Royal Decree
Robin wiped the sweat off his forehead as he took another drink of water from his canteen.
While he found the heat of the Plegian desert not as bad as he expected that didn't make the heat any less unbearable.
The shepherds, along with the Exalt and her royal escort, were on route to the capital of Plegia the large amount of Plegian outlaws and ruffians attacking Ylissean settlements.
Robin had to admit he was surprised he was asked to come along for negotiations considering he'd only been with the shepherds for a few months.
"Besides the fact that you're the tactician of the countries' militia, you've partaken in many battles against the Plegian forces you're thoughts and opinions will help and be taken into consideration." Was what Chrom told him.
Robin was soon pulled from his thoughts as he felt a jab at his side.
Looking he saw Lissa with an annoyed look on her face.
"Oh Lissa is something wrong?" Robin asked causing Lissa to give and exaggerated sigh.
"I'd say there is, I was saying your name like a hundred times and you didn't say anything?" The young princess explained."
"Ah, sorry I was just lost in thought." Robin said.
"What are you thinking about?" Lissa asked.
"Well for starters why are we bothering meeting with Plegia's ruler if we know their people are attacking ours?" Robin asked.
"It's because they claim these people are acting of their own volition and not that of the country." Chrom answered joining the conversation.
"Yeah they always tell us that they can't control every citizen's actions." Lissa said.
"And besides neither of us are wanting a war." Chrom said.
Robin couldn't argue with that logic, however he still felt uneasy.
"So you've met with Plegia's ruler before?" Robin asked.
"Yes this isn't the first time we've brought up this problem to the queen but she hasn't exactly been cooperative." Chrom said.
"What's the queen like? I'd like to know who we're meeting with before we get to the capitol." Robin asked.
"She's super creepy and very mean." Lissa said almost too eagerly.
"Lissa! You should not say such things about our neighboring countries' ruler." Emmeryn said joining her siblings and friend.
"Well it's true." Lissa said.
"While the queen isn't ideal by Ylisse standards she does care for her people and has been civil enough not only to meet with us but offers us shelter during our time in her palace every time we come to discuss matters as well." Emmeryn explained.
"Only because she wants to keep an eye on us." Lissa mumbled to herself.
"I have to agree with Lissa my experience with Plegia's queen have been less than pleasant." Chrom said.
"Who exactly is this queen?" Robin asked
"Her name is Tharja, and when I say brace yourself friend take those words to heart." Chrom advised.
"Yeah especially considering we're almost there." Lissa said pointing off to the distance where the group could see Plegia's capitol.
If there was one thing Tharja hated it was waiting. She was the damn queen of Plegia she had a right NOT to wait for some pompous Ylissean royals.
Currently Tharja was in her private study passing the time by perfecting her hexes as well as creating new ones. Currently she was trying to make a hex that would cause the target to go blind, deaf, and mute all at the same time.
However before she made a breakthrough a knock on her door interrupted the process.
"Hey Sunshine get yourself prettied up the Ylessian royals are here." A voice said behind the door.
Rolling her eyes Tharja closed her book of hexes and gave herself one check in the mirror. Tharja was dressed in her royal Plegian sorceress attire and left the room to come face to face with her sweet toothed spymaster Gaius.
In her court there were only three people that Tharja truly trusted and Gaius was one of the few who had that privilege.
Exiting Tharja made her way to the meeting room with Gaius in tow.
"Anything I should know beforehand?" Tharja asked the spymaster.
"Nothin' that comes to mind other than the new guy." Gaius said.
"What?" Tharja asked.
"Yeah they brought some Plegian guy sayin' that he's their new tactician." Gaius explained.
"A Plegian is Ylisseans' famous new tactician? I find that rather funny." Tharja said not showing any humor in her voice.
"I thought so too." Gaius said.
Robin waited nervously at his seat next to Chrom at the table looking around trying to calm his nerves.
Before their entrance to the palace Lissa took it upon herself to inform Robin of everything about queen Tharja and how it's rumored she casts dangerous hexes on anyone who so much as looked at her the wrong way. It didn't help that each servant and guard had a look of fear on their face.
Soon enough the door opened causing Emmeryn, Lissa, Frederick, Chrom to stand from their seats. Chrom proceeded to nudge Robin to get him to stand.
As soon as Robin stood up four figures entered the room. One figure was a muscular bald man with a bushy beard. The second figure was a man with hair even more silver than Robin's and was also smiling as if he was just told a joke moments before. The third man had orange hair and something sticking from his mouth. And the final figure made Robin freeze in place.
