Have I mentioned I love writing Gaius into the stories? His sense of humour is just fabulous XD

/Zen

Chrom watched as the Shepherds broke to make camp. It looked like utter chaos, but everyone had a job. Fires sprang to life and the three wagons lined up to form a wind break. Clouds were on the horizon and he only hoped it wouldn't rain on them tonight.

"What you doin' just standin' here Blue?"

He glanced over at Gaius. The redheaded thief had a long roll of canvas propped up over one shoulder and a stick of peppermint hanging out of his mouth.

"Waiting for you to set up the tents, apparently," the prince laughed. "Need a hand?"

"What, you're willin' to dirty your soft hands?" the other man joked. With a smirk he jerked his head behind him. "Grab the poles will you?"

The two of them set to work setting up a handful of tents. He found it was easy to work with Gaius. An unlikely friend, but one he was glad to have. Will he stick around once we're back in Ylisse?

"You sure do spend a lot of time spacin'."

"Hm?"

"See, that's what I mean," Gaius drawled, blowing some of his hair out of his green eyes and leaning on one of the poles. "How you figure you're gonna rule Ylisse when you can't even keep focus long enough to build a tent?"

"Well if I have you around," Chrom retorted as he yanked the canvas over the framed they'd created, "I shouldn't have to worry. You nag well enough to be my mother."

"Or your wife," a feminine voice said from behind them.

Chrom stood up quickly and whacked his head on one of the lower poles. Turning and rubbing what would surely become a goose egg, he saw Cordelia standing there with her hands on her hips. She wasn't even looking at them. Her sharp eyes were analyzing the tent they'd just finished.

"Well if it ain't the perfectionist herself," Gaius said, bowing out of her way.

"Watch your silver tongue or I'll take my sheers to that mop on your head," she teased, giving him a smirk. Then she gestured to the tent. "Is this really how you guys make a tent?"

"Why," Chrom asked, "what's wrong with it?" He followed her gaze. Sure it was a little lopsided but...

She strode forward. With sure hands she found the leather straps connecting the thick poles, tightening and straightening. She gave the canvas a sharp tug on one end then the other.

"Well I'll be damned..." Gaius muttered. Chrom agreed. With a few deft movements she'd turned their passable tent into something great enough for a tournament.

"Well, we'll just leave it to you then, shall we?" He meant the comment in jest , but the look she gave him made the laughter freeze in his throat. What had gotten into the woman? Ever since their battle with Gangrel when she'd fought so valiantly at his side, she'd grown a sharp side that seemed to cut him every time he turned around.

"Practice makes perfect," she told him. "Did you still want me to check your mare's hooves?"

"Oh, yes. Yes, can we get to that after..." He gestured to the rest of the canvas on the ground. They were only going to be putting up two more tents. Some of the Shepherds would be sleeping out in the open air. He glanced over his shoulder at the horizon, glad to see the clouds in the distance seemed to be heading around them.

"I suppose I ought to help you then," she said, although it looked like she really didn't want to.

"If you want 'em all to look like that one there, then you better," Gaius agreed.

They set to work, raising the poles and tying them together. Chrom found his gaze straying to the red haired woman often. Her sharp eyes were always focused on the job at hand, and her hands never hesitated. She knew exactly what she was doing and how she wanted it done. Why had he never noticed that before?

Probably because she'd rarely been able to speak in complete sentences around him previously. She'd blushed deep enough to match her hair a lot of the time before. What had changed? Not that I want her to be blushing around me or anything, he thought as he turned his gaze back to the pole he was stuffing into the ground.

"Well, that's that ain't it?" Gaius announced as they stepped back from the last one. "I'm gonna see what Stahl's cookin' up. You guys have fun with your horse-shoe-pickin' and whatnot."

Chrom raised an eyebrow as the thief departed. Right before he'd turned, the redhead had given him a knowing wink. What was that about?

Shaking his head, he followed Cordelia over to the rough paddock Frederick had set up. She reached up, tying her hair back into a knot to keep it out of her eyes. From a pouch at her side she pulled a pick. Gently, she moved up next to his mare and patter her neck. She whispered something he couldn't hear. She really did have a way with animals, much like Sumia.

"I was right," she said after she'd lifted the mare's foreleg and dug into the hoof. "Look here."

He stepped up behind her, leaning over her shoulder. Her hair tickled his neck. "Oh."

"Yes, oh." She turned, her nose almost brushing his as she looked at him. He jerked back a little, flushing. He hadn't meant to lean so close.

"Lucky for you," she continued unphased, turning away from him and focusing on the hoof pressed against her thighs, "I have a salve that should help. Can you tear this linen into a strip the length of your forearm? We'll need to wrap the whole hoof for the night so she doesn't wipe it all off into the grass."

He took the fabric, tearing it as directed while she dug a vial from the same pouch she'd pulled her pick from. The woman was always prepared. How did she do it?

The mare snorted softly and he reached over, patting her nose. Sorry girl, he thought.

Cordelia took the fabric from him and wrapped it around the hoof, securing it with a leather thong. She looked at each of the other hooves until she was satisfied they were healthy and clean. Standing, she brushed off her leather breeches and pressed her hands into the small of her back in a stretch.

"Thank you," Chrom told her. "You really do have a wide range of skills, Cordelia. And they are appreciated."

She gave him a smile then, a genuine one that kind of stunned him. With wisps of her red hair straying about her face and the fading light bringing softness to the angle of her jaw, she nearly took his breath away. "Thank you Chrom, that is... so nice to hear. Especially from you." A faint blush stained her cheeks and she cleared her throat, the smile fading as she glanced away from him. "I've a few other things to do before night settles, if you don't mind...?"

"Oh, um... not at all," he managed. Forcing a cough he fiddled with his sword buckle and tried to get a grip on himself. "Don't let me keep you."

She walked away from him quickly and he watched her go, more than a little puzzled. His mare nuzzled his hand and he patted her nose gently.

"You want an apple," he told the horse, "don't think I don't know what you're after, you little minx. Just because a pretty lady pays you a little attention, you think you're going to get snacks?"