She snapped her book shut and made her way outside to the training grounds. She stopped midway and settled to watch from the wood porch. 

“I see your injuries haven’t stopped you from being reckless.” She teased, leaning up against the post. Dummies lay ruined and crumbled in the courtyard around him as he looked about. He grinned sheepishly. "I fear that sometimes I do not know my own strength.” He swung his sword once more, cleaving the straw dummy in two. He gave her a pointed look. Robin rolled her eyes and shook her head, a knowing smile coming on. 

“Shouldn’t you be in the mess hall? I thought it was your turn to make dinner."

He placed the sword on a rack and his way towards her. “I thought so too, but Morgan insisted that she make dinner since she did not get the chance last week. So, we switched and I'm making dinner tomorrow.” 

“Oooh,” She sang. “And what’s on the menu for tomorrow?" 

He gave a dramatized hum and rubbed his head. “Hmmm...bear stew? Or goulash? Cherche taught me how to make that one.”

"I like the sound of that.” Robin’s mouth watered with the thoughts of pasta and tomato sauce.  

“Perhaps you can join me tomorrow?" She stopped and looked at him. His face was dusted pink and he ran his hand through his hair. Robin wasn’t daft, but she couldn’t tell what he meant. Did he just ask her to dinner? She turned her back to him, her hands cupping her face. She felt her face warm up. Was she blushing? No, it can’t be. She shouldn’t be blushing! 

“...Robin?” 

“Meet me here around fifteen after lunch!” She blurted out. Her face felt hot. “We’ll have lunch outside!" And with that, she stalked away as fast as she could. She didn’t know where her legs were taking her until she crashed right into someone along the way. A ring filled her ears, and she heard metal bounce on the stone tiles she walked on. 

“Oh gods, I’m so sorry Olivia,” Robin began to scoop up coins swiftly, throwing them back into her small pouch. “I wasn’t looking where I was going, and now your secret stash in on the ground again! I didn’t mean to-” 

“ROBIN!” 

Robin jumped, the coins jumping with her. She had never heard Olivia shout so loud before. It kind of scared her. 

“Geez, you would think that I would be the one apologizing the most out of this!” Olivia huffed, gathering her own coins. “And please stop calling it a ‘secret stash’! I don’t want anyone to think I’m like Anna or even worse, a thief!” 

“S-sorry…” Robin did her best not to sulk in front of the beauty.

The two sat there in silence, picking up the coins little by little. Olivia gave her a sideways glance, eyeing her up and down before speaking up. “...Is everything alright? You mentioned that you’ve been distracted lately?”

Robin felt her face flush once again and she tried to turn her face away. “...ah, I am not too sure what is happening to me.”

“Oh! Did someone ask you to dine with them?”

“...!” Snapping her head up, she met eye contact with Olivia, who was oblivious to what she had said. With her face burning bright red, Olivia realized what she had said and in return became bashful as well.

“O-o-oh my g-gracious!” She spluttered, putting her hands up to her face. She was trying to cover her blushing face as much as possible. “I meant to only tease you! I’m so sorry! I-I d-didn’t mean any harm!”

“No!” Robin grabbed Olivia’s wrist, pulling them towards her. “It…it’s quite alright! I just didn’t expect you to hit the mark so easily. Are my expressions that easy to read?”

“Wha-? I-I just didn’t kn-know…!”

The two sat across from each other, apologizing to each other over and over till Olivia started to laugh.

“Robin,” She giggled. “I haven’t had this much fun before just trying to apologize to someone. How do you make things so interesting?”

“...” Robin felt her mouth tug upwards and she let an awkward smile show.

After collecting the rest of the money, Robin suggested moving to the library. As soon as they were there, Robin put on some tea and handed a cup to Olivia. The room was silent as they enjoyed the brew, the smell of chamomile filling the air.

“...Chrom asked me to dine with him.” Robin finally spoke, her cheeks heating up again. She clutched her teacup tightly. She felt like a child telling all these girl-ish things to another. But that was the beauty of youth.

Olivia gasped, leaning forward for more. “What? Tonight?”

“Yes. I told him to meet me tomorrow afternoon.”

“And are you going to meet him?” 

“Well, of course!” Robin set her cup aside, replacing her cup with her own head. “But what should I do? I've never thought anything of romance and with the Prince of Ylisse nonetheless! I feel as if I would cause a scandal at any moment!” 

But that wasn’t the only problem. Robin’s head was already swimming with questions and thoughts. She was still conflicted about her husband. What if he still remembered her and was looking for her, but he would only find out that she was cheating on him with the prince of ylisse (of all people!)! He would stage a revolt against Chrom and have him killed! She would be put on trial and sentenced to death! But oh, how sweet and merry it would be to be in the arms of someone who loved her! But she was the head tactician, and he was the captain of The Shepherds. She had inklings and hints that Chrom only had eyes for her, but she only cast the thoughts away because he was protective. But hearing that he was with her every night when she was ill, trying new things just to talk to her, and more she learned about him made her realize that he was trying to get close to her. Also, she wasn’t even a princess! Isn’t royalty supposed to marry each other? A commoner doesn’t even know the first steps to etiquette-like her! She knew that, but yet... 

“Robin, listen to me.” Olivia was in front of her now, holding her hands. “I know you must have all these thoughts and troubled feelings, but you must be brave and face these fears! You never know if you enjoy his company that much until you try.” 

“Oh, but-” 

“No buts! The only ‘but’ here is yours going to be with him tomorrow!” 

A snort erupted from across the room. Olivia froze, her cheeks turning pink, and Robin’s face flared up, red from embarrassment and anger. “Who’s there? Show yourself!” 

A shadow stepped out from behind a bookshelf, their face in an apologetic smile. 

“Lissa?!” 

“Hey Robin...” Lissa said weakly. 

“How long have you been there?!” 

“Umm...since you guys have entered? Look, I was just trying to get some ideas for the ball, and I didn’t mean to spy on you, but...wow! I didn’t know you liked Chrom! When did this happen? Was it today? What did he say to you?” 

Robin sat the girl down and explained the story once again as Olivia poured another cup of tea. Lissa seemed thrilled by the idea of the two of them dining together, but she was also hesitant. 

“Did you two tell each other a plan at all?” She asked, raising the cup to her nose. “Where is it gonna be? What are you gonna eat? Are you going anywhere after?” 

“I-” Robin stopped. She hadn’t thought about that. All she knew was that they were going to eat outside. “...no. I failed to comprehend this important matter.” 

“Uugh! You two are hopeless!” Lissa groaned. She sunk into her chair, slouching in an unlady-like manner. Olivia giggled at her antics. “Alright then, I have no other choice but to bring the experts in! Don’t worry Robin, I won’t let you or my clumsy brother ruin this for either of you.” 

Robin watched as Lissa left and had a very bad feeling. Her stomach churned with it, and she sighed. Whatever Lissa was going to do, she hoped it wasn’t going to be anything bad. 

~ ~

Chrom felt his stomach churn once again. He groaned, regretting everything he’s ever done or said towards Robin. He finally worked up the courage to ask Robin to go out with him and yet, he feels like he could vomit.

He rolled over in his bed, clutching his side. The silk comforter ruffled against his face as he groaned once again. Gods, he wanted to just hole up in his room and never come out.

All of a sudden, the door to his room flew open, making a loud bang on the wall. Chrom sat up, grabbing Falchion and unsheathing it, ready to fight off the invader.

“Whoa! Geez, put that away!” Lissa held her hands up and then scuttled around him, making a beeline to his closet.

“ Lissa ? What are you doing? I could have hurt you.”

“Oh, you know,” She sang, grabbing some shirts and throwing them on his bed. “Just trying to save your sorry arses from ruining this godsforsaken event you call a ‘date’.”

Chrom whipped around. He met Lissa’s eyes as she had her hands on her hips, a sisterly look that had one eyebrow raised and her mouth set in a funny line across her face. He felt his cheeks heat up and he set Falchion down.

“...did Robin tell you?” He asked quietly.

“More like I spied on her and then she told me.”

He groaned again, sitting down on his bed with his head in his hands.

“Well that was a BIG one.” He felt the weight of his bed sink beside him, Lissa leaned up against him. “Remember when you helped me become a better princess?”

“...” Chrom turned his head towards her, hands still covering his lower face.

“You told me to ask everyone what I should do to become a better princess. And I did. My brother helped me when I needed it and now I’m going to help him when he needs me too.”

She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him, putting her head on her shoulder. Chrom chuckled and returned the hug.

“Thank you, Lissa.”

“Hey, that’s what I’m here for.”

Lissa was the first to break up the hug, running behind him to the other side of the bed. She picked up the first two shirts that she picked out.

“Ok now, what do you think?” She held up in front of her. “Would you like white, light, or dark?

Chapter Text

Robin paced in her room, trying to find a way to occupy herself. She had tried to read (too boring), come up with some strategies (she lost all 7 rounds), and even tried to go on a walk around the castle grounds (she was found by Olivia and Maribelle and pushed back into her room).

How long does she have to wait until she can leave? She was beginning to get antsy. She sat down on her bed, only to jump back up again when she heard the door open. Lissa skipped through the door, humming and smiling.

“Al~righty Robin!” She opened her wardrobe up, revealing the bar minimum that was hung up. “Are you ready for a good time with Chrom?”

“Uh, I’m not so sure what you mean Lissa.” Robin crossed her arms. She felt peeved, but she felt her lips quirk up in a small smile. “I’ve been stuck in my room for half of the day, oblivious to what is happening or what will happen to me.”

“Oh this won’t do…or this either.” Lissa muttered to herself. She had already thrown out half of her closet and then shook her head. “Don’t worry Robin, I have everything under control. It’s a good thing I was prepared for this moment. Ok Emm, bring them in!”

Within a second, Robin’s room was filled with maids and the Exalt herself, dresses lay across each arm. She was shocked to see so many different colors and variations between them all.

“My apologies Robin,” Emmeryn came near to stand by her, giving a small squeeze to her arm. “I tried to stop Lissa, but she’s very motivated and interested in this date of yours.”

“Well, duh!” Lissa was scouting the dresses holding them up and comparing them on Robin. “It is our brother she is going out with tonight.”

Emmeryn’s face lit up with both surprise and delight.

“Oh, I had no idea! Lissa you should have told me this sooner or I would have a different kind of dress prepared.”

“Oh no, not you too Emm.” Robin groaned, a smile coming on her lips. She sat down in a chair and watched the two girls try to pick out the seemingly perfect dress. She appreciated the time the girls took to help her and she was rather happy to have some sisterly connection between the three of them. Is this how a family would act? If she had siblings, did she have a good time like this as well?

After almost an hour of picking the final dress and preparing a small amount of makeup that Lissa had brought, Robin was shooed off into the courtyard. She felt many eyes on her as she made her way down the various hallways. She felt so conscious of her body and exposed skin. Maybe that’s why she wore her coat-to avoid stares and looks. The satin dress the girls picked out for her swished against her legs.

It was a simple one. An off the shoulder dress that complimented her hair and body. She had added her own twist by adding her shirt underneath and another purple skirt to go under the white camisole. They insisted they do her hair, but she promptly refused. She began to feel knots in her stomach. What if she looked bad? Would Chrom laugh when he saw her? Her stomach felt tight and her hands were sweaty. Oh gods, she thought. I’m going to vomit.

“Robin?”

Robin looked up from her path and met eyes with Chrom. He was standing next to the garden fountain; half of his hair was slicked back on one side and his attire was different. Instead of sporting a one sleeve tunic, he wore a plain white sleeveless shirt with matching bottoms. He also wore a long coat over it, which was embellished by the brand of the Exalt. It was a lighter color than his usual dark blue and his worn-out cape was replaced with a brand new white one, decorated with a bronze shoulder plate. He seemed taller and more refined than usual; a more prince-like demeanor was around him. 

“Oh...h-hello Chrom.” Robin approached him, feeling shy. She subconsciously began to cover her arms up with the shawl Emmeryn lent her. 

“Erm...hello,” Chrom nervously began to run his hand through his hair, his bangs falling into his face again. “...you look nice.” 

Robin couldn’t help but facepalm her forehead and hide her face. Gods, he was so clueless and so dumb. She knew he was a noble, but she would have thought he knew a thing or two about talking. Especially if he was the commander of an army. 

“Gods Chrom, you really don’t know how to talk to a lady do you.” She scoffed, rubbing her cheek.

“Er…I never thought you were the type to care for beauty and such. I suppose I never thought of you as a lady before…”

“Excuse me?!”

Robin whipped her head up, fury showing on her face. How foolish of her to think that this was something special. Gods, how daft does he think she is? He must go on many dates with ladies. And she was just another one.

“No! No, I-Oh gods, I didn’t mean it like that! What I meant was that you can fight and how to strategize…not that a lady can’t fight! What I’m trying to say is-oh gods this is all coming out wrong!”

“Gracious Chrom,” She tugged the shawl tight over her shoulders, trying to cover herself up once again. “You’re the scion of the noble family. Haven’t you been taught a class in etiquette?”

“Huh? Of course, they taught a whole term about it.”

“Perhaps, you should take another term on how to talk to ladies.” And with that, Robin turned and started to make her way back to her room. She was tired already and the sun hadn't even set yet.

“R-robin? Where are you going?” He called, following her.

“This seems to have been a mistake.” She snapped. “I shall be retiring to my room. Good day.”

“WAIT!”

Before she took another step, she felt a hand on her hand and she turned to see Chrom. There was panic in his eyes and he seemed to be sweating through his clothes, even with the cool air around them.

“Forgive me, I do not know how to talk to ladies because they are usually so prim and proper. They are so different and yet, you are as well. You have only been with us for half a year and in that time, I got to know you better and became your friend and colleague. I never thought of you so differently until I saw you today. You look beautiful.” 

Robin felt her face grow warm once again, her eyes stinging from the anger she felt earlier. She looked away, trying to hide her face and brush the tears out of her eyes. 

“...Um, Chrom?” 

“Yes?” 

“Could you let go of my hand?” 

“Ah! Of course...sorry...” Chrom took a couple steps back, feeling awkward again. The two stood there in silence for a while; Robin rubbed the back of her hands nervously and Chrom rocked on his toes for a bit. 

“Shall we make our way to the courtyard?” Robin motioned her hand in the direction down the hall. “Lissa says she has plans for us.”  

“Of course.” He held out his arm, waiting for her to take it. “Shall we?” 

“O-oh, sure...” 

Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around his and the two of them made their way down to the courtyard. She held her hand delicately around his forearm, unsure whether she should touch his bare skin so readily. Chrom seemed to be the same way as he walked slowly and carefully in step with her.

“So...” 

“Uh...” 

The two laughed at their synchronized speech, both of their cheeks turning red. 

“You go first.” Chrom gestured. 

“...You look dashing yourself as well.” 

“Thank you. Lissa brought out an array of clothes for me to try on and she decided to have me wear my ceremonial garb. She thinks it ‘looks the best’.” 

“Ceremonial?” She couldn’t think how the outfit he was wearing was made for a special occasion. 

“It’s, uh, for the Day of Devotion...” He mumbled. 

“And pray tell, what is the Day of devotion?” She poked him in the side, making him flinch and wobble as they walked. She began to feel more comfortable as they talked. Her shoulders were no longer tense and she walked freely and leaned into him more.

“It is a day to celebrate your loved ones. You give presents to your loved ones and there is a whole festival for a day...” 

“How lovely!” Robin felt giddy just listening to Chrom talk about another festival. “I never knew you could have so many joyous occasions so often! There’s practically one for every season!” 

“Then I hope you are excited for the Winter Envoy at the end of the month. We celebrate a day of giving and have another huge ball for it.”

By the time they reached the courtyard, Lissa was waiting for them. She fumed over how slow they were and proceeded to throw them into the carriage, waving at them a swift goodbye.

Robin shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable. Everything seemed to be so extravagant and overwhelming around her. This wasn’t how she pictured the day going. The two sat in awkward silence once more, making quipets about Lissa and her plans, until the carriage stopped and one of the footmen opened the door. They were greeted with an open field with a blanket spread out in the middle and a basket holding it down in place.

“We will be back within the hour to pick you back up for another event.”

Robin thought that voice sounded familiar. Turning around, she met eyes with Frederick. She gaped at him and before she could say anything, he gave her a curt nod and flicked the reins sharply. 

“Wha-? Frederick!”

But he was already gone. She felt her face flush again (a common occurrence for this day) and stomped her way over to the middle of the field, where Chrom was waiting for her. 

As she approached, she noticed Chrom had already set out some plates and glasses with wine propped up on the basket. He saw her and immediately stood up, looking stiff as he tried to bow.

“Uh, milady…?”

She laughed and took his hand, lowering herself onto the ground. “You’ve already proven yourself unworthy to talk to one, but I shall allow this once.”

He chuckled and sat beside her.

“You must forgive me. I am but nervous to be seated with a beauty such as yourself.” He poured her a glass of the wine, a sweet sherry that was only a couple years old. The fragrance tickled her nose as she swished it around in her glass. “Isn’t only warranted for me to be?”

“A man as sophisticated as yourself?” She teased and smiled into her glass, refusing to make eye contact with him. She could melt into a puddle if she saw how close he was. “I doubt you have any limitations to your courage. How can you, when you make friends anywhere you go?”

“I guess you’re right, but that is easy when I only bear companionship with friends. I don’t see them that way I see you.”

Robin’s heart clenched at his words and she had to down the wine before she could choke. Get it together, Robin! She grabbed a chicken leg from inside the basket and hurriedly began to chow down on it. As they ate, they tried to make small talk; bringing up different topics and stories. It slowly became easier and easier to talk to him as she would drink glass after glass of wine. Soon enough, she could still feel the sun beat upon her face and her mood felt more elated than ever.

“Frederick said he would have picked us up soon.” Chrom stood, surveying the area to see if he could see anyone. “I wonder what is taking him so long.”

“Mmmm~” Robin hummed in response, curling her legs up and leaning on them. She felt so silly and powerful. Like she could do anything. She tugged on his coat, falling over a little before catching herself with her arm. “Heeyy Chrom?

“Whoa, careful Robin.” He got on his knees, arms out to catch her but made no move to touch her. She eyed his hand. It was close to her head, surely to catch her head if she let it fall. “I fear you have had one too many drinks for today.”

“Absolutely not,” She drawled out and with a burst of confidence, she leaned and put her head in one of his hands. “Aahh…your hand feels cool.”

“Er, R-Robin…I think we should get ready to get back.”

“No way!” She sat up abruptly, standing on wobbly legs. She began to prance around the field, feeling lighter and happier than ever. “We’ve been having so much fun! Come, dance with me!”

She made a move to grab at his hands, but he swiftly dodged them and took a step back. His face looked like a pink blob in her vision.

“Wait, Robin…my dancing is atrocious. I was hoping that-”

“Oh come on! Try practicing with me for a bit then!” And with that, she grabbed his two hands, linking their fingers together. She made sure to hold on tight so he wouldn’t slip out of her grasp.

“Readyy? One, two…” She began to count the steps of the dance she knew the best. Those lessons with Olivia and Virion would not go in vain and so she would have to practice them now.  The more the two danced, the less clumsy they got. Chrom was finally getting the hang of it. His brows were furrowed and his mouth set in a line.

“Why look so serious?” She laughed, raising a hand to pinch his cheek. “You look ready for battle.”

His face was smooth and his cheek tough from hardened muscle underneath. He grimaced and tried to shoo away her hand. Which she laughed even more and leaned in to grab more of his face.

When she felt Chrom getting the rhythm of it, she stopped counting and began to sing the melody of the dance; a slow waltz she remembered faintly. She was out of tune a little but she knew how the chorus went. With more stumbling, the two made it through the song. Robin felt herself trip on her dress and down she went, pulling Chrom with her. Laughter filled the air and the mood was high and merry.

And for a moment, time felt like it had slowed. It was just the two of them, living in their own world. For once, Robin felt normal. No impeding thoughts. No questions. Just her being herself.

“I’m sorry!” She turned towards Chrom, laughing. Her face hurt from laughing so much. But it was a good kind of hurt. She locked eyes with him and studied his face closer now that her courage braved its front.

He was extremely handsome. More so than ever. His hair was back to its normal wild form. His eyes were a dark shade of blue that reminded her of the twilight sky, but they shone in her eyes. There was some sort of attraction drawing her close to him, but she had no idea what. It almost felt like she had been with him for a long time. Like they were meant to be.

The moment stilled and the two stared at each other, examining the other's face, in a romantic silence. Time passed before Chrom opened his mouth. His lips looked oh so soft with some chapped pieces of skin that clung to the corner of his mouth.

“...Robin, I-”

The silence was interrupted by a shout that startled the two of them, both sitting up to look towards the voice.

“MILORD!”

Frederick stood far by the road with a plain wooden carriage. His hands were clasped behind his back and he stood at attention. His form was far, but you could see that he was impatient for their arrival.

“Oh, alright…” Chrom muttered. He hastily stood up and shouted a response back that they were coming before turning to Robin. He offered his hand to her and gave her a small smile. “Shall we?”

She nodded dumbly, grabbing his hand and allowing him to pull her up. Her legs were still wobbly and she leaned onto him for support. He smelled so nice and his chest was so broad. Robin’s face flushed once again and she made her way to the open carriage where Frederick awaited her.

“Welcome back Robin.” Fredericks voice was stiff, but she knew that he was relieved to have them back.

“Thank you, Frederwick.” She bit her lip and stifled a laugh behind her hands.

The look on his face was priceless. His eyes bug-eyed and his posture broken in some places.

“Excuse me?”

“What’s wrong, Freddy-bear?” Chrom snuck up from behind, a wide grin on his face.

“Milord...!” Frederick’s face was red-hot and flushed hearing the nickname.

The pair laughed as they got seated in the carriage.

“Don’t worry,” Chrom chuckled. “I’ll keep your secret…”

“Thank you, milord…” The knight sighed as he mounted the horse.

“...Freddy-bear.”

Another burst of laughter erupted from behind Frederick. He could only sigh as he knew that it could only get worse from here. The best he could do was give the horse a nice snap of the reins and jolt the carriage in motion. Two thuds would be heard from behind him as well as groans of protest. He smirked, knowing he had his revenge.

Chapter Text

Gaius was fine living the way he was, but when the red-haired genius confronted him about how he dressed, he couldn’t have been more peeved. He thought he looked fine and when she kept pestering him, he just gave in and let her do as she pleased.

She kept nagging him over and over, feeding him bits and pieces of advice for laundry and smelling nice and how to look “ presentable ”. The list goes on and on. 

“Halt Gaius!”

The thief froze and for a moment, thought about bolting into the next tent or even the forest to escape this conundrum. But he could already see her form moving quickly towards him; her armor was on for once, shiny and polished. He drew in a breath and steeled himself for her nitpicking behavior.

“Well, hello Mother .” He held back on the name as he could feel her eyes on him.

“Gaius.” She greeted him in a neutral tone, stopping just a couple steps away from him. “Are you wearing the same clothes from yesterday?”

Cripes, here we go. “Sure. But if they were clean yesterday, there’s no harm in wearing it an extra day right?”

“And have you combed your hair?”

“Crivens woman, why do you care so much? Do you treat everyone like this or am I just a special case?”

“No, just you.” She scoffs, placing her hands on her hips. “Have you washed your hair lately?”

“Well, I did stick my head in a horse trough a couple days ago, if that counts.” Gaius reminisced on that day as he and Chrom went out to the nearby town and drank him under the table. A good day to get that noble into some sort of mischief.

“Good heavens,” Cordelia sighed. “Come here, we’re going to trim your hair. It’s beginning to look shaggy. And don’t even think about running, I have my pegasus saddled and ready to go.”

Gaius went with her reluctantly, not wanting to get stomped on by a horse today. When she entered her tent, he could smell a soft scent of lily of the valley wafting out from inside her tent. Or was it hyacinth? She returned with a chair and set it down beside her tent, gesturing for him to sit down in it. He slouched in the chair, while she wrapped a cloth around his neck. He gripped about how his looks don’t affect anyone and that he likes his hair in a certain way. Cordelia had already paid heed to his words and was already snipping away.

She tried making conversation with him, answering his retort and telling him that he was Chrom’s most staunch ally. Why she threw in that sentence had confused him at first, but it made him feel prideful. Being a staunch ally was boastful enough, but if she had decided to play this game, then he shall abide.

Cordelia’s motherly character makes Gaius question if he likes her or not. He had never felt or received motherly love and that makes him confused. He realizes that he may be in love with her when she gives him a haircut for the third time. She had beckoned him over as Stahl was leaving from his appointment with her, claiming that his hair grew faster than anyone she had ever seen. She already knew how he liked it and he was ready with one of his whittling knives and a piece of wood he was carving for Nowi. She requested one made of her in her dragon form, spewing fire from her mouth. When he sat down, Cordelia immediately got to work. Her fingers slid through his hair so easily and her voice was so soothing when she spoke to him. She asked the daily questions: how was his week going? Has he been on any patrols to the nearest town? What is he making this time?

Gaius felt his stomach turn, do a somersault, and then settle, before doing it again. He had to question it at first, but shook it off, thinking nothing of it. It didn’t take long for her to appear in his dreams and his head began swarming with explicit thoughts.

