"Women talk"
Even on warm evenings like this one, Robin enjoyed sitting by the campfire. There was something intriguing, magical almost, that fascinated her about it. The way the flames surrounded the logs, the colors that varied with the type of wood they consumed. For some reason, watching the burning wood and listening to the fire cracking helped her relax whenever she needed to think.
Incidentally, there was something on her mind at that moment. Now that they weren't readying for a fight and she could focus on something different. She looked up and followed a dark silhouette with her eyes. The tall, thin, and asymmetrically dressed man casually approached a group of soldiers to start a friendly conversation. She could hear the men tell their daily reports and exchange opinions, but also laugh at the silly jokes they made. As if they were very good friends. Definitely not like subordinates talking with their captain.
Ever since she met him, Chrom was a mysterious man to her. Not because she knew nothing of him then, nor because the only thing she remembered from her previous life was his name and her own. She'd been acquainted with him for several weeks now, and yet, she couldn't quite figure him out. He was a prince, yes, but she'd never seen him act as one. What kind of a prince exchanges a luxurious life in a castle for a life of a soldier, just to defend his homeland? Moreover, Chrom's friendly and trusty demeanor didn't suit a royal, especially one whose kingdom was at war with a neighboring nation. No wonder he was given a knight who was so suspicious in nature. Someone had to keep an eye on him.
"Hey, Robin! What's up?"
Robin jumped, startled, and nearly dropped her mug.
"Gods, Lissa! Don't startle me like that."
A huge smile on her face and no regrets at all, the princess of Ylisse sat down next to the woman. Her expectant look made it impossible for Robin to return to her previous activity.
"Did you want something?" the tactician asked after another moment of enduring her penetrating gaze.
"Sure I did. Just asked you what's up, didn't I?"
"Oh, sorry," stated Robin, taken aback that someone actually took interest in her life. "I thought you meant it, you know, as an expression…"
The woman noted Lissa's lack of comprehension.
"Never mind," she added. "Let me think."
Robin took a moment to consider her answer. People were usually suspicious of her or giving her space to put her life back together, so she didn't have a ready answer.
"I'm fine, I guess. As fine as I could be, at least. Everything's still new to me. But…" Robin glanced at Lissa to make sure she still listened before she added, "I am truly glad that I have a purpose. A goal in life, a job. Gods know I needed that."
"Does this mean you're happy with us?" asked Lissa, her brows furrowed.
Robin chuckled at the sight.
"Of course I am," she assured the princess, but then her face became serious. "I'm not sure if I mention it frequently enough, but I'm in your debt, your and Chrom's. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't found me and taken me in."
Apparently, her little comment came and went unnoticed, because Lissa was as cheerful as ever.
"Yaay, that is SO cool! I am so excited to finally have another girl to talk to. You have no idea how hard it is to find a normal person among the Shepherds. Usually, when there's a girl, she's head over heels for Chrom and treats me like I didn't exist."
The tactician's eyebrows went up at this unexpected revelation. She glanced into the distance where Chrom was talking to Sully and Sumia.
"Is your brother really that popular among women?"
"Don't even make me start on that. The Pegasus Knights are all over him whenever they turn up. Every single one of them! Honestly, I don't know what they even see in him."
To emphasize her feelings towards the riders, Lissa crossed her arms, making a face like an angry five-year-old. Robin couldn't help but admire how protective she was of her older brother. She wondered whether all the sibling behaved in a similar manner.
"You and your brother are royalty, Lissa. Depending on the admirer, this alone could be a huge turn-on. It doesn't hurt that Chrom is a single, handsome young man that−"
"Oh my, Robin! Why didn't you say so?"
Even without the interruption, the woman would be at a loss.
"Say what, exactly?"
The princess raised her hands and said, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world,
"That you fancy my brother, silly."
Robin just sat there, her mouth open. Lissa was so wrong she had no idea where to begin with correcting her.
Obviously, her silence was interpreted in a completely different way.
"Don't worry, I won't tell him. You're secret's safe with me!" said Lissa with a wink. "So, please tell me, do you think my big brother's sexy? Do you like his biceps best? Or is it his hair?"
Groaning inwardly, Robin hid her face in her hands, wishing to vanish under the ground. At first, she wanted to ask how exactly she was different from the other Chrom's admirers that Lissa evidently hated. Then, she remembered she wasn't nearly as eager to discuss her recently discovered − and very much platonic − fascination with one of her saviors.
"Let's change the subject, why won't we?" said the woman, visibly irritated. "How are things between you and Frederick?"
Having inserted the first name that came to her mind, Robin nearly chocked at the sight of Lissa's sudden embarrassment.
"Me and… Frederick? Why would you even ask me that?"
Robin smiled triumphantly. She couldn't believe she actually touched the nerve here, but she wasn't going to let it go so easily.
"Someone's avoiding the question."
Lissa rolled her eyes, snorting nervously.
"Good. We're good, yes. Definitely good. I mean, we've known each other for a long time, you know."
The tactician found her response even more interesting than her initial reaction. Apparently, Chrom's little sister had painfully realized that it's not so fun to be on the receiving part of a personal interrogation.
"So I've heard. So, does he know you like him?"
Robin expected further avoidance and denial, but was pleasantly disappointed. Lissa must have indeed missed another person to talk to.
"Mister Wary the Beary? Nah." Lissa waved her hand. "Although I was so obvious even my densehead of a brother must have figured it out at one time."
From the shade of pink of the little princess's face, Robin deduced there weren't many people she shared this piece of information with. Good to know in case the kid starts running around the camp and telling people that their tactician has the hots for the captain.
A new note of sadness in her otherwise sincere smile, Robin finished her drink in one gulp. She stood up.
"It was nice talking to you. I mean it. We should do it more often."
"You're leaving already?" whined Lissa, slightly disappointed.
"Yes, I still have some work to do. See you tomorrow."
Robin walked away from the fire, her head hurting. She'd had enough private conversations for one day.
As she left, she made a mental note to ask a few subtle questions to the Great Knight. If he'd ever trust her enough to open up, that was.