A hooded figure sat at a corner of a dusty bookstore. Her slender finger tracing a vertical line along the margin of a browning page. Her mouth muttered incoherent words before sighing exasperatedly. Her other hand scribbled furiously on the scroll spread in front of her. With a final stroke, she closed the book and gathered her things. Gold were dropped by the counter with little words before she stepped out into the street.

Robin, despite her heavy coat, shivered. Winter will soon come in the halidom of Ylisse, yet the harsh season burdens no one but her. Given the nature of its citizens, it was no surprise. Werewolves have their thick furs to warm them; Robin does not. Humanity has long been wiped out by a plague brought by an ancient god thousands of years ago. From their ashes, a new generation were born. Humans, but not exactly. Humans who have the ability to take the forms of beasts that roamed the earth – a gift blessed by a benevolent goddess as their way to defend themselves from the god of death. One was chosen among them, the one of the first True Alphas, and he sealed the malevolent god into a deep sleep for a thousand year. This True Alpha established a great kingdom and with the blessing of the Divine Goddess, became the first Exalt.

Then why? Why a human like Robin has existed? For almost two years that were spent since waking up on a field, she has always pondered on this question. Every book she could get her hands on were searched for answers. Every ruins within the halidom and passed by during campaigns were visited for clues. Nothing turned fruitful except for the same historical tale repeated over and over again. She, however, never considering giving up. Not when, something important was hanging on the balance.

She glanced on the ring adorning her ring finger. It was a wavy crisscrossing band of gold. The center molded into the shape of the Brand of the Exalt with the tear-shaped center inlayed with a single sapphire. It was a royal heirloom, inherited by the male heirs of the throne to give to their future queens. And Robin…she is one of them. One of the women blessed to be loved and chosen by an Exalt. The highest honor a woman could ever achieve in the halidom. Yet, she could not bring herself to unify with her love in front the altar anytime soon.

A human. A human as the wife of the Exalt, a True Alpha. The idea was simply appalling and was unsurprisingly met with dissents from the Royal Council. The people of Ylisse might have accepted her as the Royal Advisor and chief tactician to the army, but the issue of having a human – a creature that should have been gone long ago – was simply pushing it. Many are afraid that if their union were to happen, the royal bloodline will become tainted. Not only was that, Robin, with or without her memories, clearly born from Plegia. The war may have ended for almost a year now, but the scars left will still take long to heal, especially losing a beloved Exalt.

Robin took a shaky breath before drawing her things closer to her chest. Lady Emmeryn has been tender subject for the Shepherds for a year since her death. More so for the blood family she had left behind. Robin had only known the woman for half a year, not much but she has been kind to her. The Exalt treated her like family, like a sister Robin will never remember of having or not. She wondered if she would approve of her and her younger brother. Chrom claimed he has moved on from her death but Robin felt otherwise. He has not come into a closure and rather, used his newfound determination in rebuilding Ylisse as a façade. Robin felt responsible for her death, no matter how many times the others say otherwise. She could have thought of something, anything, to save a life that changed so many. Yet she has failed. Failed the worst. What good of a tactician are you? What kind of person are you to let the one who sheltered you die? Your life is nowhere significant as hers, yet you failed to save her. You are nothing but a murderer!

Robin halted, finally coming from thoughts dim from self-loathing. She has not realized that she had walked all the way to the royal palace. She licked her cracking lips and with reluctance in her step, crossed the humongous gates.

The courtyard was brimming with less activity than usual. She spotted a squad of potential soldiers engaged in a preliminary trial not far off and a few Shepherds patrolling around the perimeter. Many have assumed their wolf forms in favor for the chilly season. Some were just simply stubborn about getting sick. As if in cue, her nose itched and she sneezed. Robin sniffed, not amused by the coincidence. She hastened her pace, eager for the warmth that the castle has to offer.

The moment the doors closed behind her, a mass of blonde fur sprung into existence and tackled her to the ground. Robin groaned and sat up. She reached up and inspected the back of her head. After confirming she has not received any bump on the head, she glared at the wolf looming over her.

"Lissa!"

The Royal Beta wolf was petite, with fur the color of warm sunlight during spring. She is considerably smaller than male wolves but larger than other female wolves Robin has ever seen. Her eyes were stormy gray brushed with soft hues of earth brown. The wolf folded her ears backwards and made a soft, apologetic whine. Robin held her glare for a few seconds before sighing in defeat. She could not resist those eyes nor those ears for long. She reached her hand and scratched her from between the ears.

"Fine. You're forgiven." She ceded. "Just help me with my things."

Lissa made a happy yip. She jumped off her and picked up the scrolls between her teeth. Robin gathered the rest and headed upstairs with Lissa at tow toward a pair of oaken doors at the end of the eastern wing. She pushed the doors open and stepped into a study room. Her study room. Robin reminded herself. The place was given to her by Chrom just a week ago. It doubled as her office and private library. Rows of bookshelves were fitted at the sides filled with books bought and gifted to her. Huge maps were spread at the walls with pins of engraved symbols. At the middle was a single desk brimming with stacks of half-opened scrolls. The room was customized with a second level, accessible using a narrow set of stairs. A few more bookshelves lined the narrow walkways of the second level and a small table where her chessboard lay stood by the stained glass window. Robin carefully pushed the half-opened scrolls to side of her study desk and placed her things on the cleared space.

"Yeeesh. Chrom should buy you a bigger desk."

Robin turned to her companion who have reverted back to her human form. Lissa handed her the scrolls which she placed with the rest.

"The desk's fine." Robin said. "Just need a bit of tidying up. Besides, your brother has already plenty in his plate. I don't want to add more just because of a table."

"You're his fiancée, Robin!" Lissa exclaimed, holding out her hand at her. "You asking for something is not a bother."

Robin picked up a half-opened scroll and began rolling it closed. "I know, Lissa," She said, placing the now closed scroll down to the carpeted floor before picking up another from the desk. "But trivial things like that come last from the matters with the halidom."

Lissa puffed her cheeks. Her arms crossed over her chest. "You should let him spoil you at times, Robin. Once you're queen, things like that come rare. You should enjoy it while it last."

Robin stopped her work briefly before laughing weakly. "I guess I should…"

Lissa frowned, letting her arms dropped to the side. "Robin…are you-"

"Not now, Lissa." Robin answered wearily.

"Oh…okay…"

The deflation in Lissa's voice felt like daggers in her chest. She did not mean to shoot her down coldly but she is not yet prepared to answer such questions from her, or from anyone for that matter. She needs a bit more time – just enough to accomplish something she wanted to do for long.

Lissa fumbled with the hem of her skirt. "Well, you seemed to have a lot of work ahead of you." She looked at the back of the tactician. "I should probably go now. See you at dinner?"

"Yeah…"The answer was weak but Robin decided it's better than nothing.

There was a few seconds of hesitation before Lissa turned on her heel and walked out the room. Her footsteps bouncing of the walls and the door closed shut with a hollow click. Robin let her knees gave away beneath her. She rested her forehead on the edge of the desk, fighting off tears threatening to spill. On her hands was a map of the continent. A single red dot was marked on a certain location in a place she wished never to return to.