He may be slick about hiding his feelings, but he secretly likes to spend time with her and sneaks desserts or sweets into her knapsack whenever he can. (He does this with others but leaves extra for her). He visits her whenever he has free time, joking around and using cheesy lines to sway her.

He isn’t sure if she was catching on to what he was doing. He felt so obvious! Throughout the next months, the two bantered back and forth. Cordelia checked up on him whenever he passed her by and Gaius came to bother her whenever he saw her in the kitchen or the training grounds. When she would go through the motions of a mock fight, Gaius couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her motions were as graceful as a waltz and as exact to where he could feel the blow from where he sat.

When she was done, he would clap and whistle for her. At first, it was sarcastic, but he soon gazed upon her in awe. He would think about her at random times and in a fit of anxiety, he went to one of his closest confidants and tried to get advice from him.

“ Just do what you normally do, ” He chuckled, leafing through his book. “ She should like you for who you are. You shouldn’t push or pull-as they say, patience is a virtue. ”

Gaius was stumped. The advice was too…sage..ey. How could he win the love of the most perfect knight who was in love with a prince? He was lower than that. He decided from that day on, he’ll make more of an effort. For her!

Then disaster struck, their friend and chief tactician was taken away from them. Everyone was grieving and depressed. During gray days, Cordelia would visit him and the two of them would sit together in silence. The presence comforting the both of them.

Eventually, things got better. Everyone started to go on with their lives. Some handle grief through training or battling with the Risen or enemies. Gaius tried not to think about the day it happened, going off and finding his own confectionery treats while he drank away in town with most of the men. Gaius knew that Cordelia was close with him and made sure to check up on her from time to time. Her motherly affection began to show and she treated everyone with even more care than before, her anxiety and worry showing across her face. Once during a surprise attack in the middle of the night, she made sure to go directly to him and pressed an extra vulnerary in his hand as he left to fight the nearby Risen, squeezing his hand tight before letting go.

“Be safe.”

Her words were soft and, even in the dark, he could tell that her eyes were red from crying. He wanted to say something to her, but before he could, she had already torn away from him to help put out a nearby fire that was making its way to camp. He made sure to be extra careful that night.

The new addition of the shepherds made him sure that something was going to happen. They were set to go to Regna Foxx with the Exalt of Ylisse. He made sure to stay closer than ever to Cordelia. His heart almost had an attack when he almost watched her get crushed by the stone golem.

He was lucky the new tactician knew her stuff.

After their arrival to Regna Feroxx, Gaius went on a venture to the local market. He was lucky that there was a tournament happening, that’s when the vendors shell out the best items. He found a pretty ribbon that a woman was selling, claiming that it had a good-luck charm embedded into its fibers. Its price was high, but he had some saved money from the last time he went on a mission.

He gifted the present to her later that night when she came to tell him about her entering the tournament. He told her it would bring good luck and that he would cheer her on from the crowds.

When he finally realizes his love for her, he becomes nervous. What if she was still in love with Chrom? Will she ever accept him? On impulse, he forges a ring, specifically made just for her. The band made of pure silver with a pegasus wing flowing onto one side, crested with a small ruby in the middle. He knew that the ring would accent her hair and armor perfectly. Every time he saw her, his heart ached. He had hoped to tell her his feelings before anything disastrous, but he felt that it wasn’t the time yet.

When Robin instructed him to come onto the battlefield to defeat Grangrel, he felt nervous and his gut was flipping. He had never felt so worried about a battle before, but then again, this was a battle that could end the war between Ylisse and Plegia. 

~ ~

Gaius was always skulking around and that made Cordelia nervous. She couldn’t trust him, even if Chrom made the call to bring him in. When she heard that he began to take Chrom out on the town, she began to worry more and more.

What if people thought Chrom was taking in miscreants and wrong-doers without knowing?! (He was.) When she finally had the upper hand and pointed out his clothes, he said she must have “fancied” him. The audacity! She was never more repulsed. He had run away from the conversation, causing her to become more furious than she ever could have imagined.

Early one morning, she spotted him near where the pegasus and horses were tied up. He looked like he had just risen up out of bed and only wore his undershirt, save for his glove pieces. She was about to approach him when he had suddenly dunked his head in a water trough. This startled her to the point where she could only stare and watch what his next move was. After drowning himself for a solid second, he finally came back up for air. Cordelia didn’t know how to feel when she watched him slick his hair back and watched the water drip down his face. She didn’t want to admit it, but she felt something.

After that, she made it her personal goal to make him look as if he came from high society; going to give him haircuts and washing his clothes and giving him tips on how to get sticky messes out. She had given him the excuse that he was one of Chrom’s staunchest allies, but in truth, she just wanted to give him an excuse to behave more.

Life seemed simple, but war is not. Cordelia was there when she saw him go. They had lost their best warrior, tactician, and to most of them, a friend.

She leaned on Gaius more than ever then. She felt the safest when she was with him.

She found that his company was enjoyable and his teasing had grown on her. She grows out of her crush of Chrom and grows to like Gaius, finding hidden feelings at one point.

She didn’t know why he was the first person she thought of when they were ambushed. She had unconsciously gone to him first and gave him her last vulnerary, uttering those words she would repeat in her head before she would go to sleep. She felt like a teenager all over again.

Despite her feelings for Gaius, she was completely oblivious to his own feelings towards her. She would always be too busy to notice him as she tried to distract herself from her feelings with chores and training. And even, when she would forget about him, he would be there calling her name and cheering her on.

Her heart fluttered every time he was there.

When he gifted her that gorgeous orange ribbon, she couldn’t contain her happiness. She immediately put her hair up with the ribbon and felt extremely giddy for the rest of the tournament. When she won, she was sure Gaius was watching her and giving good luck. From then on, she had made up her mind to pursue him.

But war and time is fickle and the two of them were thrown into the midst of it. When she found him in the middle of the battlefield, wounded and on the brink of death, she would feel indescribable wrath. She cut down many enemies that got in her way and saved the poor man before a swordsman could deal the last blow.

To Gaius, she was his savior. An angel that had given him another chance in life. As they had made it to the medic tent, Gaius was placed down on a stretcher and held Cordelia’s hand tightly.

“Cor…come closer…” His voice was gruff and dry. “I…I need to…tell you something.”

Tears welled up in Cordelia’s eyes and she shook her head vigorously. He gave a faint smile and took out of his pocket the ring he made for her. It shone brightly in the light, dazzling many around them. Cordelia stared slack-jawed at the ring, tears falling down her face. Before she could say anything, he slipped it on her finger. It was a perfect size.

“I love you Cordelia.” Gaius pulled on her hands, his own eyes pricked with tears. “You’ve captured my heart and soul. You’ve never given up on me and I want to be by your side forever and I won’t ever give up on you either.”

Cordelia tried to keep her composure, but his confession was filling her heart and emotions. She broke out in a sob, clutching his hands tightly.

“Will you…marry me?”

“Yes.” Cordelia’s response was immediate and she spoke so softly to him.

With that, the two shared their first kiss. Gaius soon fainted from blood loss as he was being tended to. All the while Cordelia stayed by his side the entire time, never letting go of his hand once.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

“Good evening, Prince Chrom.”

“How have you been?”

“Princess Lissa, the ballroom is beautiful!”

“You must tell me...”

Robin gripped Chrom’s sleeve, trying to stay close without getting swept away by the number of nobles and people that crowded the ballroom floor. She was spoken to a couple of times and was mostly ignored when others approached Chrom. She felt out of her element as she traversed the slick, polished terrain. It was so much more different and difficult than battling in sand or snow.

“How are you doing?” Chrom whispered, turning them towards the sidelines. “Shall I get us some refreshments?”

A sign that asked if she wanted to get away from the crowd and nobles that ignored her in between.

“Please.” Robin grumbled. “The amount of bodies that close in between us is suffocating.”

“I think I know what you mean.” Chrom chuckled and guided her to some open chairs. He left her near the chairs and hurried over to the table with punch and liquor. Unfortunately, he was instantly swarmed by nobles as he reached the table. As soon as Robin reached the chair, she unceremoniously sat down and groaned in agony. Her head was throbbing from all the noise in the room, and she could feel the blood running up her legs from her feet from standing too long. They were already two hours into the ball and she couldn’t already wait for it to be over.

“Robin!” She looked over to see Morgan waving at her from behind a wall of people. She waved back and watched the young girl struggle to make her way over. Robin patted the open seat next to her as she watched the small girl catch her breath. Robin surveyed the room again. It did seem a bit more crowded than earlier, but Robin could only assume that it was because the dancing was about to start.

“I’m glad I could find you,” Morgan finally spoke, smoothing the creases of her skirt. “I wanted to let you know that the guards are changing positions and have begun to open up more rooms for the guests.”

“Thank you, have you informed Lady Emmeryn and the other knights as well?”

“Of course! They were the first ones told.” Morgan smiled proudly at her work. Robin had let her take over some of her duties as Morgan was already familiar with the knights and the palace itself.

“Well done. I think we should be able to relax for the rest of the night.” Robin slumped back on her chair. “Phew, I never thought it would be so tiresome to just walk around a room.”

“Just wait till the dancing begins,” Morgan laughed. “I hear Chrom’s atrocious at the waltz!”

“We’ll see how it goes.” Robin smiled and grabbed the girl from underneath the arm and tickled her, earning a screech of laughter. “Come, let me see your attire.”

Morgan hopped up from the chair and slowly spun around for Robin, posing every so often. Morgan didn’t attend with anyone and opted to go for the head tactician’s wear, a fashionable coat instead of a dress. Robin was glad to see that she dressed in the Royal Tactician attire, instead of a dress; it went with her exciting personality. Ylisse’s tactician coat sported its countries colors and underneath wore a simple long sleeve with a skirt and heels. It was fashionable, but also smart to choose for an occasion like this. Robin loved the design and how comfortable it looked; she almost wished she wore it instead. She smiled and smoothed out any crease she saw on Morgan.

“You look lovely.” Robin said softly, thinking about Morgan’s father. She wonders what he would say if he saw her like this. “I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

Morgan stopped in front of her and grabbed her hands, a big smile plastered on her face. “I could say the same thing about you. I loooove your dress! Where did you get it?”

The two girls talked about their clothes and who made them, giggling like schoolgirls. Chrom returned with two drinks in hand, surprised to see Morgan in the seat next to Robin.

“What did I miss?” Chrom handed Robin her cup, a sweet-smelling fragrance met her nose, and she took a test sip to see how she liked it. The cooling sensation of lemon and strawberries washed over her tongue, but in a split second a sharp bitterness stung her throat. Robin coughed once and made sure to breathe again before taking another sip.

“I have reported to Robin that the guards had changed positions and opened the rooms for the guests.” Morgan stood up and quickly saluted him, before eyeing the drink in his hand. “Where’s my drink, huh?”

“You’re too young to drink this stuff,” Chrom frowned and patted Morgan’s arm. “The non-alcoholic beverages are on the other side of the room.”

Morgan pouted, but it was quickly replaced by a smile as the sound of warm brass and strings filled the air. “It’s going to start soon! I’ll be checking in from time to time, but I’ll mostly be near Aunt Emm for the rest of the night. Have fun!”

And with that, Morgan skipped away into the crowd. Robin was taken aback by Morgan’s choice of words.

“Did she say, ‘Aunt Emm’?” Robin placed her now empty cup on the chair Morgan occupied next to her. Chrom settled down on the opposite chair beside her.

“Morgan has taken a liking to Emm, seeing her as an adoptive aunt.” Chrom smiled at the direction Morgan had gone. “I believe Emm has taken to her as well. I can say that for the rest of us as well.”

“It is relieving to know that Morgan is beginning to grow out of her shell more.” Robin smiled, looking off wistfully at the young girl who once avoided her. “I was afraid she would have stayed distant forever, but she seems to be growing more vibrant everyday. She shows great promise in becoming a great tactician. I’m excited to see who she’ll become.”

“I as well.”

Robin leaned against Chrom’s side, a melancholy feeling washing over her. She could feel her neck heat up, but she blamed that on the alcohol. Dreamily, she imagined this was her life everyday. Her body pressed against Chrom’s, making remarks on the people in the room and then running off into the night to do what lovers do–But not that far! Robin had to fake a cough to try and distract herself from the thought, taking one last swig of her drink to compose herself. With the first dance starting soon, the two made it over to the throne where Frederick and Emmeryn were. It was customary that the Exalt dance in the first bout, then dance at the last. Chrom said he wanted to dance with Emm at least once during the night and Robin couldn’t have agreed more.

“Milord, Robin,” Frederick bowed to the pair. “We were just discussing the first dance.”

“Yes, I planned to take the first dance with Emmeryn.”

“Oh, but then who will my partner be?”

The pair turned to see King Validar smiling at them. Robin felt Chrom’s arm tense up and she released a calculated smile, thinking out loud.

“If your majesty doesn’t mind,” She directed his attention towards her. “I would be honored to dance with you first.”

This surprised the group, and she could see a mix of different emotions on each face. She tried giving a concealed, pointed look at the Ylissean group. She didn’t want to start a brawl or any political repercussions when they have come so far. And over a dance? She would rather not.

“Do you mind, Your Grace?” Validar turned towards Emmeryn, a curious look on his face.

“Of course not,” Emmeryn smiled, nodding her head slowly. “I shall dance with you at the very end of the night.”

“It would be my pleasure.” Validar bowed and continued in idle chit-chat with her.

“Robin,” Chrom turned her away and whispered close to her ear so no one would be listening. “Are you sure? We both know how you feel about him.”

“I’ll be alright.” She mumbled, trying her best to smile as they whispered quietly. “This could be a good chance to speak to him about politics and Valm.”

A symphony of strings filled the room, signaling the first dance. A wave of people hurried to the dance floor, most clearing the way for the dancers. Validar extended his hand to Robin for her to take, which she complied. Chrom seemed reluctant in letting her go, but she squeezed his arm before she left to reassure him. Validar led her to an open space and placed his hands ready for the song. Robin shifted her weight and also remained still to wait for the song to begin. She noticed in the corner of her eye that Chrom and Emmeryn were placed next to them. Within a moment, the music swung into a waltz and Robin steeled herself for the dizzying dance.

“I must apologize for my attitude towards you this week.” Validar suddenly spoke. “I have been under immense pressure with my council and with the countries' leaders as well. I must have frightened you when I spoke about how similar you look towards your family.”

“Think nothing of it, your highness.” Robin gave him a small smile. “The war has put a strain on the mind and body. We are all trying to seek peace in these times.”

“Thank you for your understanding. I truly appreciate it. I hear that you have been the Exalt's most helpful hand. You came up with the idea to house and board both my people and refugees of the war on our border, correct?”

“I cannot take all the credit. My assistant helped draft most of the plan as well. We all used our collective ideas in order to help anyone in need.”

“I must say, it is quite impressive. I hope to be in touch with you both when we both visit each other. During these trying times, we need to stick together.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

The song came to an end and the pair bowed to each other, clapping at the musicians who provided the music. Validar led her back to where Chrom and Emmeryn waited.

“I take my leave from you here,” Validar smiled once more at her. “I hope we get to know each other more, Robin.”

“I as well, King Validar.” Robin bowed once more at him. As she retracted her hand from his, she felt a shot of cold energy go down her head and spine, making her stagger.

“Are you alright?” Validar gripped her arm with such force that Robin could feel his cold, sharp fingers seeping into her own bones.
“Thank you, milord.” She felt Chrom’s hands around her waist and relaxed. “I think the drinks are finally setting in.”

Robin forced out a laugh to humor him, but it sounded more drunk and giggly than needed. He didn’t seem to notice and chuckled as well.

“It seems like they must have been that refreshing! I’ll have to try them for myself.” He bowed his head at Emmeryn and then turned to leave.

“Robin, are you sure you’re alright?” Chrom bore his eyes into her head, making her feel a little warm. “If everything becomes too much, you must tell me.”

“Thank you Chrom.” She smiled, but then turned away, feeling embarrassed. “Truth be told, it is getting to be a little warm. Should we step outside for a bit?”

“I think that would be a good idea.” Chrom pushed his hand around her waist a little more. Robin felt her face heat up more and she pushed down the urge to giggle more. “We shall return, Emm.”

The pair bowed to Emmeryn once more and then made their way up the stairs to one of the private balconies. Chrom guided her the whole way, easily maneuvering around the crowded areas. As they stepped out into the chilly air, another waltz began. The warm brass filled the hall and quietly made its way outside. Robin leaned against the railing, pressing a hand against her temple. What was that? She was sure she felt magic coursing through her hand. Except she recognized that feeling. It was Dark magic. She remembered the feeling from trying to conjure Ruin. She felt sick to her stomach and the drink didn’t help her head at all either. She could feel another migraine coming on and her right hand began to feel itchy.

“..Robin? You don’t look alright,” Chrom’s voice drifted into her ear softly. “What’s wrong? Didn’t we talk about how there would be no secrets between us?”

Robin pressed her lips together in a tight line. He was right. When she was caught visiting Cina, Chrom had demanded where she was going so late in the night. Robin had no choice but to tell him that she was visiting ‘Marth’. This warranted a barrage of questions and a quick ‘shoo’ off to bed. Since then, Chrom had promised that she could visit ‘Marth’ anytime she wanted and that no secret can be kept between them as they were…close friends. Robin hadn’t thought anything of it when it happened, but after the date they both shared, Robin would never stop thinking about it.

“...serry,” Robin could hear her words become slurred. Her energy was being sapped and her mind grew foggy. “I think some mmajick haz been cast on me.”

She felt Chrom’s hand tighten around hers (when did he grab her hand?) and then muttered that he would be right back. He really meant that he would be right back as he came back with Morgan, Lissa, and Lon’qu in tow. She stared at all four of them and giggled like crazy. She felt like she was going crazy or worse mad!

“What the heck? That was fast!”

“See what I’m saying?” Lissa put her hands on her hips, eyeing Chrom. “She just drank too much!”

Morgan stepped in, took Robin’s right hand with one of her own then placed her other on Robin’s neck. She seemed to hold Robin in place for a moment then turned to the others, her face serious.

“There’s dark magic imbued on her.”

Robin nuzzled into Morgan’s hand. “Aah..Morgan, your hand is sooo cool.”

Lissa got to work as she pulled a tome out of Chrom’s convoy pouches. Robin remembered that she held her own tome in her dress as well and waved Chrom over as Lissa led her to a bench to sit down.

“Psst, Chrom come ‘ere.” Robin waved him close and grabbed him so he wouldn’t move. “I have my tome with me too. Weeee’re matchiinnng!”

Morgan grabbed at Robin’s dress folds and found her book sitting in the pocket with a Reduce Gravity spell. Robin pulled away from Chrom and grabbed Morgan's cheeks, squishing them together.

“Hey~!” Robin protested. “That was Chrom and I’s secret! That was cheating!”

Lissa finished her spell and concentrated on subduing the dark magic slowly. Robin felt sleepy and her head was becoming clearer. She groaned and rubbed her head, trying to ease the pain.

“Ok, I put a warding spell on her that should hold for the rest of the night.” Lissa wiped her brow with Chrom’s handkerchief. “The dark magic should be expelled by the morning, but the feeling of drunkenness will be on and off throughout the night.”

“Maybe we should retire for the night.” Chrom growled, his demeanor suddenly shifting. His brows furrowed worriedly. “What if Validar or another country had tried something?”

“If you do, that might say things that we don’t want to hear.” Lissa put her tome back in Chrom’s convoy and crossed her arms. “The other nobles are just waiting for something to happen and you know how nasty they can get.”

“Lissa’s right, Chrom.” Robin hid her face from the four, embarrassed by her previous actions. “If we leave now, that could look like a big slap in the face. Emmeryn would have to deal with many things that should be left to us. And try not to talk about such things against the other countries, they could see that as a declaration of another war.”

“But-”

“I’m fine.” Robin got up from the bench and looked Chrom in the eye, never wavering her gaze on his. “I can get through this. Both of us can.”

The look that they both gave each other was warm and Robin could feel the other three staring at them. She felt her cheeks flush again and she turned to check if her tome was still there. It still was, thankfully. She knew none of them would have taken it from her, but she just felt safer with checking.

“Alright,” Robin smoothed out her dress and tried to shake off any feeling of drunkenness. “Let’s get back out there and do our best! Ladies, we’ll go in first to show that we were separated from the men. Chrom, Lon’qu–you’ll follow us after we go. If we go into pairs, it might look suspicious.”

They all followed the plan as the guests saw them, trying to catch a glimpse of anything to spin gossip. Lissa was first to notice and rushed over to talk to a well-known duchess and her gossip group. Lon’qu broke off from the group and followed her, standing behind her the entire time she talked. If Robin didn’t know any better, she could’ve sworn she saw his hand hovering behind the small of her back.

“Chrom, Robin,” Emmeryn gestured them over. “I’m glad you’re back. Tiki has just arrived. Chrom, you’ve spoken and met Tiki earlier as you know. Tiki, this is our Head Tactician, Robin. She oversaw battle plans and helped the Shepherds carve the path to victory.”

“It’s finally a pleasure to meet you.” Robin bowed her head and did her best to curtsy low. “I hear great things about you and I’ve seen how you handle diplomatic matters. It’s an honor.”

“Thank you for your praise, Lady Robin.” Tiki smiled softly. “I fear that I do not deserve it as I have abandoned the closest thing to family I have during the war, but I am glad that I could witness peace and alliance between people of every nation.”

“You’ve done everything you could, Tiki.” Emm smiled. “We’re just glad you’re here now.”

“Yeah, Emm’s right!” Lissa chirped, sidling beside Emmeryn with Lon’qu in tow. “Now we can catch up and get to know each other again.”

“Thank you Lissa. I hope to as well.”

Another swell of music interrupted the conversation. Chrom let out another sigh, a complacent smile showing through.

“Here we go again,” He slid his arm out from Robin’s and bowed. “I’m off to dance with the youngest princess of Ylisse, but I’ll be back to dance with you once and for all.”

“Off you go then,” Robin laughed. “You don’t want to keep her waiting.”

She watched the two siblings retreat to the dance floor. Lissa loudly complained to be careful of her toes and she couldn’t help but laugh more. As the music started, she watched the dancers begin stepping to the rhythm.

“You seem to be close to the Prince…Chrom, was it?”

Robin looked at Tiki, puzzled by her words. She had to remember that this Divine Dragon was asleep for a long period of time and her memory must be fuzzy.

“Of course,” She smiled. “We’re partners in crime when it comes to war, diplomacy, and everything in between. I try my best when I help him with almost anything.”

“How strange…” Tiki’s eyes looked far off and glassy as she spoke. “It’s almost as if…they…”

Robin stared at Tiki, waiting for her to continue her sentence. “...are you alright? You look unwell.”

Tiki slowly turned towards her, reaching out to play with the ribbon that hung from her hair.

“...you have power like mine.”

Robin could only stare at her as she watched Tiki’s melancholy face. She felt a shiver run down her spine and her body felt lighter and cooler, as if a breeze blew right at her.

“I do?” Robin mustered the words out of her mouth, the sound barely coming above a soft whisper.

In a flash, the divine dragon's demeanor changed. The light came back to her eyes and grew into saucers; her lips parted into an ‘o’ shape and she brought back her arm to her own head. It almost seemed like she was suddenly shocked.

“I... Ah... Forgive me…” She stammered, closing her eyes to regain herself. “I am still groggy from my slumber. My words outpace my thoughts.”

“It’s quite alright,” Robin reached out to help her, her hands brushing up against lace and silk. “Do you need anything? Can I help-”

“I am fine,” Tiki’s voice seemed to snap for a moment, but she softened her tone. “Just very tired. Forgive me, I didn’t mean to shout.”

“No need to apologize, my lady.” Robin looked around to see an open seat. “May I escort you to a chair? Please, allow me to help.”

Tiki finally gave in and nodded, her face showing weariness and fatigue. Robin waved over Frederick and watched worriedly as Tiki was escorted away to another room. What did she mean, ‘power like hers’? Robin couldn’t shake those words from her thoughts, no matter how distracted she got.

“Excuse me, once again,” A voice slithered into her ear. Robin barely contained herself to not jump in surprise. “Are you alright, Lady Robin? You seemed to be wandering from your chaperone.”

Validar extended his arm towards the direction where she was just standing, Chrom looking around for her. She had made it 20 feet from her current location and was now standing next to Validar and a group of diplomats. They all looked at her curiously, their judging eyes sinking into her skin.

“Pardon me, my lord.” Robin felt her body grow hot once more. “I seemed to have gotten lost in the crowd–I was just looking for...a friend. We got separated from the crowd.”

“Ah, no worries, my dear. We will not keep you.”

The whole group exchanged bows and nods, allowing Robin to dismiss herself from the group. She tried to call for Chrom, but the crowd and music kept her from getting any closer to him.

Frustrated, Robin started to make her way to the refreshment table, but something had caught her eye. Or someone. In the corner of the ballroom, stood a gentleman with stark white hair. His back was turned towards her, but something familiar was about him. Without even knowing, she had started her way towards him. It was almost as if she was in a trance. She couldn’t stop moving her feet, but she was curious to know who this familiar stranger was.