She had ash black hair, porcelain white skin, her body was decorated with golden jewelry from head to toe and had a body he imagined could have only been hand crafted by the gods themselves. The woman, who Robin assumed was the queen, wore a bored and uninterested look on her face and was inspecting her finger nails rather than looking at her guests.
"Presenting Queen Tharja Sallya the third and her respected council members including myself high general Mustafa leader of Plegia's army. The rest shall now provide their own introduction." Mustafa said beginning the meeting
"Henry royal advisor, head diplomat, and best friend of the queen nyahahah." Henry crackled before getting smacked by Mustafa and being reminded the latter wasn't an official position.
"Gaius royal spymaster." Gaius said as he pulled out a lollipop and stuck it in his mouth replacing the bare stick of the previous one.
Robin was admittedly confused. Based on his encounters with plegians on the battlefield Robin never would have guessed these were the people leading the country.
"Frederick knight of the royal family." Frederick said starting Ylisse's introduction.
"Exalt Emmeryn leader of Ylisse." Emmeryn said.
"Prince Chrom leader of the shepherds." Chrom said.
"Princess Lissa shepherds cleric." Lissa said.
"Uhh Robin tactician of the shepherds." Robin said uneasy.
As soon as his name was said Tharja looked up from her nails at robin and her eyes went wide and her whole demeanor changed.
"Well I wasn't aware that someone quite like you was going to attend Sir Robin." Tharja said in a half dazed half sultry voice.
"Ah w-well I hope it won't be a problem your highness." Robin said nervous about the look the Plegian Queen was giving him.
"Oh not at all I'm merely surprised to see one of my own people with Ylisse's royals." Tharja said not taking her eyes off of Robin.
"Well it's actually a funny story-"
"Silence welp do not bore our Queen with your life's story." Mustafa said interrupting the tactician.
"GENERAL!" Tharja shouted startling everyone in the room.
"You should not be so rude to our guest, apologize to Sir Robin." Tharja ordered.
Dumbfounded Mustafa complied.
"My apologies Sir Robin." Mustafa said, although he didn't sound sincere.
"Umm it's no trouble general." Robin said awestruck at the fact that Tharja seemed to be defensive of him.
"Perhaps we should begin the meeting." Emmeryn said trying to get things moving along.
"Queen Tharja we have once again had numerous encounters with Pelegian outlaws harassing my citizens." Emmeryn said.
"And once again I remind you that I'm not responsible for the action every one of my people." Tharja retorted.
"This is a problem that can easily be solved by tightening the leeway of your boarder." Chrom chided.
"And let my people feel as though they're trapped. They have a right to go to other countries." Tharja said.
"That's funny considering you forbid any and all Ylissean traders from Plegia." Chrom said.
"Well that may be because we don't want anything you dirty Ylisseans have to offer nyahaha." Henry said.
"Watch your tongue degenerate or I'll remove it!" Frederick roared.
Soon enough the entire room took part in a shouting match. Robin couldn't believe it this wasn't a negotiation it was madness.
"Need to do something." Robin thought.
Robin proceeded to put two fingers in his mouth allowing him to do an ear splitting whistle getting everyone's attention.
"Everyone calm down this is supposed to be a civilized meeting." Robin said successfully calming the room.
"You're right Robin. Queen Tharja there must-" Emmeryn was going to continue but she noticed that Tharja wasn't even paying attention.
Instead Plegia's one and only queen was resting her head in her hands and was staring at Robin much to his discomfort.
"Queen Tharja?" Emmeryn asked.
"Your majesty?" Mustafa asked equally confused.
"QUEEN THARJA!" Chrom yelled annoyed at the royal's behavior.
That had gotten Tharja out of her trance and was now alert.
"What?" Tharja asked.
Suppressing a sigh Robin spoke.
"Queen Tharja I urge you to hear us out the tensions between yours and Ylisse's people are high and at this rate war is inevitable, and the thing about war is everyone assumes they want one until it begins then nobody wants it." Robin said and the room was meet with a tense silence.
"Your tactician can certainly forge words like silver." Tharja said.
Suddenly Tharja grew a large grin on her as an idea formed in her head.
"Exalt Emmeryn, Sir Robin's words have truly moved me I will form a tighter grip on our border, open trade between our countries, and I'll even put out bounties on all Plegians attacking your people." Tharja said leaving everyone speechless.
Emmeryn quickly grew a smile.
"Queen Tharja you generosity is most appr-"
"I do only ask one thing in return." Tharja interrupted.
"Of course so much shouldn't be asked for nothing, what is it you desire?" Emmeryn asked.
"What I want is simple." Tharja began.
"I want your tactician's hand in marriage."