“...Ro…bin..”

The sound around her became muffled, but she heard her name so clearly–as if it came from right beside her. She turned to see the girl she had met in town–Anthy, was it? She seemed to be standing in the middle of the crowd, unbothered by the laughing nobles and people around her.

“Anthy…?” Robin heard herself whisper.

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Robin tried to listen closely, but couldn’t understand anything she was saying.

“...”

Another voice.

She turned towards the voice to find the white-haired stranger staring at her now. She couldn’t move as she studied his face. It was like staring into a mirror. He looked exactly like her, but…sadder.

As the people flowed between the two of them, she began to see double–no, triple! Her male look-a-like changed to Anthy, then back again, then to a warrior-clad man. These persons would interchange as people passed through her vision, trying to talk and communicate with her. But she couldn’t understand them. She felt her breathing quicken, her vision becoming hazy, and her head began to throb. Balling her fists into her eyes, she pushed back the pain and tried to take another step towards them. But who she saw made no sense.

It was the thief she had slain when they were attacked by the stone golem.

He still had a crazy look in his eye, but was no longer dripping blood with a spear run through him. Instead, he looked dressed up for the ball. He gave her a smirk before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

“Hold it!” She shouted, finally moving her feet.

But before she could make it out of the crowd, she felt a hand grip her arm.

“Robin!”

Chrom burst forth from the people behind her, his hair slowly placing itself back into place. Whatever trance Robin was in broke and she suddenly felt all of her senses come back. Her breathing felt labored and she was suddenly very dizzy.

“I couldn’t find you after the dance and the others said they saw you wander away.” Chrom looked like he was sweating and was out of breath. “Are you alright? Robin, we should leave if you still don’t feel good.”

Robin felt her heart squeeze from his words, but her head told her to resist and break away. But she couldn’t do that. How heartless was she? She slid her hand into his, guiding him away from the crowd that swallowed them. Her gaze flicked back to where she saw the thief and to her surprise, he still held form. He wasn’t a hallucination like the last three people she saw. He was speaking with someone, his back turned towards her. Robin pressed her lips into a fine line and turned her head back to Chrom.

“Let’s talk outside, shall we?”

The couple made their ways to the public patio, where others seemed to be mingling as well. Robin scanned the area once more before letting out a breath.

“Alright Robin,” Chrom’s voice was soft, but stern as he turned to face her. “What’s wrong? You’ve been distant halfway through the night. I’m concerned about you.”

She clasped her hands together, rubbing the back of her right hand nervously. Should she tell Chrom what she saw? It wasn’t impossible to explain, but the things she saw almost seemed like she was a crazy drunk. She should also tell Chrom about the thief–that she could do. She decided to start with that first.

“Do you remember when we fought the stone golem?” Robin parted her lips ever so slightly, almost whispering for their ears to hear.

Chrom nodded slowly.

“There was a thief who attacked Morgan and I. I thought I killed him, but he had a higher constitution than I thought. Someone else dealt the last blow on him and I thought he was dead. I thought I saw his ghost earlier and tried to follow it, but unfortunately, I can see him as clear as day and standing in the ballroom as we speak.”

Chrom’s brows furrowed instantly and he turned to make his way to where the thief might be. Robin knew he was going to act this way and laced her fingers into his. She tried to act as natural as possible; she moved closer to him and placed her other hand on top of his chest tenderly–as if a lover would do. This surprised Chrom and she could see that he was becoming flustered. Robin gave him a look and pushed lightly against his chest. Don’t do anything brash. Chrom took the sign and settled back by her side. She thought he would let go of her hand, but instead he gripped it tighter.

“What’s our next move? We can’t just let him loiter around our grounds.” Chrom was back to muttering into her ear. It was a warm, pleasant feeling. She would have enjoyed it if she didn’t feel a chill down her spine and a headache coming on. Her head was swarming with strategies, but she couldn’t focus because of it.

“Let’s flank him, then take him out.” Robin decided. “You can come from above and I’ll tail him from below. You have Falchion with you?”

“Not on my person.” Chrom groaned. “Lissa caught me trying to strap it to my belt earlier and stored it in one of the drawing rooms. I think I know where it is, but I can grab it when I’m watching from the second floor.”

The two of them concluded with the plan and broke off from each other. Robin felt Chrom squeeze her hand once more then made his way to the stairs. She felt a warmth in her hand and smiled softly. He was such a…

…such a what?

Robin felt her face flush again and made her way back to the spot where she saw the thief. He remained in the spot where she last saw him, but not for long. He and his companion started to move farther into the hallway. Robin tactfully made her way through the crowd, smiling at diplomats and making sure to avoid the ones that dislike her. After following the couple, Robin realized that they had broken off from the crowd and had started to make their way to the barracks. What business could they have there?

Robin tried to spot Chrom in the crowd from below and saw that he had made his way free into a passageway, jogging after the couple in the shadows. Making haste, Robin took her shoes off, did her best to blend into the shadows, and followed them down to the training grounds. They stood out in the open as if the party followed them and talked nonchalantly between themselves. Robin noticed one of the upstairs barracks windows was open and through it, she spied Chrom. He was discreetly looking for her while trying to make any sound and when he did, he motioned for him to jump down on top of them. She made a cut motion with her hand and then put a finger to her lips. She wanted to get closer to hear their conversation. If he really is the thief that attacked her, then she should need proof if she were to attack him. Slinking closer to one of the stone pillars, she tried to listen in.

“...you sure? It just seems like we’re-”

‘A woman,’ Robin clutched the pillar in front of her, trying to stand straighter against the stone.

“I assure you, this is the best spot.” The thief cut her short, rubbing his hands nervously. He seemed to be looking around as he spoke. “Besides we have the best kidnapper in this whole dimension–nothing could go wrong at this point.”

Kidnapper? Dimension? Robin felt her blood run cold and she slowly reached for her tome in her dress. Whoever they’re about to take, it would spell disaster between the countries. A declaration of war, if anything.

“We best make this quick then,” The woman flickered her wrist forward to look at it. Robin caught a glance at her silver bracelet before it was covered by her shawl. “We only have a limited amount of power left running back at the facility. You know how they get if we use it too often.”

They were doing it–now!

In a flash, Robin whipped her tome open and raised her hand to summon Lightning, giving Chrom the signal to jump at them. Or at least, she tried to. As she felt the electricity surge through her arm, she felt a hand grab at her wrist and she was knocked forward into the opening.

The ground made a hard impact as they fell. Robin felt the air get knocked out of her lungs and she felt her arm twist behind her back. Flexing her fingers with her open hand, she grabbed onto whoever was on top of her.

“Elwind!”

Robin’s body felt immensely lighter as the gust of sharp air knocked her attacker off of her. Getting up on one knee, she looked up to see the thief standing over her.

“Well, that was easier than I thought.” He snickered, a sick smile on his face.

Robin snatched her tome from the ground and tried to use Elwind to jump back from him. Only to get caught by another attacker from behind. Their arms wrapped around Robin's arms and neck, trying to squeeze the air out of her. Gasping for breath, she flailed miserably and tried to do anything to harm the attacker: bite, kick, scratch. But nothing was working.

“Robin!”

Once again, Robin was knocked to the ground as Chrom stepped in and swung at the attacker. Her throat burned from her throat being constricted and she could finally breathe again, coughing from the hold. Gentle hands, familiar ones, held her close as she tried to get up once more. Chrom pulled her close to his chest and pointed Falchion right at the attacker, daring anyone to get any closer. Robin took a look around them, trying to come up with a plan. There were only four of them: the thief and his woman along with a burly warrior and a hooded swordsman. Robin tried to use Insight, but failed when she could only see their weapons. Everything else looked like it was scratched out with ink. Her head began to buzz and her arm felt numb from when it was twisted behind her.

“Don’t take another step towards…” Chrom stopped short, pointing his sword and glaring at the warrior. “Wait a moment, I know you. You attacked us on our way to Ferox!”

“An honor it is for you to remember me, milord.” The warrior cracked his neck and both his hands as he spoke. “A shame you won’t be killing me this time.”

“You killed him?” Robin looked at Chrom then back to the warrior. “But h-he’s…”

“A sound mistake,” The thief stepped forward. “What he meant is that it’s a shame that he won’t have the chance to kill him. Ever.”

“Nelson,” the woman snapped, pulling her own tome out. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Ah, alright. Well then, say your goodbyes now.” ‘Nelson’ turned his back on them, swaying on his feet.

Robin’s head began to swell as the tension grew and anxiety began to sweep through her body. Picking up her tome, she looked at Chrom. He looked at her, his mouth set in a fine line, but she could tell he was just as nervous as her. She wonders how she looks to him right now. Without speaking any words, the two of them paired up and got ready for battle. Chrom pulled a silver sword from his convoy belt and passed it to her as he made the first move. He attacked the warrior first, barely grazing their arm as he swung wide. The warrior quickly dodged the attack, but in turn swung his fists down to disarm the prince.

“Thunder!”

Robin threw a bolt of magic towards the warrior, before swinging her sword to block the hooded swordsman. She struggled to push back against the thin rapier as the swordsman began to overpower her. In one big-push, she broke the hold and threw a wind spell at them, pushing them back. The hooded swordsman only moves so far and pulls a tome out from underneath their cloak. Robin stances herself to block or take the hit, but is taken off guard when they rush towards them and raises a hand, balling shining magic into the palm of their hand.

“Seraphim…” They barely whisper and Robin’s vision goes white.

She covers her eyes, trying to recover her sight. She hears footsteps approach her and in a fit of panic, she unleashes a thunder spell.

“Ar-arcthunder!”

The ground beneath her quakes and voices around her shout in anger or panic. She hears Chrom call out for her, but he is cut-off by an attacker.

‘Hopefully, someone realizes that there’s a battle happening,’ Robin wipes the dirt and tears out of her eyes as she tries to gain distance from the fight. ‘Please, everyone, come quickly!’

“Goetia!” A voice shouts behind her. Black miasma began to surround Robin and the air grew thick with dark magic. It would be easy to dodge, but Robin’s body froze up. Her hands began to shake and her vision became blurry. The miasma turned solid and her body became covered in the murky purple liquid, wriggling across her skin. Robin feels like she’s drowning in the substance and collapses to her knees as she fervently tries to get it off her. It begins to crawl up, aiming its focus on her face. Robin’s breathing quickens and she hastens her progress with expelling the slimy magic off her.

As she claws her face, she feels her body go numb and the energy gets sapped from her. The miasma lightens and she could see Chrom being held by the warrior in a standing body lock. His eyes were wild and he seemed to be shouting, his attire covered in blood and torn in some places.

“Chr…om…” Robin tries to shout, but only a groan emerges from her lips and her arm twitches in his direction.

Her vision is turned away to look up towards the other three attackers that stand above her. The thief and woman talk to one another before the woman is illuminated in a soft blue light and disappears from sight. The hooded attacker draws their face closer to her and lifts the hood enough to reveal glowing eyes. Red eyes.

“An..thy…” Robin feels her lips move ever so slightly.

But Anthy doesn’t respond. She only looks at her with pity and sadness, before putting Robin into a deep sleep.

Chapter Text

“Chrom...we have to do something.”  

“Well, what do you propose we do?” 

“I-I don’t know!” 

A groan emerged from the lips of the unconscious person on the ground and the two people speaking perked up from the sound. Their eyes opening up from the light and noise around them. 

“I see you’re awake now.” 

“Hey there!” 

“There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know.” The man stretched out his hand, offering it. “Give me your hand.” 

Groggily, I extend my hand towards the man’s. The leather hand guard that rested on my wrist slipped down my arm, revealing a dark brand of some sort. I felt myself being pulled up and I allowed myself to land on my feet. Looking up, I made eye contact with the man. He had a warm smile and I instantly felt safer with him than on the grass. 

Brushing myself off, I adjusted my clothes to make myself look more presentable. The brand on my hand made me uneasy, but I slipped my hand guard back on to think about it later. 

“Are you alright?” He spoke. I could tell he was concerned. 

“Y-yes...thank you, Chrom.” 

The words came out of me before I could even realize it. Did I know him? My head buzzed from the sudden thought, and I tried to remember... 

“Ah, then you know who I am.” The man I called ‘Chrom’ looked surprised but looked more relieved than anything. 

“No, actually. I...” I tried to correct him. Maybe I should tell him that it was a guess? But that didn’t feel right. My gut told me to tell him the truth. “It’s strange...your name, it just...came to me...” 

“...hmm, how curious.” 

I could practically hear Chrom’s voice deepen from suspicion. It didn’t help that the knight behind him practically glared daggers into my soul. 

“Tell me, what’s your name? What brings you here?” Chrom asks. 

“My name is...” My voice hesitates. A cold panic sets over my body. The buzzing gets louder, and I try to search my memory for something—anything! “It’s...hmm?” 

“...you don’t remember your own name?” Chrom’s voice is an echo at this point, ringing in my head as I try to wave away the fog in my head. 

I can tell I’m scaring the group as I stand silently in front of them. Let’s think through this, I can still tell them the truth. Chrom seems to be trusting enough.  

“I’m not sure if...I’m sorry, but where am I, exactly?” 

The girl beside Chrom gasps softly, but her voice rings as loud as bells in my ear. 

“Hey, I’ve heard of this! It’s called amnesia!” 

“It’s called a load of Pegasus dung.” The knight scoffs and gently places his hands on both Chrom and the girls' shoulders. He drags them slowly behind them, before sizing up to me. “We’re to believe you remember milord’s name, but not your own?” 

“B-but it’s the truth!” I cried out, suddenly feeling desperate. I thought they might have been kindly people—friends to people in need! For gods sake, they picked me up from the ground and asked if I’m alright. 

“...What if it IS true, Frederick?” Chrom pushed past him, now shielding me from the knight. “We can't just leave him here, alone and confused. What sort of Shepherds would we be then?” 

“Just the same, milord. I must emphasize caution. 'Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock.” 

The two of them seemed to have a stare down for a moment before ‘Frederick’ yielded and only sighed, before pulling the two to the side. They seemed to talk for a brief moment as I stood awkwardly to the side. Should I just make a run for it? My gut tells me that it’ll be alright but judging by how Frederick looked at me, my survival is a 50/50 chance. 

“Right then—we'll take him back to town and sort this out here.” I heard from the group. They break and Chrom makes his way towards me, a smile plastered on his face. 

“Wait just one moment.” I held my hands out in front of me, trying to stop him from coming any closer. “Do I have a say in this?” 

“Peace, friend,” Chrom laughs, opening one of his own arms in an inviting way. “I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come.” 

We walked a fair distance from where they had found me before I broke the silence and began questioning them. Chrom was nice enough to give me answers as Frederick only gave me yes or no answers. 

Chrom made introductions as we walked on: Chrom was the leader of The Shepherds, an independent army that helps others in need, but is stationed in the country of Ylisse. At the moment, the four of us were in Ylisse. The three of them were traveling from the border of Ylisse and Plegia, aiding villages in getting rid of brigades and thieves. Frederick was one of Ylisse’s best knights and frequently accompanied Chrom and his sister when they went on any expedition. Chrom’s “delicate '' little sister, Lissa, accompanies him as a healer and fighter. 

“I am NOT delicate!” Lissa harrumphed, her cheeks pink from embarrassment. “Ignore my brother, please. He can be a bit thick sometimes. But you're lucky the Shepherds found you. Brigades would've been a rude awakening!” 

I felt one of my eyebrows go up as I was reminded of their group. “I was going to ask--Shepherds? You tend sheep? ...In full armor?” 

“Heh, it's a dangerous job.” Chrom chuckled at my skepticism. “Just ask Frederick the Wary here.” 

“A title I shall wear with pride.” Frederick seemed to have stood up straighter, but he looked tired. “Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution. I have every wish to trust you, stranger, but my station mandates otherwise.” 

“I understand, sir. I would do no less myself.” I mentally nodded to myself and felt a little relieved that they didn’t trust me at first. Who knows what could’ve happened? Gods, Robin, try to think a little more next time.   

Oh. 

There it was. 

“My name is Robin.” I blurted out, feeling a rush of excitement and adrenaline. The three of them look back at me as if they hadn’t known me before at all. “…I just remembered that. How odd. I suppose that's one mystery solved.” 

“Robin?” Chrom was the first to speak. He looked mildly surprised and glad as he tested the name out. “Is that foreign? …Ah, well. We can discuss it later. We're almost to town. Once we—” 

“Chrom, look! The town!” Lissa screamed. Her finger pointing to the stack of smoke that poured from the village square. 

I could barely smell the ash and smoke from where we stood. But as soon as I saw the smoke, all of my senses became alert. Some of the fog in my head cleared and I began to think...remember... 

“Damn it! The town is ablaze!” 

Chrom’s shout brought me back to reality. They were already getting ready to embark to the town, saddling Fredericks horse, Lissa jumping onto the rear, and Chrom fixing his weapon and clothes into place. 

 “Those blasted brigands, no doubt... Frederick, Lissa! Quickly!” 

“What about him?” Frederick jumped up in a swell-swoop onto his saddle, the horse circling me in excitement. 

“Unless he's on fire as well, it can wait!” 

Huh? Wait, what?? “But what about—”  

“Aptly put, milord.” 

“Let's go already!” Lissa smacked the horse's rear end, prompting it to gallop ahead. Chrom took that as a sign to also speed forward towards the town. 

Leaving me behind in the dust. I could only stare at them as they reached the gates and moved inwards. But the strange thing was that when they reached the town, I saw something. Numbers? And...some weaknesses? My head was buzzing again, but this time it was a good kind of buzzing.  

“Hmm...” 

I decided to follow them, dashing at an alarming pace. A faint glow circled underneath my feet and I almost panicked if it wasn’t for the voice in the back of my head saying safe, safe, magic good . Magic, huh? I guess I can use magic. 

I skidded on air as I reached the town's gate and looked around at the fire and smoke that shrouded the town. The remaining townspeople that were around were scurrying back and forth from the well, drawing water and trying to put out the fire.  

Upon patting my body down, I found a book tucked into a pocket and a sword strapped to my waist. How odd–who was I? Do I truly even remember how to fight if I didn’t even know my name? A roar sounded behind me and turned to see an axe fighter running towards me. Instinctively, I dodged the attack, tripping over a loose weapon as I did. Seeing an attack of opportunity, they lunged towards me. 

In a hot flash, my vision blurred, and the buzzing suddenly stopped. The color in the world was splotchy and time had begun to slow. Information and numbers began to materialize in front of me, telling me strategies that I could use. 

Insight . That’s what a memory tells me. 

Using this as an opportunity, I grabbed at the bronze sword and unsheathed it from my side. Time resumed as soon as I started to move again, causing the axe fighter to come full throttle towards me. But I knew better. As he swung downwards, I moved just a bit faster using wind magic to propel me once more. With a swinging uppercut, I had successfully felled my opponent. 

The muscles in my body seemed to remember how to fight, but my mind was not easily swayed. The buzzing in my head came back momentarily and I felt a sense of dread and disgust as I looked back to my opponent. 

‘ A man can give no proper judgment to his enemy than the weapon he carries can.’ A voice rings through my mind. My stomach churns for a moment before hardening my resolve. 

‘ It doesn't matter anymore,’ I think to myself, pushing the unknown voice out of my mind. ‘ It’s all in the past.’  

I rushed past some of the burned down buildings and found myself in the town square. A laugh rings out and some taunting echoes off of the standing buildings. Chrom, Frederick, and Lissa are standing near the edge of the opening. Lissa ducked behind a produce stall with Frederick riding a couple of spaces away from her. Chrom was the only one standing out in the open. 

Two dead bodies lay bleeding on the stone floor either slashed or speared open, leaving 9 opponents waiting to strike any of them dead. One of the enemies, an axe wielder, made his move towards Chrom, missing his first swing. But using insight, I saw that he planned to use a second move, slashing Chrom’s arm open.

“Back off!”

I boosted himself to block the upcoming second attack, startling the blue prince. I could only hold him for so long and grunted as the axe grew heavier. I turned to look at Chrom, nodding my head at him. He seemed to know what I was trying to tell him and his surprised look quickly changed. He repeated the head gesture and took a stance, ready to attack.

With all of my strength, I unlocked the two weapons and pushed him forward, scratching a measly amount of his health away. Chrom took the opening and striked true against the opponent, causing his demise. With one swift swing, he planted his own sword into the ground before turning to me, a curious and wild look in his eyes. 

“Robin–you followed us! Why?”

I looked around at the chaos once more, flicking my sword down to my side. “I…I’m not certain myself, but I am armed–and I know my way around a fight if you’ll have me.”

My voice wavered, making me sound more worried than confident. I don’t think Chrom realized this and he nodded eagerly.

“Of course–strength in numbers. Just stay close!” He eyed the sword in my hand, then glanced at the tome in the other. “I see you wield a sword–Wait, is that a tome? …You know magic?”

“I…believe so?” I nervously looked at my weapons, checking for any sign of damage. “Let me check again…”

“You believe so?” Chrom gave me a weary look and took a step away from me. “Perhaps I’ll just keep a few paces behind you…”

A scream resonated across the square and I look over to see Frederick making his way over to us with Lissa in tow, a lone body splayed on the ground behind them.

“A word of caution Robin,” Frederick spoke to me, but he kept his eyes forward, locked on the group ahead of us. “We fight against seasoned murderers and thieves, be careful not to overdo it. They will grant us no quarter. It’s kill or be killed.”

As quickly as we started, the battle was over in a flash. I saw moves that benefited us and led the others towards a path of victory. Thankfully, we came out with no scratches thanks to Lissa’s healing. The leader cursed us as he gasped for his last breath, but I paid no attention to a miscreant that would kill for selfish reasons.

“Well,” I breathed, sheathing my sword and wiping the sweat from my brow. “That’s the end of that.”

I scanned the area, making sure there weren’t any stragglers. The town was still in shambles, but the fire had been put out and the townspeople were already gathering to scourge what they could.

I felt a tug at my arm and Lissa’s cheery voice filled my ears.

“...holy wow, Robin! You were incredible! Swords, sorcery, AND tactics! Is there anything you can’t do?”

“You’re certainly no helpless victim–that much is for sure.” Chrom flashed a smile at me.

I suddenly felt embarrassed at the sudden praise. Pride swelled within me as I felt helpful during these trying times.

“Indeed,” Frederick narrowed his eyes at me, but I could see that he was impressed. “Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here?”

The fuzzy feeling of praise slowly ebbed away and I couldn’t help but bristle at his comment.

“I understand your skepticism, Sir Frederick.” I stare hard into his eyes, holding my ground. If he couldn’t trust me even after I helped them, then I would have to prove myself with my honesty. “And I cannot explain why only some knowledge has returned to me. But please, believe me. I have shared all that I know.”

I could practically hear Lissa holding her breath as she looked between the two of us. Chrom stepped in beside us, clapping a hand on his steward's shoulder. Frederick doesn’t waver and his face remains stoic as Chrom gives him a look.

He turns his smile towards me. “You fought to save Ylissean lives. My heart says that's enough.”

“And your mind, milord? Will you now heed its council as well?”

If I were on better terms with Frederick, I would have laughed at this remark. But we can always become closer friends sometime. Better late than never.

“Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone with Robin's talents. We've brigands and unruly neighbors, all looking to bloody our soil. Would you really have us lose such an able tactician? Besides, I believe his story, odd as it might be.”

The sudden trust and praise washed over me again. These siblings really knew how to butter me up.

“Th-thank you, Chrom.” I mentally kicked myself for stuttering, but no one seemed to pay any attention as both Lissa and Chrom continued to scold Frederick.

“So how about it?” Chrom turned away from the knight and cleric, his hand outstretched towards me. “Will you join us, Robin?”

“Huh?”

They wanted me to join them? But didn’t we just meet? They all seemed to mean well, but it felt all so sudden. It did feel good to help them–helping the greater good. I knew nothing of politics and of the world around me. How could I be so sure if I was helping the right people? But I felt that I could trust Chrom. There was something there that told me that he was reliable. Something inside me said to take his hand.

Say yes .

I took a hold of the waiting hand and gave it a little shake. I did my best to smile, feeling determined to help his cause. A cause that would help me find who I was. Who I could be.

“I would be honored.”

Chapter Text

We helped the town as much as we could: cleaning up debris, helping pile materials, and fixing buildings. Frederick wrote down a list of extra materials that the town needed and told the mayor to bill the Ylisse court with any expenses they had missed. It seems like Frederick had friends in high places. The mayor had offered us to stay, but Chrom and Frederick declined much to Lissa’s dismay. The two of them seemed very set leaving for the capital and Lissa couldn’t help but complain as we trudged out of town. We had travelled a good distance before the sun finally went down and darkness enveloped the forest we strolled through. 

“I told you—it's getting dark already!” Lissa whined. The air was chillier now, and she had begun to rub her arms to warm up. I was bundled up within my coat and suddenly felt lucky that I woke up with it. “...ech! And now the bugs are out!” 

I couldn’t help but smile at Lissa’s antics as she began to spit and cough about a bug in her mouth. As I traveled with them, I got a sense of their characters. Lissa seems to be the jokester of the group and has no qualms with involving others in her antics. 

“Aw, come on now, Lissa.” Chrom chuckled. “Hardship builds character. Want to help me gather firewood?” 

Chrom is the leader type who is friendly towards everyone until they make themselves his enemy. And of course, Frederick is the loyal knight. It seems I didn’t need to think his character over after what I witnessed on the battlefield. A man who stood his ground until proven worthy. I had to respect it, but I truly hope to become friends with him. 

Frederick passed a canteen to Lissa as she continued to spit. “...I think I swallowed it...” She bemoaned. “...I’ll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I’ve built QUITE enough character for one day!” 

At the thought of Lissa digesting a bug, my stomach began to groan. The feeling of hunger was slowly gurgling within my stomach. Of all the things that could make me hungry, a fly just had to be the thing, huh? 

“We should probably think about food.” I coughed, hoping to silence my loud stomach. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” 

“Yes, I should think a little hunting and gathering is in order.” Frederick mused. He grabbed his lance from his mount before facing the group. “Now, who wants to clear a campsite? 

I helped Chrom find firewood, mostly picking up dead branches and leaves off the ground. Lissa tagged along but wasn’t much help as she grumbled and whined with each step. As we dumped the firewood onto a spot, Frederick came back with a dead bear in tow. From what I knew, bears were ferocious creatures that could stand over ten feet tall and could crush an army with a single blow. So how could one creature go up against Frederick the Wary? This sounded like an unknown territory that I should be careful crossing. A fire was started and as Frederick cooked our dinner, Lissa turned towards me. 

“Hey Robin, can you really not remember anything?” 

“Lissa!” Chrom exclaimed. 

“What? I’m only asking!” 

“It’s ok, Chrom.” I chuckled at the two bickering. “But in a way, yes. I don’t remember much, but it seems the basics of survival and my name are the only things that I can remember.” 

It truly was vexing that I couldn’t remember anything else. It picked at my consciousness and weighed on my mind that it was essential that I truly knew who I was, but on the other hand there was a sense of relief that would wash over me. I had to force myself back to listen to Lissa chatter away about how she still hated camping. I didn’t want to seem unpleasant to talk to when people ask me that question. Silently, Frederick passed over the bear meat skewers. I couldn’t help but feel my mouth water. It smelled kind of gamey and looked rubbery, but that wasn’t going to stop me from eating. 

“Mmm...” Chrom hummed, munching on his own stick. “It’s been a while since I’ve had bear.” 

“Pass!” Lissa made a retching noise and stuck her tongue out. “...Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain. Right, Robin? ...Uh, Robin?” 

The bear Frederick had hunted tasted phenomenal . There was only a hint of salt, but I could tell that the flavor came out from the charred skin and lingering juice. I chowed that down as if I had been a starved man. Lissa and Frederick made unsatisfied faces at me while both complaining about both dinner and the situation. We all made plans to keep watch, Frederick would first and then Chrom would take over the rest. I had offered to keep watch last, but Frederick was very adamant about trusting me at all. I stared into the fire, trying to quiet the restless thoughts that shot around within my head. 

How odd that I had awoken without a single memory or name to me. Lissa was right; I was fortunate that they had found me first. But the one thing puzzled me the most was how I knew Chrom’s name. I don’t recognize him, and in turn he has never met me. So how is it that I knew his name before my own? My eyes were beginning to feel heavy, and as I gently closed them, I seemed to recall something. Something important. 

The scene was blurry and dark. Only bright flashes of colors could be made out as I dreamt. Everything worked in slow motion and my body felt heavy as I moved about. The sounds around me echoed and became distorted within itself. A sickly color flashed in my peripheral and as I began to move forward, a blurry face came into my view. I tried pushing them out of the way and as I do, I see white. 

As I fall to the ground, someone comes to my aid. I tried to make out their face and as I do, it becomes clearer, and I recognize them—Chrom. His words are echoing and muffled in my ears and when he turns back to me, his face goes white and red floods my vision. Looking down, my hands are covered in blood and crackling with energy. Shocked at what I had done, I could only hear coughed mutterings. 

“ Not your fault...please...go...”  

My vision is beginning to stain red, and a distant laugh rang in my ears. But the most haunting part was the shrill shriek that echoed after Chrom fell to the ground. I awoke in a panic. My clothes were damp from sweat and dirt clung to my face. The ground was rumbling and shifting around me. Frederick’s hand clutched at my arm; his expression looked shaken. 

“Wh-what’s happening? What’s going on?!” My hand grabbed at my tome, ready to fight if needed. He pulled me up from the ground and once I was steady on my feet, he hurried over to untie his horse. 

“I am unsure, but we must make haste and leave!” Frederick swung onto his horse and reached his hand down towards me. “This area is on the brink of collapse!” 

I made a move to grasp his hand, but then stopped as I spotted two faces missing. 

“Where’s Chrom and Lissa?!” 

The pair were nowhere in sight. The spots I saw them last were vacant of their inhabitants and their weapons were gone. I felt the panic beginning to set in. Did they meet their untimely doom, or did they already leave and left us behind? 

“I can only assume that they are safe, but we need to leave-- Now !” 

Frederick was right. We needed to leave. I finally grabbed his hand and hoisted myself to sit behind him. Reigns were flicked and the horse shot off with a jolt. I had to hold onto Frederick to stop myself from slipping off the back. 

The trees around us cracked and fell, balls of fire raining from the sky. Frederick steered us expertly around these disasters, making sure to avoid the loose ground that acted as pitfalls. If I had known better, I would have thought Frederick had the same Insight ability as well. A flash of white caught my attention and I looked to see the sky begin to turn gray. A thin white line cut across the sky, almost as if the Gods had done it themselves. It wavered and it split open to reveal a hole in the sky. 

“Frederick! Look, over–”  

The sky flashed a bright blue and suddenly my head broke out in a piercing headache. It caused me so much distress that my vision became hazy, and I began to see red. The bear that we had eaten earlier that night crawled up my throat and I tilted my body to spew out the burning acid.  

“UGH!” 

I could feel my body breaking out in a fever as waves of hot flashes washed over my body. I felt the horse stir to the left and my body began to fall from the saddle. Mustering the strength into one arm, I tried to hold onto anything in reach, but my fingers just barely slipped off Fredericks armor. As I braced myself for a hard impact, a hand latched onto my arm and caught me before I could. 

Everything blurred past my eyes and at one point, Frederick’s face was all that I could see. His mouth moved frantically as he tried to talk to me, but his voice sounded so far away. I could tell he was trying to speak to me, but everything was muffled over the sound of my blood roaring in my ears. I gasped weakly and struggled to even try to get back on the horse. I eventually did, but I found myself leaning against the knight more and more. I pressed my forehead close to his armor, not even fazed by the horse's movement. I wanted the pain to be gone. It hurt so much that it felt like my head was being split in twain! As fast as it appeared, the migraine dissipated. The throbbing was still very much present, but the pain was almost completely gone. My muscles ached and I could taste the remnants of my dinner. 

“Robin! Are you alright?” Frederick’s voice rang clear in my ears now. It sounded concerned, but I could tell he was trying to keep his composure. 

“...yes,” I groaned, my own voice gravelly and gruff. My energy felt sapped. It was tiring just to move my mouth. “I don’t know what happened...” 

“I’m sure milady Lissa will give you a vulnerary when we find her. Just hold on.” 

We didn’t have to look very far as we reached a clearing. An unusual heat wafted in the wind. Trees were on fire and the terrain was now cracked open and spewing fire. In the middle of the clearing, Chrom and Lissa stood side by side with their weapons and staff at the ready. 

“Milord! Milady!” 

Frederick sped forward as we got closer to the open area. The field was littered with creatures that I had never seen before. Their skin was imbued with dark magic, and it poured out of their mouths as they stared blanklessly at us. It was almost like they were dead and had risen from the graves. 

“Are such horrific creatures commonplace in these lands?” My voice came out low, almost as if I was irritated. It surprised me and I looked around to watch everyone’s reaction, but no one seemed to notice. 

“They’re not from Ylisse, I promise you that.” Chrom cautiously looked around us, but I could already see that his gaze was already settled on the approaching crowd of enemies. 

I surveyed the surrounding area; The field was more open than I had realized, and I counted each moving creature I could see. The enemies before us moved slowly. It seemed that some of them hadn’t realized that we were there, slowly trying to walk off into the forest. There were ten—no, eight of them now. Someone else was on the battlefield. They had already taken care of the stragglers and had left the last group to us. One of them seemed significantly bigger than the others, who I could only guess was the leader or chief. 

“...Thank the gods you are both unharmed!” Frederick sighed with a breath of relief. He almost looked older when he relaxed his face like that. I slid off the saddle, unprepared at how fast gravity pulled me to the ground. I would have almost fallen to my knees if Chrom hadn’t caught me. 

“Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine,” I coughed, my voice hoarse from the bile stuck in my throat. “I just have a slight headache. Lissa, can you spare a vulnerary?” 

The medicinal water cooled my throat, and I felt my strength returning after swallowing the last gulp. These headaches and sudden migraines were proving to be a formidable foe that I hadn’t factored in before. I never would have thought that having amnesia could have played such a big role with headaches. I prayed to the gods that it wasn’t going to be a frequent dilemma. 

Before I launched ourselves into battle, I hurriedly made a check of our equipment and medicine. We looked like we were alright until we reached the Chief. If we stayed a distance and took out the archers first, we could route the enemy. I surveyed the area once more before readying myself and noticed that there were buildings disguised in the dark. “Hmm? Are those...?” 

“Abandoned forts, yes.” Frederick replied. 

‘ Oh, an unexpected boon .’ I mused to myself. “Then we should take shelter in them whenever possible. No doubt they will offer distinct advantages in battle.” 

I directed Frederick to take Lissa to the fortress to the North while Chrom and I would take the South. I saw that one of them was already making its way to the South, noting that we would need to make our move. Fast. As soon as the four of us broke off, all the monsters registered that the battle began. 

A fighter moved to swing at Chrom, but sorely missed as its axe stuck into a tree. Frederick and Lissa safely made it to the fortress before becoming swarmed by another fighter and mercenary. Using Insight , I noticed that one of the fighters held a Hammer. A weird sensation crawled down my arm, and I felt a sense of Deja vu come over me. Where had I seen that before? As the fighter moved forward, I remembered. 

Oh no. Frederick was in danger. Hammers were a deadly weapon to knights of any kind as using its momentum could crush metal in an instant. I tried to reach the fortress halfway before an archer attacked me from a distance. Pain bloomed in my shoulder. I pushed through the pain and blocked the swing of the hammer in front of Frederick. 

“Back off!” 

The dead-look that the fighter gave me almost looked human. I couldn’t tell as I struggled to hold against the hammer, but in a flash, Frederick slashed the creature, cutting off a chunk of rotting flesh off its chest. I barely had time to register another attack when Chrom jumped in to finish it off. 

“You have my thanks, Robin.” Frederick called out, a nod in my direction. 

“Think nothing of it,” I winced as I pulled out the arrow. “Make sure to stay within the fort and if another fighter with a hammer comes by, use your axe.” 

Lissa ran over to heal my wounds and then swapped a vulnerary with Chrom. I also made sure that Frederick took the hammer, in case he was to use it. As I ran multiple strategies through my head, a voice rang out across the field. 

“Captain Chrom!” 

I looked up momentarily to see someone on horseback striding towards us. There was also someone following them as they galloped our way. A moan growled out from behind me, and I dodged the following attack from the dead enemy. I wasn’t fast enough as its rusted weapon slipped in my leg. 

“Chrom!” 

The said man slashed at an enemy before coming to my side, pairing up with me as I attacked at a distance. 

“Do you know that soldier?” 

“That’s Sully,” Chrom grunts out as he cleaves at another undead, rendering one of its arms immobile. “One of the shepherds. What in the blazes is she doing here?” 

“And the other?” A ball of lighting flies towards it, finishing it off. 

“I haven’t the faintest idea.” Chrom sticks his sword into the ground, surveying the pair as they rush towards us. 

The horse stops and the soldier dismounts, giving a quick salute. “Sorry for my brash leave sir. Those stragglers gave me one helluva fight and I couldn’t make it back in time.” 

“At ease,” Chrom eyes the other man before grasping the pommel of his sword, pulling it out of the ground. “We’ll have a chance to catch up later—For now, we rid this land of those creatures.” 

“Understood!” Sully remounts and makes eye-contact with me. She seems to judge my appearance but doesn’t say a word. All she does is give me a nod before galloping towards the fortress that Frederick and Lissa were occupying. 

“Goddesses and gentlemen, might I have your attention? I, as it happens, am an archer!” The man stood a distance away, but his voice was loud and clear from where we were standing. Whoever this man was, he could certainly belt his voice. “As such, I attack most effectively from a distance. So kindly keep me one step away from peril, if you would!” 

“Good sir,” I moved a couple of spaces towards him, shooting a ranged attack at an enemy. “Make your way to that abandoned fortress! I will have Ser Sully at your side once we clear the forces around the other!” 

“As you say, my liege!” It didn’t take long for him to make it to the fortress. His legs moved so fast that I didn’t even see them move. ‘ Gods, what a character...’ , I couldn’t help but think. As the battle continued, my headache got worse. The throbbing behind my eyes became unbearable and I lashed out my frustration on the enemies ahead of me. With a combined effort, the chief was felled. Before leaving the field, I looked around one last time. 

For some odd reason, I felt like I was forgetting something. The fire that had erupted from the ground earlier was already cooled and the sky was beginning to gain its color back, but a faint amount of magic still lingered in the air. My headache was still very much present, but the throbbing had died down after the battle ended. The carnage that littered the fields was fading away. Literally. The once moving dead was now dissolving into the air, leaving a trail of black smoke from where they lie. 

“It seems all the creatures are vanquished.” Frederick walked over, leading his horse as Lissa sat on its saddle. “That young man took care of the others.” 

At the edge of the forest, a cloaked figure sheathed his sword as the last creature fell at his feet and dissipated before it could hit the ground. Chrom made his way over and the group followed suit. As we did, I could finally make out an appearance of the mysterious swordsman. He was dressed in dark blues and color, the night shrouding any distinguishable features. The only thing that caught my eye was the heavy mask he donned, covering the upper parts of his face. 

“...” He silently greeted us, keeping a fair distance away as Chrom stepped forward to talk. 

“You saved my sister’s life.” He bowed his head. This prompted a small, frustrated grunt from Frederick beside me. “My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?” 

“...” 

I could tell that he was uncomfortable talking to us. Or anything at all in that matter. He stood still and quietly. When Lissa butts in to give her thanks to the man, he only nods in response. Chrom tries to chat with Marth more, but as he does, I feel the man’s gaze drift to me. I couldn’t see his eyes at all, but the sudden feelings of being watched were all too familiar. Is it because he knows me from somewhere? Does he know who I truly am? 

“...case of ever needing your assistance again, might we know your name?” Chrom’s voice brings me back from my mind and I shift my gaze to his figure, only watching the back of his head bob as he talks. 

“You may call me Marth.” 

Ah. So, the masked man does have a voice. 

“Marth? After the heroic king of old?” Chrom says aloud, as if he was thinking it. 

“I’m not here to talk about me.” The masked man finally speaks, but it was harsh and swift. “This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw was but a prelude. You have been warned.” 

With a turn, he walked away, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. 

“Huh?” The silence was popped by Lissa, who stepped forward in hopes of catching Marth’s attention. “What’s teetering where now? Hey, wait!” 

Her shouts fell deaf on his ears and Marth did not return. I could tell that the group was tense. How could anyone relax when they’ve been told the world might end? 

I cleared my throat, hoping to alleviate the tension. “Not much for conversation, is he?” 

“It appears his skills lie elsewhere.” Frederick seemed to be becoming anxious. His horse was twisting and turning, eager to get a move on. “I wager we’ll hear his name again...But for now I’m more concerned about the capital. We should make haste.” 

We rounded up together and, without a glance behind us, hurried down the now cracked road. As we made our way past burning trees, my mind couldn’t help but think about what Marth had said. Was this really the beginning of something close to a calamity? I couldn’t imagine what the capital would look like if an open field could be broken into pieces. 

“We’re just approaching the next village,” Sully called out. She rode farther than any of us and Chrom was saddled behind her. He seemed eager to get to the capital. Lissa and Chrom had a shared look painted on their faces: fear . “After that, we’ll be able to see the castle!” 

Dawn was beginning to crest over the land and the sky turned a beautiful mix of yellow and pink. People were beginning to stir and awaken to their daily routines, but that left us with a path littered with people and carts. As Frederick yelled to clear a path, a castle so bright came into view. How grand it looked in the morning light! It sparkled and gleamed, basking in the glow of the sun. As I admired the far-off structure, I had failed to notice the scene around me. 

I had imagined fires raging between houses and the ground swallowing people and roads, but I did not see any of it. Instead, people go about their business and the smell of food and perfumes waft in the air. The group seemed more visibly relaxed now that there was no carnage to be seen. Chrom dismounted from Sully’s horse, and they talked for a while before Sully and Virion sped off. 

“Did Sully have urgent business?” I asked. 

“She wanted to check in with the rest of the Shepherds if they had noticed anything in the night.” Chrom’s complexion looked better than earlier, but I had a feeling that he was wearing himself out a little. “We’ll meet them later on.” 

“It appears the capitol was spared the chaos we encountered, thank the gods. I see no evidence of the great quake.” Said Frederick. “It must’ve been limited to the forest.” 

“Well, that’s a relief!” Lissa exhaled, a sigh, escaping with it. 

The streets began to rile up with their morning business and Chrom suggested we walk through the town. Lissa chimed in response to get food, even though we ate not even six hours ago. Before I knew it, Frederick had bought us a whole entree of steaming foods on sticks and even had enough gold to buy fruit for dessert. As we went through the town, Lissa would point out different shops and stalls and make short quips about each. Each one seemed to have their own pros and cons and at one point, Lissa couldn’t help but stop at more stalls for us to look at. 

“This one too, Robin!” Lissa dropped another item into one of the bags I was carrying. It was becoming astonishingly heavy, and I couldn’t bear to hold it anymore. Chrom came to my rescue, taking one of the already full bags from my arms. 

“Thank you.” I breathed. The load in my arms is already so much lighter than before. 

“No problem.” 

We walk in mutual silence as Lissa continues to browse through the various stores and stalls. I stole a glance at Chrom. He was well-built and a good leader and fighter to boot. It made me start to think... 

I cleared my throat. “Can I ask you something, Chrom?” 

“Uh-oh.” He chuckled and I saw a smile break through. “Should I be nervous?” 

His smile was infectious, and I couldn’t help but share a grin. “Well, I was just--” 

“Look! The exalt has come to see us!” An elderly man pushed between us and hurried to the now opening pathway. The people seemed to be coming in doves to line up and see her. They were cheering, smiling, some crying at the sheer thought of getting a glimpse. I could barely see above the crowd, but as we moved against the waves of people, I caught a glimpse of her. 

She was beautiful. She practically glowed in the morning light as she gracefully smiled and waved to the townspeople. She walked down the pathway, something you wouldn’t normally see royals do, surrounded by guards and knights. 

Without tearing my eyes away from the parade, I spoke. “The exalt is your ruler, yes?” 

“Yes. Her name is Lady Emmeryn.” Frederick said, suddenly behind me. 

“Is it safe for her to walk among commoners like this?” 

“The exalt is a symbol of peace—Ylisse's most prized quality. Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the fell dragon tried to destroy the world. But the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and laid the beast low. Exalt Emmeryn reminds us all of the peace we fought for then.” 

“With Plegia poking at our borders, the people need her.” Chrom said. “She’s a calming presence, when some might otherwise call for war.” 

I could tell that the people treasure her. She would stop and speak to some people before continuing to the next person, holding hands with the elderly, and taking flowers from children. She seemed to be the type of ruler that put her people’s needs in front of her own. 

“Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her.” I breathed. Hope bloomed in my chest, and I welcomed it as a new friend. A whole different feeling than the anxiety and despair we had felt a few hours ago. Perhaps, this world wasn’t doomed to a calamity. 

“She’s also the best big sister anyone could ask for!” Lissa giggled, sidling up next to me. 

“Yes, I imagine she...wait, what?” Hold on. Back up. Did I hear that right? “She’s your...But that would make you and Chrom...” 

“The prince and princess of the realm, yes.” Frederick looked at me, an impish look appeared on his face. “You remember Chrom’s name and not this?” 

“You said you were ‘shepherds’!” 

“And so we are...in a manner of speaking.” Chrom scratched his head, looking embarrassed. “We just have a LOT of sheep.” 

My life flashed before my eyes; the moment I woke up and spoke informally to them. The fact that I knew his name but didn’t know how I knew him. Fighting alongside him while ordering him around. My legs felt like jelly, and I almost dropped the bag I was holding. I began to bow like my life depended on it. 

“C-Chrom...I-I mean, Prince Chrom! Sire! Forgive my dreadful manners!” 

I heard Chrom chuckle, almost like he was nervous, and he grabbed my arm to stop me from bowing. “Just Chrom is fine. I've never been much for formalities.” 

“The prince and princess...” I mumbled. It suddenly makes sense why Frederick was with them and constantly worried. I can see why he sticks behind them like glue. “That explains why Frederick tolerates all the teasing, eh?” 

“Indeed.” said Frederick. “Oh, the sacrifices I make for the good of the realm...” 

He talked in a tone that I thought was supposed to be joking, but his face remained like stone. The crowd cheered once more, catching my attention. The procession had begun to disappear around a corner and move quickly at that. 

“It looks like Emm is returning to the palace.” Said Chrom. He clapped my shoulder. “Would you like to meet her?” 

Frederick led us into an empty road, making it a swift path to get to the castle entrance. Guards stood at the gate and let us pass with Frederick’s quick announcement. The footpath to the castle was decorated with flowers and greenery. It felt like something out of a book! Even the entrance was grand! Portraits hung on the marble walls and the ceiling was painted with depictions of heroes and dragons. There was so much art that I kept falling behind to stop and stare. 

After following the long hallway down, we stopped at huge oak doors. Servants came to take the bags from Lissa and I, making me feel bare and exposed as we approached the doors. Frederick waved at the footman, and he announced the arrival of Chrom and Lissa with a shout. It echoed across the large room, which I could only assume was the throne room. At the end, the Exalt stood with a Pegasus knight. As the names rang out, she stopped talking to the knight and headed over to meet us in the middle of the room. 

“Chrom! Lissa!” Exalt Emmeryn greeted them warmly, her arms open. Lissa hurried up to her and gave her a hug. “Welcome home. Oh, and good day, Frederick. How fared you all?” 

"Well—we shouldn't have any bandit problems for a while.” Chrom huffed. He suddenly looked tired as he said that, but he had a smile on his face as he talked to her. 

"Wonderful. And our people?” 

"Safe as they can be, Emm. But we still need to watch the borders. The brigands crossed over from Plegia.” 

"Forgive me, milord.” The pegasus knight stepped up behind Emmeryn and bowed deeply to Chrom. “My pegasus knights should have intercepted them.” 

Chrom shook his head. “No, Phila. Your duty was here, with the exalt.” 

“And besides, we had plenty of help!” Said Lissa. 

Emmeryn turned her eyes on me, her face calculated in a diplomatic smile. “Ah, you speak of your new companion here?” 

I suddenly felt very small as everyone trained their eyes on me. It was one thing to have Frederick’s unwavering stare, but to have the Exalt—royals, eyes is another. I bowed as best as I could as I greeted her. Chrom interrupted my bow halfway and pulled me close to him. 

“This is Robin. He fought bravely with us against the brigands. I've decided to make him a Shepherd.” 

“It sounds as though Ylisse owes you a debt of gratitude, Robin.” Emmeryn placed a hand on her breast and gave me a small curtsy. 

“Not at all, milady!” I waved my arms to stop her, suddenly feeling unworthy to receive her praise. 

“Forgive me, Your Grace, but I must speak.” Frederick spoke, stepping closer to Phila. “Robin claims to have lost his memory, but it is only that: a claim. We cannot rule out the possibility that he is a brigand himself or even a Plegian spy.” 

“Frederick!” 

Chrom’s smile was replaced with a scowl. I was touched by his sincerity, but I also understood where Frederick came from. An unknown person from an unknown country helps another out of the goodness of their heart. It almost sounded like a fairytale. I felt my heart sink. If Emmeryn were to send me away, I would completely understand. 

"Yet you allowed him into the castle, Chrom.” Emmeryn spoke to him, but she kept her gaze on me. “Does this man have your trust?” 

"Yes. He risked his life for our people. That's good enough for me.” 

At these words, Emmeryn finally seemed to relax. “Well then, Robin...it seems you've earned Chrom's faith, and as such you have mine as well.” 

I felt the breath I didn’t know I was holding push through my nose. I bowed once more to her as a sign of humility and thanks. “Milady.” 

The atmosphere became light again as they began to catch up with one another. I couldn’t get a word in, but it was better to watch and observe. I could tell that Chrom had a good relationship with his sisters as I watched them talk animatedly with each other. The two knights both talked amongst themselves as the siblings talked. 

“Phila.” My ears perked up at Fredericks voice. “I assume you've heard about the deathly creatures we encountered, yes?” 

“Yes, milord. They've been sighted all across Ylisse.” 

“Chrom,” Emmeryn’s voice drifted into my other ear. “We are about to hold council. I was hoping you could join us.” 

“Of course.” 

I suddenly felt left out as everyone talked to each other. What could I do? Was there nothing to be done? Did they even need my help? A hand pulled at my coat sleeve and I looked down to see Lissa beaming up at me. 

“I think that's our cue, Robin! C'mon, there's a place I want to show you.” 

Chrom gave us a small wave before we parted ways and I felt a little bit better than before. Lissa dragged me through the hallways, pointing out art pieces and telling me all about the home she lives in. We were on the main level. This was where the servants and soldiers mainly lived. They were placed next to the mess hall, medical wing, stables, and barracks. The barracks were connected to the main level and we went through the courtyard walkway to avoid going through the mess hall. Lissa told me that sometimes the royal apothecaries come through to borrow the kitchen and it smells worse than the stables when they brew. I couldn’t help but laugh at the remark. We made it to the end of the walkway, the building's door just in reach. 

“Here we are!” Said Lissa as she pushed open the door. “The Shepherds' garrison. Go on, Make yourself at home.” 

It looked small from the outside, but the inside was huge! There was a commons area for people to mingle furnished with simple chairs and tables. Most of the space was littered with crates and sacks of, I would think, anything. They were all pushed up against the walls, keeping out of the major walkways. There were two floors, the second floor with a balcony that overlooked the first. A blonde woman tore out from one of the open doors, holding onto the railing as she looked down. Her face looked panicked for a moment, but it softened as soon as she saw us. 

“Lissa, my treasure!” She cried. She disappeared back in the way she came and then came zooming down a flight of stairs. She made a beeline for Lissa, taking her face in her hands before gathering her in her arms. “Are you all right? I've been on pins and needles!” 

“Oh hey, Maribelle!” Lissa giggled. 

This made ‘Maribelle’ stop in her tracks and she pulled Lissa from her embrace, a frown set in place. “‘Oh hey’ yourself! I've sprouted 14 grey hairs fretting over you!” 

“Aw, you worry too much. I can handle a battle or two! Although I could do without the bugs and the bear barbecue...” 

“Hey, squirt!” A man wearing only his bottom armor piece came swaggering up towards the ladies. “Where's Chrom? I bet he had a rough time out there without ol' Teach and his trusty axe!” 

He raised one of his arms and flexed a muscle, posing as if he was holding the axe himself. Lissa giggled at his antics and I choked down a laugh myself. 

“Oh, so you're ‘Teach’ now, Vaike, is that it? And here I thought people were just born lacking wits. It can be taught?” 

Oooh, low blow there Lissa. 

Vaike barked out a laugh. “Never doubt the Vaike! ...Wait, was that an insult?” 

No one seemed to pay any attention to his question as a female knight stepped forward, her hands clasped together. “Beg pardon, but when might we see the captain?” 

“Poor Sumia.” Maribelle sighed. “She's simply been beside herself with concern... Her eyes were scanning the horizon all day during training. ...She might have earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded.” 

“Aw, Sumia, that's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom.” Lissa patted her arm affectionately. 

“Worry?” The look on Sumia’s face suddenly brightened, as well as the color. “Well, I...” 

I could start to feel eyes traveling to me as she continued to ramble on. I didn’t want to interrupt the heart-touching moments with Lissa, but I was beginning to feel myself fading into the background. Vaike came shoulder to shoulder with me, trying to size me up. To be honest, it felt like a giant bird trying to intimidate me. I let out a smile, but tried my best not to laugh. 

“So, who's the stranger?” 

“No one's stranger than you Vaike...” Lissa scoffed. She changed her attitude as she opened her arms out wide as she pointed them towards me. “But allow me to introduce Robin! He just joined the Shepherds. Chrom's made him our new tactician. You should see all the tricks he got up his sleeve!” 

“Oh yeah? Can he do this?” Vaike stepped back and for a moment, he looked like he was going to barf. I braced myself and was ready to take a step back, but instead, he let out a loud burp. It echoed within the confines of the building and several people covered their ears from it. The laugh I had stuffed down my throat ripped out and I couldn’t help but double over from the laughter. 

“I'm sure I have much to learn in the belching arts, ‘Teach.’” I chuckled, bringing my composure back. “In any case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances.” 

“Ugh, Vaike! That was abhorrent! Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery?” Maribelle scoffed, before whipping her fiery gaze towards me. “And you, Robin! Don't encourage him! I'd hope you were cut from finer cloth. Hmph!” 

She huffed before stomping out of the barrack doors. I knew that she looked pompous, but that first impression might not have been the best. 

Sumia patted me on the back, giving me an apologetic smile. “Don't take it to heart, Robin. Maribelle warms to people slowly.” 

“Or burns too quickly!" Lissa giggled. “But yeah, just give her time.” 

Everyone seemed nice and I was excited to get to know them more. I couldn’t remember ever having friends, so this was a good chance to make new ones! As I’m becoming more acquainted with everyone, an extra member slipped in to watch the crowd. 

“Ah!” Sumia’s voice practically yelled, catching everyone’s attention. “Captain! You've returned! I was- I mean, we were so-” 

Chrom joined us and his weary face tells us that he had news for us. Sumia starts to walk over to him, but somehow slips on some papers that were loosely laying on the ground. Chrom reached out to help her up, but Sumia was quick to get up, doing her best to dust herself off.  

“Sumia! Are you all right?” Chrom asks, his eye traveling to her shoes. “...Those boots of yours again?” 

“No!” She exclaimed. “I mean, yes! I mean...” She trailed off with a soft sigh, resigning herself to listen to what Chrom had to say. 

 “All right, listen, everyone: in the morning, we'll be marching to Regna Ferox.” 

“Regna Ferox?” I asked. Is this another country or city? 

Sumia seemed to notice my confusion and answered my question. “A unified kingdom to Ylisse's north inhabitied by barbarians, or so it's said.” 

Ah. I guess I should brush up on my geography. I turned my attention back to Chrom, who was going on with his speech. 

“Warriors are what they are, and we'll need their strength to quell this new menace. Typically, the exalt would request such aid in person. But given recent events... Well, the people might worry should my sister suddenly leave the capital. So the task has been passed to us. Now, this mission is strictly voluntary. So if, for any-” 

“I volunteer!” Lissa cheered, raising one of her hands. 

At this, many of the Shepherds also called out their say. This seemed to please Chrom as he laughed and thanked them. Lissa showed me around the rest of the barracks as everyone busied themselves. I asked if she knew where weapon supplies were mostly kept, and she gave me a little eyeroll and shrug. 

“I can take you there, if you’d like.” A voice came from behind me, which was startling as I didn’t see anyone there. I whipped around to see a tall soldier, clad in large orange knight armor. He gave us a surprised look and then a worried one. “W-what? I was here the whole time!” 

The soldier was Kellam, a knight that seemed to be sorely missed at any given encounter. He led me through the mess hall to another small storage space that was connected to the building. It was normally used for holding long-lasting provisions, but it also doubled as a storage room for armor and weapons. There, I got to count the weapons and supplies. I didn’t know everyone’s class and weapon proficiency yet, but it was good to get a grasp on what that had in stock. 

There were stacks of low-level tomes and a good number of bronze weapons. Only a handful of silver weapons were stocked. This must mean that everyone was beginners. I had overheard a snippet of Chrom and Sumia’s conversation before I had left, and it seemed like Sumia was worried about being ready. Others didn’t say it, but I could see the anxiety and excitement on their faces. I was a beginner myself, but I would just have to be confident in my ability to keep everyone safe. 

After I was done, I found Chrom and Lissa waiting for me in the general lobby. They were going to show me around the building, which was a good idea. I needed to become familiar with the layout if I wanted to become a good tactician. The second floor were mostly rooms for any of the Shepherds that didn’t have a place to call home and there was a small commons area for a group to gather in. The training grounds were right outside the barracks and a small library space that overlooked the scenery.  

“I’d like to give this room to you,” said Chrom. “You would use this space better than any of the soldiers.” 

“B-but I can’t take it!” I gaped, suddenly feeling nervous that I was gifted a library. “It’s a public space for everyone to use!” 

“Then think of it more like an office space.” 

“Yeah! I mean, look at all these dusty books and maps that no one uses,” Lissa gingerly picked up a tome from its shelf and held it away from her as dust flew off. “Oh gods, when was the last time anyone was in here?” 

I only agreed to take the space as long as everyone contributed to furnishing and visiting it. Well, the books did look inviting, and I thought I spied what looked to be a rare book. I couldn’t help but thank Chrom before readily cleaning up. I did my best to clean it and I even found an old writing desk that I could use! When I was done, I found that the sun was already setting and my stomach empty. When I got to the mess hall, everyone was already eating, and some people had already left. Chrom spotted me and waved his arm for me to come over. I was hesitant at first, but then Lissa appeared behind me and pushed me over to the table. 

“Aren’t you both supposed to be eating in the castle?” I asked, setting my plate next to Chrom’s. “I thought royals ate in a fancy banquet hall.” 

“We usually do, but it’s the night before a march.” said Lissa. 

“We leave early in the morning,” Said Chrom. “So it would be easier for everyone to leave from the garrison.” 

We chatted for the rest of the night, and I got to meet other soldiers that were training to be knighted by the Exalt or be appointed in the royal guard. I got to see Frederick, in all his glory, talk so casually to the other knights. His usual scowl was replaced by a more relaxed frown. I had to keep biting my tongue to keep my mouth from falling. I also ran into Virion, who was now a member of the Shepherds. Chrom had recruited him for his archery skills and I heard that Virion accepted, but only for the free housing and food. It seems that the mysterious archer had his own secrets to keep. Chrom also told me that an open room in the barracks was open and that I was free to use it. An office space, a bedroom, and a job? I almost cried on the spot. Lady luck seemed to be shining on me. 

The next morning, I woke up to hear a commotion downstairs. The march! Did I miss it? I gathered the few things I had, and as I pushed my arms through the coat arms, I hurried to see what was happening. Soldiers and Shepherds alike mingled as they walked in and out of the barracks open doors. They carried plates of food and ate as they walked. It seemed that this morning as already in full throttle. 

“Heya Robin!” 

Lissa ran up behind me and stopped at my side, a wide smile on her face. I greeted her and met eyes with Maribelle, as she stared me down from behind Lissa. 

“Good morning, Maribelle.” I tried to muster my best smile, but all I was met with was a small huff. Lissa and I shared a knowing look and we made our way down to the mess hall. Everyone seemed to be there, some of them already finished and leaving to get their own things ready. Breakfast was only a couple pieces of fruits and baked goods that were left out. I spent the rest of the morning making sure that we had extra weapons on hand and going out to town. I used the small amount of gold that I had on a quill and a spare notebook. I didn’t know what I would use it for yet, but I knew that it would be useful to have an empty spare one. 

I met Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds just outside Ylisse’s official training grounds, where everyone had mobilized with wagons full of items and horses waiting to go.

“Is everyone ready?” Chrom shouted, catching everyone’s attention. “We've a long march ahead.” 

“W-wait for me!” 

A green armored cavalier came running up to the front, out of breath from running. I hadn’t met him before, but it looked like he was also a part of the Shepherds. 

“Stahl?” Chrom also looked confused as he quirked an eyebrow towards him. 

“Why am I the last to hear about this expedition to Ferox?” Stahl asked, looking sweaty and distressed. 

“Huh? Vaike was supposed to...” Lissa turned to look between Stahl, Chrom, and then... “Vaike! Did you forget to tell Stahl about our mission?” 

“The Vaike never forgets!” Vaike said loudly, beating a fist onto his chest. “...I just don't always remember, is all...” 

Lissa went off on Vaike, loudly scolding him in front of the entire army. I almost felt bad for him, but I felt worse for Stahl. He almost missed out on an entire mission and I’m sure he skipped breakfast just to catch up to us. After Lissa was done yelling his ear off, Vaike apologized to Stahl. He took the apology, but Stahl seemed more downcast as he lamented about the food he missed out on. 

“Your name is Stahl, right?” I smiled and reached out to shake his hand. Chrom introduced us to one another, even saying that Stahl was “one of the finest”. This made me have high hopes for the cavalier as I couldn’t wait to see the potential he had on the battlefield. 

“Miriel told me we had a new Shepherd.” Stahl said excitedly. At the new name, I seemed to make a face that Stahl laughed at. “Miriel's one of our mages. She should catch up soon.” 

With the latest update of where each member was, we decided to head out before we lost any more time. It was fairly peaceful as we left the capital, but we didn’t get very far as we were ambushed by a pack of undead enemies. Frederick called out for everyone to get into position, and I noticed that only eight of us had weapons available to fight. There were at least more than ten enemies on the field. Well, I’ll do the best with what I got. 

“Gods, have the Risen spread this far?” Chrom growled, unsheathing Falchion. 

“‘Risen’?” Was that a name made for the enemy? It sounded simple and...a little cliche. 

“We needed a name for this new threat,” Frederick interrupted my thoughts. “So the council gave them one.” 

“Everyone, remember what we're up against!” Chrom shouted, rallying everyone together. 

I unsheathed my bronze sword and readied myself for battle. Most of the enemies were fighters and mercenary classes. With whom we had on the battlefield, it seemed that we had the advantage. But I couldn’t guarantee that we could get out of this fight without a nick or two. Virion had a troubling time when he was rushed in the fort. Sully and him had to be healed plenty of times that night. If the risen was anything like the ones we encountered two nights ago, then we should proceed with caution. 

Vaike began to yell behind me and Chrom instructed him to keep to the rear. I mentally made a note to myself and then made my way forward. Frederick’s voice boomed across the field as he began to explain the basics of weapons, a triage of strengths and weaknesses. It seems that on-field learning was a big part of training for the Shepherds. I could tell that some of the soldiers were wary as we moved forward, and I didn’t blame them. Chrom had told everyone beforehand that I would be giving out battle plans and only a few of them were willing to leave their lives in my hands. They had their grievances, and I could only accept them. 

As we moved on the enemy, only a handful of them came out to attack us. The rest of them stood listlessly in the open field as we felled their so-called comrades. It was chilling to say the least. I had Stahl, Sully, and Frederick take the lead as they could go farther and faster than the rest of us. If they couldn’t take out the desired enemy, I had Virion chase behind them to take care of the rest. Chrom was reckless as he hurried behind the others, helping the others while also getting hit and slashed at every encounter. I had to assist Lissa to get over to Chrom before he unwittingly took his own life. 

Another shout from Vaike caught my attention and I looked behind me to see that a mage in red had traded an axe with him. So, that was what Chrom had shouted at him for? He didn’t have a weapon on hand? Oh god, I need to keep that man in check. That mage must have been Miriel. Stahl did say she would catch up with us. A new plan began to formulate in my head and I called out for her to follow Chrom. This could form as new backup and it would prevent him from getting more injured. 

Frederick and Chrom were the first to reach the Risen Chief. It was no problem for the both of them when they defeated it. I could tell, even from far away, that they were concerned for the road ahead. As we traveled North, we ran into more risen. They plagued the land around us and even sprouted up from cracks and shadows. It was a good experience for the band as their fear was quickly quelled as they defeated more. I became pretty confident myself as I eventually let the others formulate their own strategies to take down the risen. Of course, this came with gentle guidance as not everyone’s plan was the best option. 

“Robin, do you have a moment?” 

I stopped my quill and looked up from my book. Chrom strode towards me, waving his arm. We decided to set up camp halfway through our journey to inspect weapons and start an early dinner. We had planned for another early morning march for the morning. I closed the book and tried to get up, but Chrom stopped me. 

“At ease,” He chuckled. “You don’t need to get up. Besides, I need to rest for a moment.” 

He took a seat next to me, leaning his back against the trunk of the tree that I had been sitting under. It was peaceful as we listened to the distant chatter of people and the metallic ring of armor and weapons as bodies moved by. I went back to writing in my journal, but that didn’t last very long. 

“You had a question for me back in the capitol.” Chrom said. “It’s been on my mind. What was it you wanted to ask me?” 

“Ah...” The quiet etching of my quill came to a halt. That’s right. I had forgotten about it, but the question resurfaced as he asked me. “When you found me collapsed and without memory, why did you take me in?” 

It took him a while to say anything before he answered. 

"Well... Because you were collapsed and without memory?” 

I frowned. “That's it? Pity was your reason?” 

“Isn't that enough?” He shrugged. His demeanor was lax enough to make my hair raise. Is he truly this trusting or is he just dumb? I had to wave the last part away. I can’t just call the prince of Ylisse dumb! ...Unless he really was. 

“Did you never stop to consider if it was some kind of trap?" 

“Heh, that's what I have Frederick for.” 

My face flushed with annoyance. This man, I swear on the Gods! “But why didn't—” 

“Robin,” Chrom’s voice was stern, and I quickly shut my mouth. “If I see someone hurt or in need, I'm going to help them. That's just who I am, and there's no changing it. Or would you rather I'd left you there, face down in the muck?” 

I sighed. “No, of course not. I'm thankful for what you did, I truly am. But it scares me all the same. Chivalry and longevity don't often go hand in hand.” 

“Ha! I wish I had a gold coin for every time I got this lecture.” 

“I can only offer advice, I'm afraid.” I chuckled. We fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying the breeze and the afternoon. “You really should be more careful in the future.” 

“I'm sorry, but no. If it happened again today, I'd do the same exact thing...” 

“But—” 

“Peace, Robin. I have heard your counsel, and I know you mean well. But as I said, this is who I am. I can't change that, nor would I want to.” 

“I...” I couldn’t find the right words to say, but who am I to decide how he lives his life? “I understand. If that is your decision, then so be it. Just do try and be careful, Chrom. For my peace of mind, if not your own?” 

Chrom smiled, his hand rested on my shoulder. “I will. I promise.” 

"Milord? There is a meeting you must attend soon!” Frederick called from a far, his hands clasped behind his back. 

“Ah, looks like my rest is up.” Chrom got to his feet, dusting himself off. “I’ll come find you before we have to march again. I’ll inform you of the details.” 

I nodded, grateful at his suggestion. I couldn’t attend council meetings as I was deemed “too-untrust worthy”. I didn’t mind, but that just meant I had to be flexible when it came to drawing up strategies and plans. I didn’t mind since most of our battles were impromptu with risen popping up everywhere. 

I waved goodbye to Chrom and got back to writing notes in my tome. I had decided to log everything I had learned into a memory tome. I had bought it from a traveling merchant, and she guaranteed that the information inside would stay inscribed, even if it got wet! My spare notebook would become my battle plans, while this one would serve as my own personal use. So far, I had written down my abilities and how much I know through my own class. A list of the Shepherds was also made. I wrote down little notes about each person, hoping it would save me for future dates. 

The sun beat down through the branches and my legs grew warm underneath my coat. Before I knew it, my eyes were drooping shut. I let myself relax against the base of the tree and finally closed my eyes. When I re-opened them, I was no longer at the campsite. Everything was dark and quiet. Looking around, I noticed that I was back at the camp we had set up near— 

The ground rumbled, opening up beneath me to reveal a maw. Heat seared across my face and I looked up to see fire raining down from the sky! I tried to run, but something stopped me. An invisible force held my feet to the ground, and I could barely move it without feeling like lead. A growl sounded from behind me and I turned to see groups of risen coming towards me. I tried in vain to move, but the more I did the farther I sank into the ground. 

The risen came closer, and suddenly, the shadows began to form into wolves! They pounced, landing on my chest. The air was knocked out of my lungs, and I couldn’t breathe. Voices called out to me, and I tried to answer their call, but the pressure became too much. I forced my eyes open, and I felt fingers release the bridge of my nose. 

“BWARGH! Wha-?! Risen! Wolves! Risen riding wolves!” I looked around, panic spreading through my body. “They're...all... Wait a moment...” 

There were no risen nor wolves around me. Instead, the sounds of people bustling by in the camp and Lissa’s loud laugh echoed in my ears. I had fallen asleep! 

“AAAAH ha ha ha ha!” Lissa cackled; her arms wrapped around her waist as she doubled over. “ ’BWARGH’ ?! Oh gods, that was HILARIOUS!” 

“Lissa, gods bless it... I was fast asleep!” 

She wiped her eyes with her fingers, giggling as she calmed herself. “And dreaming of Risen and wolves, apparently? I'm sorry, I tried to resist—I really did. But it was just too perfect!” 

A wave of anger and embarrassment washed over me and I stood up, ready to give her a piece of my mind. “Who does such things? Is that really how your parents raised you?!” 

I’ll never forget the look Lissa gave me. Her breath hitched and her body stilled, all signs of laughter gone. Her face flashed different emotions: shock, anger, and then sadness. Guilt sunk into my gut and I immediately regretted the words I had let out. I was reminded of the small snippet that Chrom had told me as we were traveling. Their parents had passed when they were all a young age and Lissa never got to meet them. Her nanny was the only thing close to being like a parent, but Emmeryn had stepped in to fill the role of being a proper mother. 

“...I...I don't know...” She said, her voice soft. “I never really knew my parents...” 

“Oh...oh, right. That was...er...” 

The tension in the air was tight and I couldn’t think of what to say to make her feel better. In a flash, Lissa’s demeanor went back to its usual happy-go-lucky look. “Oh, don't worry about it. I know you didn't mean anything by it. And actually, there's something else that I should be apologizing for...” 

“Whatever it is, I'm sure I can forget it if you can forgive my heartless comment...” 

“Really?” Lissa’s face lit up and my heart melted at the sight. “That's great! Oh, I was SO sure you were going to be SO angry...see, I was kinda doodling a pic of you in your big, new book of battle strategies....aaand then I kinda spilled the ink and kinda...ruined the book, kinda...completely. Ireallyreallyreallydidn'tmeanto!” 

Lissa said all this within one breath, and I stared at her in disbelief, the new information processing slowly in my head. 

“WHAT?!” I screamed. My voice traveled loudly, and I could feel multiple pairs of eyes on me. “But that was a rare text! I had just started to...” 

I had to stop myself from chiding her even more as Lissa’s face went wide, I could see the tears starting to well up in her eyes. 

“...Er,” I coughed, straightening myself as I did. I could be the bigger person here. I am...a reasonable...adult. “I mean...it's...it's fine. Accidents...happen.” 

“Oooh pheeew!” 

Lissa apologized more than once and I tried my best to hide my tears by crying internally. A bell rang in the distance, signaling that we were moving, and we parted ways to pack up our belongings. I was glad that Lissa felt better, but at what cost? The limited edition of The Gambit’s Strategy ? I felt my heart sink further as I collected my stuff. 

~ ~ 

The warm air breezed through the fields as we traversed the plains of Ylisse. It felt like the weather was just getting better and better as we made our way to Ferox. It wouldn’t be long until the air would be colder and we would start seeing snow. 

“Hey, look over there!” 

I looked up from the map I was holding close to my face. Lissa was pointing to a white speck in the distance. It moved slowly and tried hiding behind some bushes. It seemed to have noticed us and we noticed it. Lissa made a move to go towards it and I followed suit. Behind us, Chrom ordered everyone to keep moving and to keep an eye out for enemies before tagging alongside us. We approached carefully and as we got closer, the outline of the creature became apparent. The snow-cream coat was covered in dirt and grim and the wings were splayed down around its body. It shrank back from us, growling as we got closer. 

“Well, what do we have here?” I mumbled. 

“Is that what I think it is?” Lissa whispered excitedly. 

“It's a pegasus, all right. I think it's hurt. Let's just have a look here...” Chrom slowly made a move towards it, hoping to coax the pegasus out from its hiding spot. Chrom must have moved too fast as it reared its head and kicked towards him. It barely missed him, but it didn’t come without panic. Lissa screamed and I nearly drew my tome in fear, but Chrom kept his ground. “WHOA! Down, girl! Easy there!” 

“Captain, one moment!” 

I turned to see Sumia walking towards us. She was a pegasus knight, right? She had trained with Phila to become one, but instead joined the Shepherds. Hmm, I wonder why... 

As she neared us, I saw her eyes dart over to Chrom. Upon making eye contact with him, she suddenly tripped and fell to the ground. Ah, I think I see now. Chrom hurries to her side to help her up, but she already had gotten back on her feet and dusted herself off. 

“Sumia! Are you all right? ...Those boots of yours again?” 

Her face exploded into different shades of red. “No! I mean, yes! I mean...” She finally sighed, her head wilting like a flower. 

“Well, come no closer.” Chrom turned his attention back on the pegasus, trying to shield her. “This beast is crazed!” 

“Wait!” Sumia grabbed his arm and pushed past him. “It's okay, Captain. I can handle this...” 

Chrom looked hesitant at first, giving me a look before stepping back. Did he want my opinion on letting Sumia approach? It should be alright, but I opened Insight just to be safe. It was a feat that I couldn’t believe! As Sumia stepped up to the animal, it lowered its guard and approached her slowly. 

 “Shhh... Easy now, girl. I won't hurt you.” Sumis cooed, slowly reaching her hand out for it to smell. 

Within seconds, the pegasus was completely calm and submissive towards Sumia. Its energy completely zapped as Sumia soothed it. She gently stroked its mane, and it folded its legs and laid down, resting its head on her. As she petted and spoke to the pegasus, she carefully examined it. Sumia deduced that the pegasus had been poorly mistreated. There were patches of exposed dry, crusted wounds and its horseshoes that hadn’t been changed, exposing more awful sights than I could have imagined. 

As Sumia began to take care of the horse, she looked up at us. “You all go ahead. I'll dress her wounds and catch up as soon as we're able.” 

I had felt uneasy as she had said that and I looked at Chrom, waiting to hear his answer. He seemed to catch on. 

“We can make time to wait for you.” He said, stepping a small step closer. The pegasus looked like it was going to bolt again, tensing its muscles as it lifted its leg. 

“Thank you, Captain.” Sumia smiled at him before turning her attention back to the pegasus. “But I can manage. Every moment is precious when all of Ylisse is in danger.” 

Chrom returned a look to me, giving me a small smile. It seemed that we would go on without her. He trusted Sumia and in turn, she trusted Chrom. I mumbled a quiet ‘alright’, before turning to go tell the rest of the Shepherds (mostly Frederick). I heard some swift goodbyes, and we continued our journey North to Regna Ferox. 

Chapter Text

The traverse between countries became much harder as we met snow and harsh weather conditions. The air was so much colder and sharper than earlier. The wind blew in different directions; pushing our backs down the snow laden path or into our faces, restricting our movements. Many of us huddled together to keep warm and even used mounts to shield us from the sharp cold. The snowstorm died as we neared the Feroxi border and it almost felt like it got warmer, even without the wind blowing.  

We had arrived at the Longfort, a long fortress that stretched along the Ylisse and Regna Ferox border. It stood diligently in the middle of the storm, banners flying in the wind. Frederick informed me that its doors were wary when it came to foreigners and that diplomacy was our trump card. Chrom reminded the band that our actions were to reflect Ylisse. As we neared the fort, I spotted some soldiers standing on top of the fort gates. There were only a few, but as we neared closer, I could see that more soldiers were gathering near the entrance.  

“Trouble in the wind, milord,” said Frederick. “The Feroxi Guard are mobilizing.”  

“What?! Why?”  

I suddenly had a bad feeling spiraling in my gut. “Chrom--”  

“Halt!” At the front of the growing group, a soldier stood tall at the bastion. “Who goes there?!”  

The soldier frowned down at us, her hair cut short and her glare sharp. If I had known any better, I would have thought this was Frederick’s soulmate. I would have chuckled at my own jape, if we weren’t about to be attacked.  

“In the name of House Ylisse, I seek audience with the khans!” Chrom shouted. He stepped closer towards the fort, but stopped when soldiers raised their javelins and lances.  

“Not another step, my bold lad! I've lancers at the ready!”  

“Hold, milady!” Frederick shouted. He guided his horse to shield Chrom. “We are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest.”  

The guard, Raimi as my Insight told me, scoffed. “My only interest is keeping you out of Regna Ferox, brigand!”  

Well, there goes his chances. His soulmate is now lost forever.  

“B-brigand? Now see here—”  

“You think you are the first ‘Ylisseans’ to try and cross our border? I have the authority to fell such imposters where they stand.”  

“How dare you! You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the exalt's own blood!”  

“Ha! Yes, indeed—and I'm the queen of Valm! You do realize impersonating royalty is a capital offense, yes? Mmm...” There was an uncomfortable amount of silence as the storm whistled in our ears. “Then perhaps we should settle this the Feroxi way. You claim to be the prince of Ylisse? Then prove it on the battlefield!”  

At those words, more soldiers lined the forts defense. I could tell that everyone became on edge as the blinding glint of steel flashed before them. Even on our best behavior, we still had come on bad terms. We were definitely outnumbered, and it became overwhelming as I scouted our soon to be enemies. Chrom mumbled something to himself, the wind catching it before I could hear. He truly looked distressed as he stepped in front of Frederick again and tried to talk Raimi out of this idea.  

“Please, good lady! If you'd just listen—”  

“I've heard quite enough!” She raised her arm, her face set. “Lances--at the ready!”  

The guards raised their javelins, and I could feel the panic wash over the group.  

“Chrom,” I shouted, but I feared that it fell on deaf ears. “We need to--!”  

“Attack!”  

Spears and javelins were thrusted into the air. It rained down upon us and we did our best to evade them to avoid injury and death. A couple of us got nicked, but no one lost a limb or organ. Frederick’s horse went into a frenzy, dodging and bucking at the javelins that were thrown at it. As I did my best to dodge a wave of the attack, I looked up to see Chrom still by the fort. He himself had successfully dodged the first couple of attacks, trying to find a path to get back to the group. Above him, three soldiers raised their weapons to throw. I felt my blood go cold and I yelled at him to run. He seemed to hear me as he turned to face his attackers head on.   

The javelins flew straight towards Chrom. I tried to use Insight to find a way out, but I couldn’t see anything. Frederick was just out of reach of him and I could just barely make it if I sprinted. Just as I was about to start running, a white mass flew past me. The wind was so strong that snow obstructed my vision and I had to shield my face from the bitingly cold winds. When I looked up, the javelins were lodged in the ground where Chrom stood. Snow tickled past my nose, but it was longer and softer, and it didn’t melt...  

Wait a second. I looked up into the shower of feathers and saw Sumia’s newly mounted Pegasus soaring the skies above us. Well look at that. Sumia had built her courage and was surprisingly had great luck when she was in the skies. It looked like she was made to be a Pegasus Knight after all! A glint in the sky caught my eye and I watched as Chrom deflected some of the flying spears with Falchion and they narrowly dodged the rest. Sumia dives towards us and safely lands a few feet away from the group. Chrom slides off the mount and Lissa jumps in his arms, yelling about how she was so worried.  

“...I'm so relieved I made it in time.” I heard Sumia sigh, her hand over her heart.  

I gave her a look over and couldn’t help but draw more lines between Chrom and her. Her face was flushed, and her body was relaxed as she talked to him. It almost looked like she could fall off her mount just by staring at him! Chrom didn’t seem to notice her swooning over him as his demeanor was just as relaxed as he talked to Vaike. From a glance, it looked like they could be made for each other. But watching them closely, it would seem that there were no sparks at all. The two exchanged their thanks and began chatting about the Pegasus and I could just feel a warmth as they talked to each other.  

“...they look ready to let fly at a moment's notice.” Frederick mumbled. “Everyone! We'd best prepare for combat, just to be safe.”  

“...Aaaww! I think the Pegasus is blushing!” Lissa squealed, petting the large animal.  

“And I think we had all best focus on the situation at hand!” Frederick shouted. He turned to Chrom and seemed to mutter something only for his ears. Even though I didn’t catch all of it, I did hear my name. Frederick and I made eye contact and I couldn’t help but frown as he seemed to glare at me.  

“Indeed,” Chrom’s voice didn’t change pitch and I could hear him loud and clear. “He IS our tactician, after all. So, Robin? What do you suggest?”  

With an old, printed map of the Longfort, I conjured an easy plan to route the enemy. Our group would split into two groups. Chrom would lead the left and I would lead the right. I tried to balance out our group by having an equal amount of force power and class groups, but it was hard to balance a team with a force named Frederick. A thought popped up as I recalled Sumia and Chrom paired together as they fought through the sky. An excerpt from The Gambits Strategy came to mind and I became excited. ‘ By pairing up, units could lend each other added offense and defense... It might also allow quicker soldiers to ferry slower units great distances...’ Of course! This opens all sorts of strategic possibilities! We should try it whenever the opportunity presents itself. I informed everyone to stay in pairs whenever possible and not to kill the Feroxi soldiers. We want them to yield rather than die and upset the Khan. This would be more of a practice battle than an actual fight to the death. Footsteps alerted me and I saw soldiers slowly creep down the fort stairs. I had hoped that they would leave them open, but as soon as a couple of soldiers came out into the field, they locked the door behind them.  

“Chrom, they're coming!” I shouted.  

“All right. The Feroxi way it is!”  

Sumia informed me that pegasi were highly vulnerable to arrows and I took note of the archers posted at the fort's ceiling lip. They also had a balanced group and no matter where Sumia flew, she would be hit regardless. I had Chrom pair up with her as a precaution. As we slowly made our way to the locked gates, I had to think of our best option to get through. I could have Sumia fly someone over and unlock it or we could bust through the doors ourselves...  

“A key!” Frederick shouted. He held the shiny object high for everyone to see. “We can use it to open the fortress doors.”  

Well, we have that too. After unlocking the West gate, Frederick sped over to hand me the key for ours. Despite our numbers, we seemed to be faring well against Ferox soldiers. Chrom and I flanked Raimi, who seemed appalled by our strength, and she beat the front of her shield with her weapon.  

“Let our battle sound out the truth of your words!”  

She was no easy foe. Her strength was evenly matched with Frederick and her armor was solid against physical attacks. When Miriel hit her with Arcfire , I realized that her resistance to magic was low. Dealing magic did the trick as I knocked her to her knees with Thoron . She struggled to continue, but seeing how she was outnumbered, she conceded.  

“Then your claims were...true...” She gasped. She almost fainted, but I had Lissa quickly heal her wounds. We had proven our worth and our titles in a strategic battle. After patching up the soldiers and helping Raimi, she orders any able person to open the gates for us. She bows deeply, a somber expression painted on her face.  

“A thousand apologies, Prince Chrom. I truly took you for brigand impostors. But no frauds could ever wage a battle as you just have! I will send word of your arrival to the capital and escort you there personally.”  

Chrom nods his head in response. “That would be most appreciated, thank you.”  

She turns to leave and I watch in awe as she gathers groups of people together with a shout.  People began to busy themselves and the familiar sounds of talking and armor clamoring began to echo within the fort.  

“Amazing. Her whole demeanor changed.” I said, watching the oddly organized chaos.  

“In Ferox, strength speaks louder than words.” Frederick says. “I should have known better than to overestimate the value of diplomacy here…”  

“So can we get going, Chrom?” Lissa whines, her arms were wrapped around herself. The wind was beginning to pick up and I drew my coat hood closer to me.  

“Yes,” Chrom sighs. “It's not getting any warmer.”  

The walk to the Arena was swift. Raimi took us though a path in the forest, the trees mostly blocking the chilly wind and the snowy pathway was carved in to create an easy way forward. As we entered the arena, we were greeted by another bustling crowd. Raimi led our group away to a secluded spot.  

“Prince Chrom,” Raimi calls, bowing again to him. “Please wait here while I summon the khan.”  

Raimi leaves and I try to relax as we wait. The inside was just as grand as the outside. Its massive hall was decorated with banners and weapons, while depictions of fighting warriors painted the walls. I had heard that the arena was where Feroxi warriors trained, held duels, and even tournaments. The Khan overlooked all of the training and battles to ensure that every soldier was strong and accounted for. It didn’t take long for me to become bored and my thoughts began to wander.  

“The Khan is away?” I commented, suddenly unsure of how to picture the Feroxi leader.  

“Out training, I'd wager.” Chrom replied. “The Khans of Ferox prefer battle to politics. Or rather, battle is their politics.”  

“A warrior ruler, eh? I can picture him now…” I chuckled, trying to piece together what the khan would look like. “A giant of a man of unparalleled thew, his broad chest covered in hair…”  

“Am I now? Please, do go on!”  

I froze at the voice, a chill running up my spine. Turning around, I came face to face with a woman. She looked at me with a dubious expression, one hand on her hip while the other on the pommel of her sword. I could feel my soul leaving my body as she stared down at me. This was the second time I have almost (possibly) insulted a royal.  

“You're the—?! Er, that is to say,” Chrom stuttered before coughing. “...The Khan, I presume?”  

She turned her gaze to him. “One of them, yes—the East-Khan. My name is Flavia. I apologize for the troubles at the border, Prince Chrom. You are welcome in Regna Ferox.”  

“Thank you, but I'm confident we can put that misunderstanding behind us. Is it true bandits posing as Ylisseans have been ransacking your border villages?”  

“Yes. Those Plegian dogs!” Her stoic demeanor turned sour as she cursed. “We found documents proving as much on the corpse of one of their captains. Plegia must see some benefit in raising tensions between your kingdom and ours.”  

“Damn them!” swore Chrom. Frederick cleared his throat and I winced, remembering our earlier reminder. Chrom also remembered as he tensed under the surprised look Flavia gave him. “I... Forgive me, Your Grace. That was...indelicately put.”  

Flavia chuckled at that statement. I wasn’t one to judge, but who knew that a royal could laugh at such a statement. “Damn them and damn delicacy! Here in Ferox, we appreciate plain speech.”  

“In that case, you should have a word with your damn border guards…”  

Flavia burst out laughing, making me almost jump out of my skin. It echoed and resonated within the hall. “Now that's Feroxi diplomacy! Yes, I like you already. I know why you have come, Prince. But regrettably, I cannot provide any Feroxi troops for Ylisse.”  

“What?! Why not?!” Lissa butted in. Her voice was shrill and she straightened herself when Frederick glared at her. Flavia didn’t seem to mind, instead she gave a solemn look to us.  

“I lack the authority.”  

“Forgive me, but I don't understand.” Chrom said slowly. “Aren't you the khan?”  

“As I said, I am ONE of the khans.”   

Flavia explained to us that Ferox has two Khans, one for the east and one for the west. Every few years, the Khans hold a tournament to decide who sits on the throne and have total sovereignty over both kingdoms. Flavia sighed, rubbing her temple. “And that means they have the final say when it comes to forging alliances. The West-Khan won the last tournament, you see, and so…”  

The group was quiet for a moment, and I could feel my heart sink. We had come all this way and for what? To fight for the right to our name and then to be rejected of any alliance? I felt my stomach drop and I tried to figure out another way to gain Ferox as an ally. Would we have to fight the Khans personally or cash in a favor of some sort?  

“So we are to receive no aid at all?” Chrom said quietly. He looked downcast as he talked, his heart showing on his sleeve.  

“Not if you always give up so easily!” Flavia barked. “The next tournament is nigh, you see, and I am in need of champions.”  

Chrom frowned. “What does that have to do with us?”  

“The captain of my border guard informs me your Shepherds are quite capable. Perhaps you would consider representing the East in the upcoming tournament? If you win and I become ruling khan, I will grant your alliance.”  

“I would have assumed Ylisseans had no place in such Feroxi traditions.”  

“Ha! On the contrary. The khans themselves do not fight—they choose champions to represent them. Otherwise our land would be rife with blood feuds and dead khans! We don't involve comrades or kin for the same reason. Over time, it was decided the tournament should be fought by outsiders. Although the outsiders have never included foreign royalty.” She paused for a moment before laughing. “...That I know of! Regardless, it is your choice to make.”  

I looked over to Chrom and we made eye-contact. It seemed like we were thinking the same thing. I nodded, gulping down my spit to sooth my suddenly dry throat. Chrom nodded back in response and turned back with fire in his eyes. “There is no choice, East-Khan. My people are desperate. We face not only Plegia's constant attacks, but now the added threat of the Risen. If fighting for you is the quickest way to an alliance, then we will take up our steel.”  

Falvia took a moment to let Chrom’s words sink in and then a grin broke out. “Oh, I like you, Prince Chrom. I do hope you survive the tournament!” She chuckled, holding out her arm towards him. Chrom took her arm in response and the two stood together in camaraderie. “Come, I'll show you the arena where the tournament is held. But be wary! I hear an equally able swordsman champions the West-Khan.”  

My blood chilled as the thought of dying by the hands of a skilled swordsman floated in my mind, but I quickly waved it away. I’ve survived countless battles already; I wasn’t going to die here. Flavia and Chrom exchanged a few more words before the Khan turned to us with a triumphant smile.  

“I look forward to seeing if you're equally skilled with a blade!”  

Flavia instructed Raimi to take us to the armory and then to the arena. We had a chance to get new weapons stocked and check our provisions before heading out. Only six of us were allowed in the arena, Chrom being mandatory as he was the chosen champion by Flavia. Chrom insisted that I join him, and I was reluctant at first, but I also wanted to have a taste of the tournament. I decided to bring Frederick, Lissa, Vaike, and Miriel. Everyone else would watch from the stands. Raimi brought us to a stairway, light and sound streaming through the open hatch above it.  

“Once you hear the horn, please ascend the stairs and be ready for battle.” She bowed to us before leaving.   

I went through everyone’s weapons, making sure that everything was up to code before we ran out of time. Vaike seemed under-prepared, and in a moment of instinct and anxiety, I gave him Frederick’s hammer. Lissa was stocked with some concoctions and an Elixir that Virion had gifted her before the tournament and both Miriel’s and I’s tomes were in good condition. I tried to calm my heart, but the sound of drums made it hard for me to think or calm my growing anxiety. I wouldn’t know a good strategy until we got inside the arena, but I was confident that we would prevail.  

A loud, monotone roar resonated in our ears; the horn sounded the beginning of our fight. The crowd somehow got louder as it rang out. Chrom signaled us to follow him up the stairs. As I stepped out, the sounds and sights were overwhelming. Braziers were lit, illuminating the arena to the point where I thought it was the sun.  

“There he is.” Chrom’s voice sounded clear next to me.  

Across the arena floor, there stood a swordsman that we had met before. The masked man, Marth. He stood at the front of a group of soldiers, his cape fluttering in contrast to the dusty muted colors of the arena. His weapon hung from his side, ready to be unsheathed. Lissa had pointed him out to Chrom, but he only responded lightly as he stared the swordsman down.  

Although I could not say the same for him. Instead, I could feel an intense stare settled on me. His head was turned just slightly to indicate that he was staring at me and the longer he stared, the more my head began to buzz. I wasn’t sure if it was me becoming over stimulated by the roaring crowds or the distant sound of the horn, but the headache that I had fought off for days had returned. I mentally cursed at the sensation and bit my tongue to try not to feel my rolling stomach.  

“Marth!” Chrom shouted, snapping me to attention. This also drew Marth’s gaze as he gripped at the pommel of his sword. “One question, before we begin?”  

Marth kept his mouth shut, seemingly refusing his request. Chrom exhaled, gripping the handle of his own sword.  

“...Fine, then. Our swords can speak for us!”  

The two of them stepped up to the inner circle of the arena; the two champions chosen by each Khan, drawing their swords. I was shocked to see that the sword Marth held was almost identical to Falchion! I could tell Chrom was surprised as well as his form loosened, and he gawked at the sight. The light caught against the blades, and I was temporarily blinded by each swing of the blade. Shouts within the arena as the two clashed and eventually, the short spar came to an end as Chrom retreated to the group.  

Another ear-splitting blow of the horn sounded our trial, and I quickly instructed the group. Miriel would team up with Vaike to take out the surrounding Fighters and Mages, while Frederick and Lissa would take the charge with Chrom and I in front. I knew that it would be a never-ending cycle if we weren’t careful and instructed everyone to stay away from the middle of the ring.  

We were doing a fairly good job; the crowd going wild whenever we would fell an opponent. As Chrom took out a knight with his rapier, I caught a blur of blue from beside me. I looked up to see Marth descending down upon me. My head began to ache again, and my sight went red. Voices echoed in my ears and I leapt back just in time as Marth smashed into the ground.  

I staggered as I tried to reclaim my balance, my head still buzzing. I checked for my sword and looked up to meet Marth’s gaze. Gone was the arena and instead, I found myself in a dark unknown place. Fire blazed across the floor and a woman stood glaring at me. Tears streaked her cheeks, and her clothes were tattered in some places. Her arms were out, clutching a gleaming sword. I blinked and she was gone. I was back in the arena, Marth standing in the place where the crying woman was.   

“Let us fight with honor.” Marth’s voice broke me out of my confused trance. His voice hard and his mouth was set in a scowl. “May the best soldier win!”  

He lunged and I parried his attack, but not without injury. The blade of his sword slid across my arm, my coat tore, and a small cut embedded itself into my skin. I stepped back and shot Thunder back in Marth’s direction. My aim stayed true, and Marth stumbled as the spell hit him. A figure came running past me, swiping at the masked man. The blow was parried and Chrom stepped back to face off against Marth once again.  

“Who is your father?” He demanded, plunging his sword into the ground. Lissa came over, showering me in a green light as she healed my injuries. I couldn’t help but wonder why Chrom was asking a question in the middle of the fight.  

Marth panted, clutching at his leg. The fabric was beginning to dye itself a dark color. “I've said enough for one day, sir.”  

“Hmph. Is that how it is? Lissa owes you her life, and for that you have my gratitude. But within these walls, I represent the East-Khan and the interests of Ylisse. I can't promise to stay my blade, but I vow not to shame you.”  

“Heh, never expected such youthful arrogance...” Marth readied his blade, steading it into the first stance, Ochs . “We shall see who shames who!”  

The crowd roared as Marth shouted, eager to witness the duel between us. Chrom freed Falchion from its temporary spot and readied himself. All we needed was one more attack and then we would win! Marth dashed forward, swinging upwards as he closed the distance between us. Chrom took the hit, blood dripping down his arm, and quickly counter attacked. This last attack had done the trick and Marth’s form pitched downwards.  

The crowd erupted with loud cheers and shouts as Marth fell to the ground. I gasped as I felt my arm shoot up into the air. Chrom cheered loudly alongside me, a grin plastered across his face. We won! We had come out on top, with wounds and scratches, but we had achieved both victory and an alliance! The thrill of battle was extremely toxic as I felt myself becoming hyped up with the last remaining adrenaline. We were brought to the medicine bay, and we were greeted by the rest of the Shepherds, congratulating us for our win. After we were tended to and fully healed, we were escorted out to the throne room, where Flavia stood with smiles and a hint of red on her cheeks.  

“Well fought!” She cheered, clapping her hands and some of our backs as she approached us. “You have my respect. And, perhaps more to the point, you have your alliance. I will provide Ylisse with the soldiers she needs.  

“Truly?” Chrom smiled, bowing low to Flavia. “Thank you, East-Khan.”  

“I should thank you! It feels like ages since I've held full power.” She laughed. She waved her hands and servants came out from the shadows with plates of food and pitchers of ale in hand. “Come, my new friends! Tonight, we celebrate!”  

Music wafted through the hall and Feroxi soldiers soon flooded in. We got to talk to our opponents, made friends among them, and dined to our hearts' content. Although, I couldn’t spy Marth within the crowd. I tried to bring it up with any of the soldiers, but they had no idea who the masked man is or could be. I made my way towards Chrom, hoping to tell see if he had gathered anything as well. As I’m edging myself around the poorly placed dining table, I see a huge man come up from behind Chrom and begin speaking to him.   

Their expressions troubled me at first, Chrom’s in confusion and the taller man’s mouth set in a frown, but after they spoke for a bit, I realized that they had warmed up to each other fairly quickly. I made my way over, Lissa and Frederick coming up alongside me. Chrom introduced all of us and himself before the large, burly man replied. He was Basilio, the other half of the Feroxi’s country.  

“I'm the West-Khan you so rudely removed from power!” Basilio laughed. “You're handy with a sword, boy. I thought for sure I'd picked the stronger man.”  

“What do you know about him?” Chrom asked, sounding a little too excited.  

“You mean that ‘Marth’? Bah! He's just some sellsword with delusions of grandeur. All I know is that he turned up one eve and knocked my old champion flat. It was love at first sight, and I'm generally too old for such things! Baha! Anyway, he's gone now. Up and fled the moment the tournament ended.”  

“He's so dark and mysterious...” Lissa sighed.  

I gave her a look, one of mirth and humor now that I could relax. “Sounds like Marth's got at least one fan…”  

Lissa’s face turned pink, turning her body shyly away from me. “Well, I mean, c'mon...he is sort of dreamy, isn't he?”  

The incredulous look that Chrom had on his face was priceless. His eyes bulged and his skin paled, giving him a haunting look. I almost doubled over in laughter.  

“And YOU'RE sort of dreaming!” He nearly shouted.  

“Yowch! Lighten up, Big Brother. I was just kidding.”  

Lissa gave me a panicked look and I did my best to distract the group as I began to talk to Basilio more. We were having an interesting conversation on terrain practice when Frederick cleared his throat.  

“Milord? Milady? If this fascinating discussion is over, we'd best return home. The exalt will want this news of our new alliance immediately.”  

“Right as always Frederick.”  

“Hold, boy.” Basilio stops us in our tracks, looking bittersweet. “Before you go, I have a little present for you.”  

He steps aside to reveal a swordsman, a stoic expression painted on his face. I notice that garb is different than the other Feroxi warriors and swordsmen. He must have hailed from another country, or his parents are of a different lineage. He says nothing as Basilio wraps his arm around him.  

“This is Lon'qu, my former champion. Not much for talking, mind you, but he's peerless with a sword. As good as Marth, in my mind. To be honest, I can't figure out how Marth bested him so quickly.”  

“Marth beat him?” Lissa gasped. She took a step forward, leaning to get a better look at Lon’qu. “But he looks so big and strong…”  

Lon’qu complexion flushed and he backed up, grabbing onto his benefactor to shield him. “Away, woman!”  

“Hey!” Lissa shouted. She looked between Lon’qu and Chrom, confused. “Wh-what did I say?!”  

“Let's just say that ladies tend to put Lon'qu on edge.” Basilio laughed. “Nonetheless, he is capable. Perhaps he even has the makings of a khan. Consider him West Ferox's contribution to the Ylissean cause.”  

With that, we had gained another ally and a whole country as well. Lon’qu was given the task to guard Lissa as Chrom was told rumors of an assassination plot. This wouldn’t bode well for Lon’qu’s case, but no one had been able to handle the job. He didn’t look pleased, but I had a feeling he would be professional about the whole ordeal.  

I somehow convinced Frederick to at least stay the night before heading out to march tomorrow and we spent the rest of the night in leisure. The Khans had given us a part of land to rest our army on and we pitched up our tents to settle down. As I’m scolding Lissa about her recent frog prank, Stahl and Vaike came walking by.  

“...you should’ve seen the look on his face. HA!” Vaike chortled.  

“Really? Again?” Stahl sighed, before yawning. “This was the nth time, and it still never gets old for you.”  

“What’s got ‘Ol Teach’ in a good mood?” Lissa asks.  

“Chrom was attacked behind the mess tent,” Stahl said as a-matter-of-factly. “Another reckless rouge.”  

“The face as he ran off was priceless!” Vaike’s laughter grew louder.  

“Again?” Lissa shook her head. “Geez...Robin, could you believe it if anyone—”  

I didn’t hear Lissa as I rushed out of the tent, sprinting to Chrom’s. We had just gotten out of battle and now he’s getting robbed? Was he hurt? Had he lost a limb? What if he was already in the medical tent? I stopped and was about to turn around to head to find Lissa, but instead found myself bumping into Chrom. I gasped at the sight of him.  

“Chrom! Are you all right?!”  

Chrom gave me a surprised look, one that looked like he was caught red-handed. “Er, yes, I'm fine. What's got you so excited?”  

I stared at him, trying to contain the worry that was building up within. “I heard you were attacked behind the mess tent!”  

“Pfft! Some local thug approached with a dagger, but he bolted when I drew iron. It was dark...the poor fellow probably thought he was mugging a merchant! Ha!”  

“You challenged him alone?!” I cried.  

“Well, I wouldn't say ‘challenged,’ exactly. More like ‘shooed away.’ Can't very well just leave that sort around the camp now, can we?”  

The nonchalant attitude that he displayed made the lid on the pot boil over. Here I was, worried that he had been hurt, if not gravely wounded and he laughs at the moment?!  

“By the gods, Chrom! Please, I beg you, do not take any more of these foolish risks.”  

He gives me an incredulous look, paired with a half-smile. “You do realize we're at war, right? Just walking onto the battlefield is a risk.”  

I sighed and did my best to reason with him. “I don't fear anyone besting you head-on; I fear you being stabbed in the back! Many of our enemies do not share your sense of honor.”  

“Do you really think some random cutpurse would get the better of me?”  

I crossed my arms, my expression plain. “Shall I list every hero who said that before being poisoned, sniped, or snared?”  

“Well, I don't think a list is necess—”  

“You're our commander , Chrom...” I stressed, pointing out one of the titles he held. “Battlefield victories mean nothing if an army loses its leader. You are no longer simply your own man. You stand for all of us.”  

“Enough...you have a point. You're right...as you always are.” I frowned at this, but Chrom already looked like a kicked dog, so I held my tongue. “I will be more careful. Thank you, Robin.”  

It took me a while to simmer my ever-growing anger and anxiety down, but it seemed that Chrom understood my words to him. I could only repeat myself a couple of more times and threatened to use Frederick as a permanent retainer before Chrom voiced that he got the idea. I could keep my fear in check as we finished our stay in Regna Ferox.  

We left the next afternoon, gaining more connections and rest before marching back to Ylisse. The snow gradually melted, and we were greeted with a sea of green and warm breezes. I had missed the warmth of the Ylisse. As we reached and stopped at one of our checkpoints, a farmer wearing a pot as a helmet came running up to Chrom.  

“Halp! You gots to help us! I’m beggin’ you, milords!”  

Frederick made a move to subdue him, but Chrom was already in front of the steward and reaching out for the villager.  

“Slow down. What happened?” He asked.  

I jogged over and saw that the pot the villager was wearing was dented and dried blood ran down his jaw. I waved Lissa over, but a loud shout stopped all of us in our tracks.  

“Oy! There’s the wee piglet!”  

A gangly-looking man ran towards us, a wide grin on his face. A short sword hung from his belt and his outfit perfectly described the kind of men that Raimi and Flavia had told us about.  

“…Great. Bandits.” Chrom muttered, his face set in a disapproving frown. The bandit slowed to a stop, letting out a taunt and laugh as he looked at the village boy.  

“What’s this? A little lording come to watch over his chattel? Haw ha—” His chortle died off as he seemed to recognize Chrom and the rest of the people behind him. “Aw, damn me! Sh-Shepherds!”  

“That’s right.” Chrom gripped Falchions handle but made no move to draw it. “So, what’ll it be? Run and live? Or fight and die?”  

The bandit sprinted off at Chrom’s threat and left us all in the dust. Chrom turned back to the boy and gripped his shoulder.  

“Quickly, lad. What happened here?”  

“Y-yes, milord! Right away, milord!” The boy stuttered. “…Er, if it please Your Graciousness.”  

Chrom grimaced at the name, and I had to bite my smile back. “Maybe just hold off on titles for now. What’s your name?”  

The boy, Donnel, quickly explained to Chrom that bandits had attacked his village and were going to pillage and plunder the surrounding towns. I had heard that more bandits had started causing more and more trouble, but we had yet to see it on our travels. I could only assume that it was because of the Shepherds' reputation and the risen that appeared at ghastly times.  

"...Please, sir! You gots to save them folks! My ma’s one of ‘em, and…she’s all I got in this world! Please, Your Royal Highness!”  

“This blasted war seems to spawn more evils by the day.” Chrom mummered. He got up from his crouch, helping the boy up. “All right, Donny. We’ll save your ma. Can you lead us to her?”  

“Aw, thank you, milord! Thank you! Just follow me, Your Sirness!”  

We planned to split the group; Chrom leading one to the village and I would lead the other back to Ylisse. While we didn’t have many members with us, this gave the others an option to sit a battle out and rest. I knew that bandits mainly consisted of mercenaries, thieves, and barbarians, so I had to tell the others that unless they were proficient in swords, it would be best to stay put. While Sully, Virion, Vaike, and Sumia stayed behind, Kellam was the only one who insisted on going. I knew that he didn’t know how to swing a sword yet, but I only feared that he would be at a disadvantage.   

“Are you sure Kellam?” I squinted as I looked at him, hoping that the light would reflect off him so I could see him properly. “I don’t know how the terrain would look, but it might be hard for you...”  

“I understand Robin, but...” Kellam scratched at his head. “I always seem to miss out when we go into battle. I want to be the first one on the line!”  

Eventually he convinced me to let him go and I could only worry about all of them. It wasn’t that I thought that they didn’t need me, but more that Chrom is always a reckless leader in battle. I feared that he put too much faith in my tactics and did things head on when I'm not around. I could only rely on Frederick and Lissa to keep him in check. While the others sped off to rid the bandits, the rest of us made our way back to the open road. It felt a little lonely as we spent our days without the other half of us. But that didn’t make it uneventful.  

I had a run in with Sully’s horse, one that was eager to duke it out with me and Vaike. The said man had tried to spy on the women as they bathed, and I had tried to stop him. This wound me in the pickle with her horse. Sully didn’t seem to notice as she was too worried about gaining muscle and training.  

I got to connect with Sumia and Virion as well. Sumia had recommended some novels to pass the time as we traveled. They were surprisingly catching as I went through them. Although, they were becoming rather raunchy as I picked up “ Ribald Tales of the Faith War ”. I decided to focus on strategy and mind play as we continued. I feared that Risen would pop up any moment, and I needed to stay on my toes in case it did. Virion was somehow a very intelligent man, despite my biased views. He had become my opponent within my very own game board. I had thought I had found my match when he continued to defeat me, but I soon learned that his strategy was less than honorable.  

We had a run in with some Risen and thank the Gods, we were better equipped than I thought. Both our experience and confidence on the field rose as we defeated our opponents easily. After quite some walking, we saw the capital ahead. As we skirted around the edge of the city, we caught sight of a familiar group. Chrom waved at us as we approached the city gates and at his side was a familiar face with a shiny, dented helmet.  

“Donnel?” I called.  

The tanned farmer boy grinned sheepishly up at me. It appeared that we had gained another member to the Shepherds. As we marched back towards the barracks, Chrom and Lissa broke off from the main group, signaling me to follow them. We went through the mess hall and entered the castle. The halls seemed never ending as the siblings led me through it. I had originally thought we were going to the throne room, but we seemed to be going further into the castle.  

“Where are we going? I thought we were going to see your sister.”  

Chrom turned towards me, a knowing smile on his face. “We are.”  

“She’s resting in the Green Room!” Lissa chimed in.  

We stopped at a door and Lissa pushed it open, calling out Emmeryn’s nickname. I walked in and was immediately swarmed by plants. Large palm trees sat near the entrance with rows of flowers and other plants placed around the room. Emmeryn sat on the other side of the room, the sun framing her silhouette behind a clear windowed wall.   

The three siblings talked as I surveyed the room more. It was comforting to see the three of them so close to one another. They smiled and laughed at each other's conversation, while making snarky and sassy remarks. There was a small pain in my chest as I kept watching them, a hollow feeling. I almost miss my old memories, wishing to know if I had a family like this one. Did I have parents who doted on me and perhaps siblings to share the joys of life with? I would never know unless they were looking for me.  

“...Then Regna Ferox will support Ylisse?” Emmeryn’s soft voice floated into my ear, and I blinked back into reality. “Thank you, Chrom. I knew sending you was the right choice.”  

Chrom’s smile was bright as he received Emmeryn’s praise. “You should see Ferox's warriors! Perhaps now our people will be safe from--”  

Suddenly the doors flung open and Phila burst into the room.  

“Your Grace! M-milord! Forgive me, but I bring alarming news!”  

We gathered around Phila, hoping to comfort her. Her usually neat, braided bun was becoming loose, and her body heaved as she kept trying to talk between gasps of air.  

“Phila! Slow down, please!” Emmeryn said and took her in her arms, a faint glow appearing from her hand. “What's happened?”  

“Plegian soldiers have been sighted inside our southwest border! They attacked a village in Themis and abducted the Duke's daughter.”  

“B-but that would be...Maribelle!” Lissa gasped. Her complexion paled and she turned to Chrom. “Chrom, we have to do something!  

“There's more,” Phila breathed, straightening herself up from Emmeryn’s hold. “King Gangrel of Plegia claims Lady Maribelle invaded his country. He demands we repay reparations for this ‘insult.’”  

“And we're to believe a dastard like the Mad King of Plegia?” Chrom scoffed.  

“Peace, Chrom.” Said Emmeryn. “We must keep our wits about us.   

Chrom’s face was calm for a moment and then began to turn pink. “We should put a sword in his gut and be done with it! The Mad King has been trying to provoke war with Ylisse at every step! He won't stop until he drags this whole continent to hell with him!”  

I had never seen Chrom lose his patience so fast. It was almost terrifying to witness. But Emmeryn was right; we needed to stay calm.  

“I agree with the prince, Your Grace.” Phila added, her hair was fixed, and her resolve had steeled. “We must demonstrate to Plegia that such actions have consequences.”  

While Chrom and Phila had a good point, I stayed quiet and weighed our options for us. If we had went into war, that would mean putting knights, fighters, mercenaries, and others out on the front line. Ylisse had a good garrison that trained regularly and held borders together, making them second to Ferox. Unfortunately, this meant farmers and any able man was to be put out and ready to fight. This can cause families to be ripped apart and businesses to close for an undisclosed amount of time. This could lead to shortages of most anything. But...  

I looked over to the Exalt. Emmeryn’s face was uncharacteristically tight. Her grace and beauty were being held together by pure patience with her hands folded together, as if in a prayer. I could only imagine how she looked when she was angry.  

“I understand your feelings, Chrom. Truly I do.” She finally spoke, her voice still soft, but held a bite to it. “But if we give him the war he wants, then we lose, no matter what the outcome. Our last conflict nearly ruined the halidom. It left Ylisseans homeless and starving. We cannot repeat that mistake.”  

She paused, looking down for a moment before looking straight ahead. I held my breath, suddenly afraid of what she would say next.  

“I will offer parley with King Gangrel.”  

The group erupted into chaos; voices piled upon one another.  

“Emm, no! You can't!” Lissa cried.  

“Emm, are you serious?” Chrom looked like he was going to explode. “You saw what they’ve done to our people. You can see that the Mad King has no mind left to reason with!”  

“Please reconsider, Your Grace.” Phila pleaded. “He cannot be trusted to act in good faith!”  

Emmeryn turned her eyes towards the two. “So we either choose to march to war or leave Lady Maribelle to die? No. I will not accept that.”  

Silence settled over us as the words sunk in. Even if the odds weren’t in our favor, it seemed like out best chance to at least barter with Gangrel. Perhaps we had someone or something to trade with Maribelle...  

“...Forgive me, Your Grace.” Phila bowed to Emmeryn before getting on one knee. “I spoke out of turn. I know you will stand always by your own principles. Pray, allow the pegasus knights to accompany you, though.”  

“I'm going, too.” Chrom stepped in. He looked down, but there was fire in his eyes. His voice was soft as he muttered something to himself, but I caught on to it as I stood closest to him. “...Someone has to save you from your good intentions.”  

“And I want to be there for you and Maribelle!” Lissa said, her voice wavering slightly.  

Emmeryn’s expression softened, revealing a genuine smile. She held Lissa’s and Chrom’s hand in each of her own. “As you wish. Thank you all. Your strength will be mine.”  

Emmeryn gave Phila instructions: retrieve Frederick and summon the council. Lissa scurried off after her to tell the rest of the Shepherds of what happened. As I was about to follow, Chrom stopped me.  

“What is it, Chrom?”   

We were alone now. Lissa had stopped at the door but noticed that Chrom wanted to speak privately and left without a word. The prince was silent for a moment before speaking.  

“...Robin, I want to warn you now about Plegia.” He looked troubled before taking a shaky breath. “Their king...has been trying to wage war against us for years. I fear that he is not sound in mind. So please, be wary when he speaks. His tongue is as sharp as the dagger he hides.”  

I could tell that he was sincere in his words. If this man is too insane to trifle with, we might be in more of a bigger predicament than I thought. “Of course. Thank you, Chrom.”  

I made my way to the barracks library, hoping to seek answers in the many books we had. After the war council ended, Chrom entered the library. The council had chosen to listen to King Gangrel’s demands, but war was definitely not off the table. We would leave in a few hours, just barely before the sun rose. That didn’t give me enough time to get ample amounts of rest as I was plagued with night terrors for most of the night. I couldn’t remember much about them, but all I could remember was three tall, looming shadows attacking me.  

After eating an apple and preparing my weapons, I made my way to the Shepherds training field. Many of the members were already there, strapped and ready to go. I made sure to check our inventory before we left. Few soldiers carried bronze weapons and we had procured more steel and silver in our convoy. I’m sure we would find a merchant on our way as well. Chrom and Lissa stood along the garrison's veranda, quietly discussing amongst themselves. I could only hope that it was a better conversation than thinking of the upcoming events.  

“Well then! Is everyone ready to go?” Chrom called. He approached the group with his sister in tow. “It's a long march through the western mountains to the Plegian border.”  

The group cheered in response, ready to support him. I gave him a reassuring smile and Chrom smiled back. He looked like he gained a moral boost, if only a little. A small blue figure suddenly appeared next to us, mage robes flowing in the early morning breeze.  

“Captain!” He shouted, panting as he caught his breath. “I'm all packed! When do we leave?!”  

“Ricken? How did you...” Chrom sighed wearily. “Go back inside. You're not old enough for this mission.”  

“But, Captain! You know my skill with magic! You know I can handle myself!”  

“I'd feel safer with your magic here, protecting the garrison. All right? We're off, then. Be good.”  

I cast the small mage a quick glance. He seemed no older than fourteen, but I could tell with my Insight that his magic was incredible for his age. I felt sorry that he had to stay behind, but if Chrom felt more comfortable with him here, then I could only oblige to his orders.  

After hours of trekking across mountains and sharp, rocky slopes, we had made it to the Plegian border. The journey was harder than the one to Regna Ferox, my legs felt like jelly by the time we set up camp. Emmeryn had no idea how long the conference was going to last and was gracious enough to have tents set up to hide from the blistering sun. I felt fine in the scorching heat, but dehydration was no joke. I had to hold myself back from chugging my canteen bottle.  

We awaited any sign that Gangrel was ready to talk and sat waiting till the sun was high in the sky. I could tell the tension was high as Chrom began to pace back and forth in the tent we occupied.  

“What’s taking him so long?” He demanded. “We have been sitting out here in this blasted heat for hours ! Does he take us for fools?”  

“Peace, Chrom.” Emmeryn said gently. She waved the fan in her hand delicately, prompting him to sit. “We mustn't make any rash decisions while we’re here. Just be patient.”  

“Ugh,” Lissa grumbled. “I’m sure he wants the heat to get to us. Maybe he’s waiting for us to make the first wrong move...”  

Lissa had a point. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gangrel had planned this. If Emmeryn hadn’t taken precautions, the army would have been raving mad from heat exhaustion at this point.  

“Your Grace,” Phila called, raising the tent flap to enter. “He’s ready. They’re waiting outside.”  

I had initially thought that the meeting would be held inside of a tent, free from the sun, but instead Gangrel waited on the edge of a rock formation. His clothes were gaudy, his skin basically covered in fabric from head to toe. I could tell that his king had indeed gone mad.  

“What's this, then? The exalt herself, in all her radiance?” He laughed manically. “I fear I must shield my eyes!”   

“King Gangrel,” Emmeryn spoke, holding herself high. “I've come for the truth of this unfortunate incident between us.”  

“The truth? I can give you the truth.” A feminine voice carried through the air, and I struggled to see who spoke behind the mad king's wild ruff.  

“Perhaps milady might first share her name?”  

A woman stepped forward, clad in black and carrying copious amounts of confidence. She seemed to eye each one of us carefully before making eye contact with me. She smiled; a knowing glint shown in her eyes. My head throbbed, probably due to the heat and stress, and I had to force myself not to shiver under her gaze.  

“You may call me Aversa.”  

Emmeryn seemed to be holding her gaze against her well as she prompted the woman. “Very well, Aversa. Is Maribelle unharmed?”  

“Who?” Gangrel asked, scratching his chin before revealing his sharp teeth. “Oh yes, that little blonde brat.”  

Aversa waved her hand, and a brigand came over, pushing a woman in front of him. Her hair and clothes were loose and dirtied, and her language was colorful as she kicked and fought against the brigand's hand and strength.  

“Maribelle!” Lissa cried.  

The woman I didn’t recognize as Maribelle stopped her fussing to look up and into the crowd. Her face looked gaunt and her eyes wide with surprise and hope. “Lissa? Darling, is that you?”  

“This girl crossed the Plegian border without our consent.” Aversa scoffed; a light smile danced across her face. “And what's more—she wounded the brave Plegian soldiers who sought only to escort her safely home.”  

Maribelle whipped her head towards Aversa, glaring at her as if she could set her on fire.  

“ Lies! You speak nothing but lies, hag!” She struggled against the brigands' hold. “Did they not teach the meaning of the word ‘truth’ in wretched-crone school?!”  

“You see? No manners at all. Such a nasty little bird simply had to be caged.”  

“Such a violent temper speaks to her guilt.” Gangrel clicked his tongue. “This will call for a weighty punishment. And if she were to later confess to being an Ylissean spy? My goodness! It would take an act of considerable good faith to repair our relations.”  

“I have done nothing wrong! It is they who should confess!” Maribelle’s struggled continued and she pleaded her case to Emmeryn. Tears fell from her cheeks, evaporating onto the hot path below her. “They are the ones who invaded Ylisse. They razed an entire village! When I attempted to intervene, they took me and dragged me across the border. Let the plundered shops and charred homes of that village serve as my proof!”  

“That would only prove Ylisse has a bandit problem—something I hear oft of late...” Gangrel yawned, wiping away at his eyes in fake sympathy. “But indeed, tonight I shall weep salty tears into my pillow for your dead villagers.”  

“Your Grace, please!”  

The tension in the air was palpable enough for everyone; people quietly spoke to each other, emotions were running high, and bodies braced themselves for the next course of action. Emmeryn remained composed and she held up her hand slightly above her waist, a sign not to attack but to silence.  

“Peace, Maribelle. I believe you.” She said, before turning her attention back to the other party. “King Gangrel, I request that you release this woman at once. Surely you and I can sort out these affairs without the need of hostages.”  

Gangrel’s eyes shifted back and forth. It seemed his eyes couldn’t be still even if he tried. “Without so much as an apology? Why should I even bother with parley? I'm within my rights to have her head this instant and be home in time for supper.”  

Chrom didn’t like the sound of that. He stepped forward, letting his emotions get the best of him. “You black-hearted devil!”   

“Control your dog, my dear,” Gangrel sneered, stepping back as if Chrom had stepped into his personal space. “Before he gets someone hurt.”  

Emmeryn stepped in front of Chrom, giving him a pointed look. Several guards gently brought him back and the prince reluctantly obeyed. This seemed to please Gangrel as a wicked smile grew on his face.  

“Now then, Your Graceliness. Perhaps we can arrange a trade? You give me the Fire Emblem, and I return Mari Contrary here in one piece.”  

“You would ask for Ylisse's royal treasure?” Emmeryn asked, confused at the request. “But why?”  

“Because I know the legend! The Fire Emblem is the key to having all one's wishes realized. I have desired it for years. YEARS! ...Yet my birthday comes and goes each year, and nothing from Ylisse. Heheh…”  

“The Emblem's power is meant for a single purpose, King Gangrel: to save the world and its people at their hour of most desperate need. Would you claim a more noble wish?”  

“I want what every Plegian wants—a grisly end for every last Ylissean! What could be more noble than that?”  

“What?”  

Mutters went through the crowd, and I felt my jaw unhinged at the statement. Are you kidding me? Who in their right mind would blatantly tell their deepest desire at a diplomatic meeting?! Despite the discourse, Gangrel continued on his rant.  

“Surely you have not forgotten what the last exalt did to my people? Your father named us heathens! His ‘crusade’ across Plegia butchered countless of my subjects and my kin!”  

What? I stared ahead at Emmeryn and Chrom, who stood shoulder to shoulder ahead of me. They were silent as Gangrel looked at them, his smile growing every second. I looked over to Lissa, hoping that she would refute his statement. Her expression was uncharacteristically somber and avoided eye contact with me.  

“...I have never denied Ylisse's past wrongdoings.” Emmeryn calmly responded. “But I have sworn to never repeat those mistakes. Ours is now a realm of peace.”  

“Yours is now a haven of hypocrisy!” Gangrel’s voice became shrill, the mad look in his eyes were growing wild. “Now give me the Fire Emblem!”  

“No, Your Grace!” Maribelle thrust forward, slipping out of grasp from the brigand and fell to her knees. “I'd sooner die than act as a bargaining chip for this filthy reprobate!”  

“Ugh...taaaaaalk talk-talk-talk-talk.” Gangrel flapped his hands around as he talked, looking like a jester at court. “It's time to speak louder than words! This negotiation is over, Your Luminosity! I shall have the Emblem if I have to pry it from your shiny dead hands!”  

As Gangrel raised his hands in excitement, a small group of brigands ran towards Emmeryn. Screams and shouts erupted from within the army and as one went up to grab Emmeryn, Chrom swooped forward. Falchion flashed under the sun, blinding anyone in sight. When I blinked, it was stained in blood and the brigand's body was limp on the ground. The rest of the group fell back, eyeing the sword with uncertainty.  

“Stay back!” Chrom growled. “Or you'll all suffer the same fate!”  

“Now that's a declaration of war if I've ever heard one...” Gangrel laughed maniacally, his body bent backwards as it convulsed with each breath he took. “A big, messy war that will bleed you Ylisseans dry!”  

The army that stood silently behind the mad king suddenly roared and charged forward. The Pegasus knights flew forward, surrounding Emmeryn. I rallied the Shepherds, calling them to move forward. We clashed with the army, trying to stay vigilant in the unfamiliar territory. Chrom, Frederick, and Lon’qu took out the stronger foes while I had the rest of the army finish off the stragglers. I did my best to support the others, taking out the close calls and routing them to a desired course, but the enemies did not make it easy. Dark mages tossed spells from afar and reinforcements began to spew out from some of the abandoned forts.  

The chaos was frightening to say that it was a true battlefield like I had never seen it before. Metal clashed with metal and screams and shouts mingled with each other. The fight to survive was grotesque. I was separated from Lissa and Lon’qu as a wave of wyvern riders descended around me.  

“Sir Orton! There, the tactician!” I heard a soldier call to their leader.  

I quickly shot Thunder at a rider and felt a surge of energy and mana flow through my hand. The wyvern rider and his mount fell to the ground in a big puff of dust, remaining still upon the ground. My head buzzed and I felt myself go mad as I tried to defend myself against the enemy. One rider, then two...I found myself losing track of my surroundings and relying on Insight to keep me pointed at the enemy.  

Finally, I found myself face to face with Orton. He grinned at me, raising his weapon in a taunt.  

“I won't ask for your name. Only your life!”  

His wyvern flew high into the air, only to swoop down upon me and brush past me. The wind blew dust into my field of vision, and I could barely see what was around me. In a state of panic, I drew my sword and began to swing wildly, hoping to at least hit something. My blade ran through flesh and an echoing scream resonated through the space around me. I opened my eyes to see Orton trying to steer his mount high again and I tried to aim my next spell at him, but I missed and hit one of the wyverns wings instead.  

The beast screeched before falling to the ground. It fell on its side and writhed around before it died. Orton struggled to free himself from under it, but I could tell that he was going to be forever pinned. We could take him back and drill him with questions, hopefully either use him for information or a spy. Ylisse was peaceful and it seemed better than Plegia’s situation. I just need to coax him. Slowly I approached him, ready to knock him out when he drew a dagger. I stopped, suddenly aware of what he might do.  

He aimed for his throat and before I could react, he slit it. The blood gushed down his clothes and he clutched at the wound. I wondered if he was regretting his decision. He rolled his body back and forth, trying to find something and feebly coughed blood and spit from his mouth. A small glint in the sand caught my eye and I picked it up, hurrying to his side. He grasped at it and clutched it next to his heart.  

“Why,” I muttered, trying to shield him from the sun. “Why would you throw your life away like that?”  

“This matters not.” He gurgled. “Soon war will be upon...your soil... Heh heh...”  

Orton stilled, blood pooling around his head. I could only stare at his eyes as they became dull and glassy. The adrenaline in my body left me and I felt by arm begin to burn. Something warm trickled down my skin and I could only deduce that I was bleeding. But I couldn’t go to the healers just yet. Maribelle was being held somewhere nearby. I placed my hand over Orton’s eyes and closed them, praying that he would have a safe journey. Wherever he went.   

I stood up, clutching my arm as I hurried towards the now abandoned fort. It was empty, save for a couple of weapons and moldy provisions. I took off outside, hoping to find her in a lone cave or somewhere safe. I didn’t have to go very far as Lissa came running up to me with her staff in hand.   

“R-Robin, what happened?! You’re arm...!”  

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Where’s Lon’qu? Did you catch sight of Maribelle yet?”  

Lissa pulled at my arm and raised her staff to heal my injury. Her face was serious and for a moment, she looked mature. “Ricken rescued her in the midst of the chaos. I had my rescue staff with me, so they should have made it back with the rest of the Ylissean guard.”  

I felt my muscles relax and I let out a breath of relief. “Oh thank the Gods...”  

We hurried back to regroup with the rest of the Shepherds and Ylisse guards. There weren’t many casualties, but the number of wounded littered the space around us. Clerics and priests worked tirelessly as we tried to look for Maribelle within the crowd. Lissa spotted her first, pushing past a bloodied Vaike and a disconcerted Lon’qu.  

“Maribelle!” She bawled, tears falling down her cheeks. “Are you hurt?!”  

Maribelle sat outside of the medical tent; a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her expression was one of guilt and shame, but it had melted as soon as she saw Lissa. She gave a half-hearted smile as the young princess approached.  

“Nothing I didn't return twofold, darling.”  

I sighed, finally letting the adrenaline leave my body. “I'm glad you're safe.”  

Maribelle looked over to me, her brows furrowed. “Who...? Oh. It's you.”  

It looked like she didn’t remember me, but that wasn’t the point. “I know you're not especially fond of me, but it's a relief just the same.”  

“Oh, it's not a question of fondness.” Maribelle said softly, puckering her dried lips. “I am simply protective of Lissa. My treasure is very sensitive, and...”  

She stopped, her sun-burnt skin flushing a darker red. “Wait. Am I really justifying myself to a commoner? Gods...yes, well, I do...apologize for being curt. And...and...” She bit her lip before bowing her head to me. “And you have my thanks for your part in the rescue. There, I said it!”  

This set Lissa off in a series of giggles and teasing as Maribelle wiped the drying tears from her face. Word spread that we were to head back to Ylisstol immediately and I readied the women to leave. The Pegasus knights led the army back to the capital and we made haste to formulate a plan. Chrom’s expression was somber as we traveled side by side on horse. I didn’t ask, but I knew something was brewing inside him. Perhaps it was about Gangrel's speech; a past haunting to men and women.  

Later that evening, Frederick filled me in on the council’s strategy plan. They had spoken of routing the enemy by every corner of the border, planning on not letting anyone escape. The plan was solid, but if Plegia were to surprise us with a counterattack from outside the drawn range, we could suffer heavy losses. I holed myself up for the rest of the night, pouring over books and maps in hopes of finding a better strategy. I could not go against the council, but I can suggest strategies they haven’t considered before.  

With my best plan picked out, I asked Phila if she could review it with Emmeryn. The chances of it being chosen weren’t high as it seemed that the council had more power to overrule it than the Exalt. Unless there was a spy within our ranks, they would never know. It would have been a better chance if Emmeryn had seen it before the council. She could make her choice then. After watching both Frederick and Phila disappear down the hall, I decided to take a stroll towards the armory. I found that taking stock and counting boxes was a relaxing pass-time. The ledger was kept in the barracks library, but it wasn’t well-kept, and I had to dig within piles of books and miscellaneous items.   

As I placed some books down on a table, a shadow flitted outside. I paused my work, suddenly unsure if I was seeing things. I grabbed for my sword, ready to strike if an enemy were outside, but as I peeked out the window, I sighed in relief. Chrom stood in the middle of the training grounds with his hands on his hips. I walked around the hallway and headed towards Chrom. He was staring out into the distance with a faraway look, something I don’t normally see with him. He let out a sigh, turning his head towards the stars.  

"Chrom? What are you doing out so late?”  

He jumped, just a tad, and tried to smile in acknowledgment. It didn’t seem to reach his eyes.  

“Oh, hi, Robin. Just...dueling with some unpleasant thoughts...”   

“Care to share?” I took a place next to him, hoping to put him at ease. It took him a while to gather his thoughts before he spoke.  

“Tomorrow we march to Regna Ferox to request additional soldiers.” Ah, so they decided to go with one of my ideas. No doubt that one of the council members would have taken credit if-- “But there's something you should know first. Not everything Gangrel said was a lie.”   

Chrom began to tell me a story of his father, the previous exalt. Years of war plagued the two countries, Plegia and Ylisse, with the war only ending 15 years ago. He explained in detail how brutal the war had been and that most details had been lost to time on why this war raged for so long.  

“I was young, but I remember those dark times.” He sighed once more, still lost in his memories. “...I know how they affected Emmeryn.”  

"Such an experience would change anyone.” I said, empathizing with him. Something about this tale shook me to my core and my chest grew tight while I listened.  

Chrom nodded. "Indeed. When our father died before her tenth year, he left her quite the legacy...plegia's desire for vengeance, our own people's unbridled rage, my sister became a target for blame on all sides. Her own subjects began to hurl insults—and stones. She still bears the scar from one...but she never let them see her pain. Only Lissa and I understood.”  

We were quiet for a moment, and I soaked in the information. My first thoughts were angry, buzzing about how unfit of a king his father was to induce such havoc to people—including his own children! It didn’t last long as I could only imagine a small, young Emmeryn trying to keep peace between her people and her family.  

“It must have been so hard...” I whispered.  

“I cannot claim to know how she does it, Robin. I could not greet such hostility with warmth and patience.” At this, Chrom’s expression morphed into bitterness. “While our people mocked and vilified her, she reached out and healed them. She brought soldiers home to their families. She ended the war.  

And when Ylisse's spirit was mended and the people ‘forgave’ her? She never resented them for it. She represents the best part of the halidom—the part most worth protecting. She is peace. But some men would take advantage of that. Men like King Gangrel. The day he understands peace will be the day death gives it to him.”  

Chrom was quiet once more, before he muttered a chilling sentence. “...So perhaps I must be death's agent. Emmeryn would never order him killed, nor would I wish her to.”  

"Well spoken, sir.”  

I whipped around, my hand gripping the sword that hung from my waist and was faced with the masked swordsman that we had met so many times before.  

“Marth...” Chrom breathed, his voice now clearer. He must have been whisked from his memories at the sound of danger.  

Marth walked out from the shadows and stepped into the light, the light reflecting the gold off his mask. He bowed once to us. “Good evening to you.”  

“How did you get here?” Chrom demanded.  

“The cleft in the castle wall, behind the maple grove.” He responded as a-matter-of-factly.  

“There? But how would you...?” Chrom groaned as he covered his face with one hand. The tips of his ears were pink! “Ugh.”  

I looked between the two, not understanding what was happening. Was there a joke I missed or something? “You know the place, Chrom?”  

“Yes. I bashed in part of the wall while training the Shepherds. It's only a small hole, and I'd thought it well concealed, but...”  

“Your secret is safe with me.” Marth chuckled, before his face turned serious. “I come here only to warn you.”  

“Warn us?”  

“The exalt's life is in danger.”  

A cold chill washed over me. Emmeryn was in danger? I glanced towards Chrom, seeing that he was pale. The news came as a shock for both Chrom and I.  

“What, Emmeryn?” Chrom scoffed, but the fear on his face stayed. “That's absurd. She's guarded at all hours.”  

“What if...” Marth paused, his lips set in a line before he spoke again. “What if I told you I have seen the future? Would you believe me? A future where Emmeryn is killed. Here. Tonight.”  

The future? Was he drunk? Even with our advanced magic, I’ve never read anything about seeing the future. What was he, clairvoyant? How could anyone believe in that kind of--  

“Seen the future?” Chrom’s voice raised. “Have you lost your wits?”  

“Yes, I expected you wouldn't believe me.” His voice was calm and unwavering as he looked over our expressions. “So allow me to prove it!”  

He had unsheathed his sword and pointed it right at us. I could feel the hairs stand on my arms and before I could move to conjure a spell, he opened his mouth to speak.  

“I’m about to save your life,” He said. I was confused by what he meant, but then he turned his head towards a bush behind him. “From him.”  

As if Marth had summoned him in a flash, someone had popped out of the bush. A sharp glint caught my eye and I almost screamed for Marth to watch out. But it seemed that he anticipated the attack. As the assassin raised his blade to strike, Marth jumped into the air and fell to counterattack. In one slice, he struck them down.  

“I trust,” He flicked the sword, the blood coming off clean onto the ground. “This proof will suffice?”  

“Yeah...” I heard Chrom breathe out.   

We both could only stare in shock at the scene we had witnessed. An assassin had laid in the underbrush to ambush us on Ylisse grounds. But that could mean--! A twig snapped and I looked over once again to see another assassin leap from the foliage. Marth didn’t seem to have anticipated this attack and even seemed surprised. He dodged, but the attack hit his mask, cleaving it in two. Chrom stepped in and fended the second assassin off easily. The second body hit the ground and my nerves were like lightning. My vision was hazy, and my head was beginning to throb. Something was wrong, but what was it? Why did this feel so familiar?  

“Wait, you...” Chrom turned, his face in shock. “You’re a woman?”  

I snapped my gaze towards Marth, hit with the second shock of the night. With the mask broken, long strands of hair spilled down over his shoulders. I knew that swordsmen stood sturdy when they were in combat, but I hadn’t noticed that the way Marth carried themselves at all! The stance was rigid, but spritely, as if ‘he’ was going to bolt at any moment.  

“And quite the actress too,” ‘His’ voice was light and as ‘he’ turned towards us, I suddenly saw a woman. “Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out until just now.”  

I wanted to ask so many questions. I felt like a fool. How could I not see it before? It seemed so obvious now, but her disguise was well made that even I couldn’t tell. Before I could say anything, a loud noise rumbled across the castle. Without a moment to lose, all three of us sprinted out of the training grounds. Several bodies of servants littered the castle floors and blood was splashed on the walls. My head pounded as I tried to search for answers. The only viable answer I had was the one that came to me earlier. There was a rat in our midst. Several of the Shepherds were already dashing to the scene as Chrom led us to Emmeryn’s room. I tried to use Insight to see who was already here, but only got a handful as more and more enemies flooded my vision. Marth sprinted forward to clear the path as assassins tried to block our way forward.  

“Emm!” Chrom called out. I looked up to see Emmeryn at her window, her crown and robes gone, leaving her only in her dress. She pushed apart the partition, leaning just far enough to yell out her response.  

“Chrom!” Her voice cracked under the panic. “Take Lissa and flee while you still have time!”  

“No! We're not leaving you! Just stay where it's safe!”  

I tried Insight once more and counted out all the enemies. There were twenty or so thieves and assassins and their leader in the middle of the largest group. With the long winding corridors and unexperienced, foreign bodies, we could most likely win this.  

“The assassins should scatter if we can defeat their leader.” I said, turning my attention on the other two next to me. A light caught my eye, and I looked down to see the Parallel Falchion in Marth’s hand shimmer. Chrom seemed to notice what I was looking at and glanced over to Marth.  

“What's wrong?”  

“It's not your concern.” She snapped.  

“Seems like nothing ever is with you.”  

At Chrom’s statement, Marth looked sorry and then bowed her head slightly. “My apologies.”  

“Just stay at Emmeryn's door. We'll handle the killers.”  

I could hear from her room as Emmeryn pleaded with Chrom to escape while he can, and my head began to throb. I blinked, and once again, my vision was different. Blood painted the scene, and the castle was in disarray. A shadow loomed on the wall, holding something at its side. The object looked like the size of a ball, strands of material hanging around its side. I gasped and I blinked once more.  

The disastrous scene disappeared and Chrom stood aways from me, ready to fight the incoming enemy. My back felt cold and I tried to calm myself by swiping my hand across my face. The battle had begun. I instructed Frederick to ride ahead and take out any fighter or mage in sight. We could handle the assassins when they slipped in.   

We did our best to push the enemy back; a couple of assassins slipping through to only be finished off by Marth. We had made an ally along the way: Gaius. A thief who was coerced into joining the band of assassins. Chrom could tell that he was hesitant to fight against him and it took him mere seconds to change sides. Another wave of assassins and cavaliers came running forward and I had everyone hold the line as they came. A giant brown blur whizzed past the Sully and I watched as a giant rabbit kick an enemy into the wall. Another figure followed it as they cast Arcfire at another.  

“More assassins?” Chrom grunted, drawing his sword from the chest of a fighter.  

“Hold!” Marth called out. “Panne is not your enemy.”  

“You know her?”  

“I know,” Marth paused, taking a sidelong glance at the newcomers. “...Of her. And I knew she would come here tonight.”  

Chrom chuckled, taking a moment to rest. “Quite the prophet, aren't you?”  

“As you say. And I swear to you, Panne is an ally.”  

I could tell that Chrom was dubious of the words at first and then inquired to Marth again. “And of the other?”  

Marth was silent as she looked on to the new arrivals before quietly responding. “...I don’t recall who they are.”  

“Good enough for me.” Chrom turned to shout at the others. “All right, Shepherds! For now, we leave these characters be.”  

Frederick voiced his worries, and I had a feeling where it was coming from. Taking orders from an amnesiac tactician and then a mysterious swordswoman? It seems I was underestimating how wary one can be when with the Captain of the Shepherds. Chrom soothed the knight, throwing a knowing smile towards Marth. She gave her thanks, before we all turned back to the battle.  

I paired up with Gaius as Chrom runs forward to approach the new allies and we fight off the last of the dark mages and cavaliers before a cackle echos against the halls. The assassin leader raises his arms, almost like he was beckoning me to him, and steps into my line of sight and attack.  

“Well, well...oh, I know you...” He laughs, a malicious tone oozing from his lips. “Submit to me, and perhaps I might honor you with the truth!”  

My blood turns cold and every fiber in my body told me to run. The man in front of me radiated with chaotic, dark energy. He knows me? I couldn’t fathom ever being close to him and the more I looked at him, the more my head swelled. He flips back his cape and reveals a tome, a sinister looking one at that. He brandishes it in front of me and a dark spell hurled into my arm.  

The pain was intense. My eyesight flushed red, and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. I had to overcome the pain and place a counterattack, successfully hitting him with ‘ Thunder’. He staggered, and tried to lean out from Gaius’s attack, but failed. My attack did a number on him, and I could tell he was on his last limbs.   

I gulped down a concoction and got ready for another attack. Enemy numbers had dwindled, and I could tell that this was the last of them. I threw another spell at the leader, prompting a loud scream. I had thought it would end him for good, but he emerged from the dust. He yelled before aiming another spell at me.   

The light flashed before my eyes and I was thrown back onto a wall. I tried to move, but my remaining strength was focused on keeping myself awake. I coughed, hoping to recover my breath. Gaius held his distance, knowing that the situation was beginning to become dire. I focused my attention back on the leader.  

I could tell that he seemed pleased that I was down, but the insane pleasure on his face was quickly replaced by one of shock. A glint caught my eye as a sword protruded from his chest. It was quickly taken out, blood quickly trying to replace it. It poured from his chest and onto the ground, staining the marble.  

“No...” He gurgled, his face contorted between anger and confusion. “This is...all wrong...How could...you have known the plan...”  

With a sickening thud, he fell to the ground motionless. Chrom stood behind him, panting heavily. The battle was over. The damage to the castle was fixable, but the lives lost weren’t. Many servants, guards, and knights were killed in the assassination attempt. Friends, family, trusted comrades...It was a sight too gruesome to bear. Medics and guards flooded the halls, trying to clean and recover the castle halls. Chrom, Marth, and I hurried back to Emmeryn's room, finding both the Exalt and her Pegasus knight standing in a lone corridor.  

“Thank the gods you're safe!” Chrom exclaims, wrapping his arms around his sister. She returns the hug, squeezing him tight before letting go.  

“It is you I have to thank, Chrom.” She smiled wistfully, holding onto his hands.  

Phila dropped to her knees in front of Chrom, her head bowed low. “I beg your forgiveness, milord! I failed in my duty—they should never have made it into the castle in the first place.”  

“Peace, Phila.” Chrom raises his hand to help her up. “You couldn't have known what was coming. Only Marth could—”  

“...Marth?” Emmeryn inquires, confused at the name. I could see that she had the same question as Chrom, ‘ The Hero-King of old?’ . Like sister, like brother, I mused to myself.  

“Yes, I would speak more with...” Chrom turns around to look at me and then frowns, turning some more to look around the room. “Um...Robin, where's Marth?”  

I look around me, the space next to me vacant of Marth’s form. I had sworn that she was right beside me, but where had she gone? “Hmm...an excellent question. She was here a moment ago...”  

Chrom clicks his tongue before taking off in a sprint. “...Not again!”  

We all watch him run-off and Emmeryn gives a little chuckle at his antics.  

“He never changes, does he?”  

“Indeed,” Phila sighs. She straightened herself out before placing herself beside Emmeryn. “It feels like yesterday when he used to create terror within the castle walls.”  

Chrom? A little terror? I was surprised to hear that coming from both his sister and confidant. I almost wanted to hear more, but the sound of metal approaching us made me hold thoughts. Frederick came up to us with the two new faces in tow. A tall woman with strange armor and a smaller girl, clad in a dark robe. She hid behind Panne, afraid of looking up to us. Emmeryn smiled at the newcomers, bowing her head to them.  

“Brave taguel, young one, there are not words enough to express my gratitude.”  

The woman, whose name was Panne, lifted an eyebrow. Her expression angled to be slightly surprised. “So you know our true name?”  

I was confused at the title, giving a long look at the woman in front of me. I cleared my throat. “Sorry, what's a taguel?”  

“I am a taguel. The...” She breathed in slowly before turning her sharp gaze towards me. “The last taguel. We are shape-shifters. Most of your kind calls us ‘beast’ or ‘coney’ in the midst of their hunt. I only helped because my warren owes Ylisse a debt. Do not think us friends, you and I!”  

Her voice grew into a sudden shout, startling me and the girl who clung behind her. My head spun and I felt guilty as I listened to her, but it seems that I had misheard something within it all. She shook her head at my expression, scoffing at it.  

“It seems that your kind seem to understand so little. It was man-spawn like you that invaded our warren and slaughtered my people.”  

“What?!” Emmeryn gasped. “Is this true? Who would do such a thing?”  

“Ha!” She laughed, looking hurt at Emmeryn’s sympathy. “Do not act so shocked. You are all the same. Right down to your base desire to ruin and destroy all your touch—even each other.”  

Frederick and Phila puffed up at these words, standing in front of Emmeryn to give them a piece of their minds. But the Exalt stepped in front of them, holding her hand up to silence their actions.  

“...There is truth to your words, perhaps. I'm told that, in taguel society, everyone is treated as an equal. Mankind could learn much from your warren. The words may come too late and mean too little, but I am deeply sorry. We have stolen your friends and family and made the world a lesser place.”  

To my utter surprise, Emmeryn bowed deeply to Panne. This shocked everyone else as well. Frederick and Phila hurried to straighten the royal, but Emmeryn made no move to get up until Panne acknowledged her. At this, Panne seemed to get even more angry.  

“You claim to be blameless, and yet you would apologize? Pah! Your words are but wind.”  

“I know...” Emmeryn looked up to her. “But they are all I have.”  

Panne seemed taken aback at first, but then relaxed as she studied Emmeryn. She looked to have internal conflict before sighing. “You seem sincere, man-spawn. You feel my pain as your own. ...I've never felt that before. Look at me.” She stands to her full height, drawing everyone's attention in the room. “See what I am. I will never trust mankind. But you...perhaps you truly are not like the others.”  

“All I ask is a chance to earn your trust.”  

Panne seemed to acknowledge her words before trying to step back. She stumbles back into the young girls, slightly frowning as she did. She whispers something to her, a manner of panic growing on the girl's face. Emmeryn turns her gaze on her, trying to coax the girl with her smile.  

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” She coos, smiling softly at her. “You have my upmost gratitude for your bravery and heart.”  

“I-It was nothing!” She squeaks, waving her arms in front of her.  

She looked...familiar. Her coat was decorated with the same color and design as mine, but it looked so worn out. The threads were coming loose and the emblems it bore were quite faded. My head swelled again, and I bit the inside of my cheek to bear the pain.  

“You...” I stepped forward, prompting her attention. “Don't look like a treasure hunter or an assassin. What brings you here?”  

“Father!”   

Despite being shy and distant with Emmeryn, she instantly ran up to me and grabbed me in a hug. I froze, suddenly aware of everyone’s stares. I felt myself break out in a sweat. I’m sorry, what ? Father? Was she talking to me? I looked at everyone, unsure of how to handle the situation. Most of the group gave us a look of surprise.  

“There you are, Father!” She beamed up at me, tears welling up in her eyes. “I was beginning to think we got separated.”  

“...I'm sorry, what?” I repeated out loud.  

“Well, no harm done. At least we can head home now.” She sighs. She took a step back, finally taking a good look at my face. “Goodness, the air here agrees with you! You look a decade younger, at least.”  

If I wasn’t in much of a shock, I felt like I would have laughed. But I was more mortified that I had a child, if anything. I thought I was almost twenty? My amnesiac head told me that I wasn’t even old enough to even conceive a child that looked her age! Gently, I pried her arms from my waist and took her by the shoulders.  

“Wait. Let's go back to the ‘Father’ thing. How do you know I am?”  

She stepped back, her form beginning to shrink within herself, and she smiled nervously at me. “...Why are you looking at me like that? Hello? It's me! Morgan! ...Your daughter? Love of your life and Daddy's little girl and all that? Wow, you're really acting strange today. Let's go home and get you to bed. Hmm, but which way is home? Is it—Ngh!”  

Her form crumpled and she clutched at the sides of her head. I caught her before she hit the floor and I steadied her against me. This looked exactly like when I have my own headaches and migraines, and now this girl has them too?  

“Easy—don't try to force it!” I patted her back, trying to soothe her. I looked over to the others, hoping that they would call a medic, but instead Emmeryn hurried over, gently placing her hands on the girl’s back. A soft green glow emitted from her hands and she visibly began to relax. “Just stay calm and listen to me. I don’t remember my past, and I’m not even old enough to have a child as old as you.”  

She looked at me, her eyes wide. She seemed to be beginning to understand the situation as I explained. “Even if you were my child by birthright, it doesn’t make sense. You said I looked younger, but look again. Closely.”  

“Y-you do look younger, but...” She trailed off. It looked like a sudden thought hit her. Her face fell and the expression was one of concentration. She must be doubting everything she knew at the moment. Almost like how I was when Chrom found me.  

“You don’t have to believe me right this minute, but it’s dangerous to be alone. Especially if your memory is gone.” I said slowly. “I was in the same position once, you know. If Chrom hadn't found me lying in that field, who knows what would've happened to me...”  

“Wait,” She lit up, smiling as she heard the tale. “You woke up in the middle of a field, too? Hah! Like father, like daughter, huh? Oh, that's too funny!”  

Her laughter was contagious, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the remark. I was glad to see she had a blithe outlook on things, but I was more worried about how all of this came to be. Who was this girl, claiming to be my daughter? Who was Marth really and how does she know where to be at the right moment?  

And who was that man? Before he died, he said he knew me. Although he didn’t seem to be all that friendly towards me. The long, confusing list that wound before me wound tighter and tighter with each incident. I feared that before long, I would be swallowed into something ominous.