And I'm back with another exciting episode of Swords and Daggers! Ready to find out what that chef was so happy about? Well get ready to find out because it may (or may not) surprise you.
disclaimer: I own nothing.
Song suggestion: Still into you by Paramore
The next few day's march was eventful as ever. Robin had everyone moving at double pace in the attempt to get to Emmeryn back from the evil king. "All right slow to a full march!" Robin announced from the front of the Group as she held up her hand as signal to slow down as well. Chrom hurried to her side with confusion on his face.
"What's the matter why are we slowing down?" Chrom asked explaining his confusion.
"My-" Robin started only to have Chrom give her a look that seemed to say 'really, you're gonna call me that?' Robin paused for a second before trying again, "Chrom. I'm having the others slow because were nearing the edge of the clearing." Robin stated tactically before smirking. "Perhaps you shouldn't have slept through the tactical meeting this morning?" Robin suggested sarcastically causing Chrom to blush from embarrassment before looking away as he scratched his cheek.
"Right, I'll make a note of that." Chrom stated still somewhat embarrassed that he had indeed fallen asleep causing Robin to smile lightly.
"That and I know our soldiers are starting to tire from these long marches. I think everyone needs a break. At least a small one." Robin stated as she held up her hand to signal a cease march allowing for everyone to stop and catch their breath. Robin looked back at the tired band of soldiers that Chrom had gathered. "Tonight we rest! No practice, no chores besides setting up camp." Robin announced receiving a loud cheer of approval as the group immediately started to disband and set up the tented community from before. After hearing this announcement Fredrick road to Chrom and Robin's side.
"My lord, I have to admit I disapprove of a break so soon. We should be marching to retrieve Emmeryn." Fredrick stated honestly.
"Well of course you're not tired you're on a horse." Robin thought slightly annoyed with his constant contradiction to her orders.
"It's been five days since we set up proper camp. The Men need rest." Robin explained which caused Fredrick to scoff a bit.
"If you still feel up to marching can you check the path ahead and report back? Take Panne with you if she's up to it."Chrom offered to which Fredrick smiled until he mentioned Panne.
"Lady Panne sir? Are you sure that's wise?" Fredrick asked as his face paled a bit.
"She would have more stamina then the rest of us." Robin agreed with Chrom causing Fredrick to sigh knowing that he had been beat.
"Fine. I-I guess I'll ask her." Fredrick stated with a sense of dread.
"I can hear fine man spawn." Panne stated with a chuckle. "I am willing and able to assist." Panne stated with a nod to Chrom before changing into her rabbit form and heading out with Fredrick.
"That should keep him busy for a while" Chrom stated with a laugh to which Robin agreed with and laughed as well.
"I should help set up camp. I'll find you once it's done so we can discuss moving forward." Robin stated before walking off into the chaos that was the camp being built. Robin did her fair share of work and then some as she set up her tent then helped the chef with her two tents.
"Thanks for the help." The chef stated honestly as she wiped the sweat from her face.
"It's no problem at all." Robin replied before a light bulb went off. "Hey Cookie?" Robin asked to see if she had the Chef's attention who she had since nicknamed cookie.
"Oh boy. What do you want? Cupcakes?" The chef asked with a laugh causing Robin to laugh as well.
"Nah I'm not one for sweets." Robin said before getting back on track. "I was hoping that you could make something to boost the moral for dinner. Something besides bear meat?" Robin asked hopefully.
"If you bring it then I'll cook it." The Chef agreed causing Robin to smile.
"I'll be right back" Robin stated happily before running off to find Vaike and Stahl who she sent off to the local village to buy a cow for the company to eat for dinner. As Robin walked to her tent she noticed Lon'qu walking towards her with a very pissed off expression on his face.
"Oh snap." Robin thought as she quickly ducked into her tent and sat down at her desk so she could open a random book and pretend to be reading it. To Robin's surprise Lon'qu entered her tent which caused her to look up from her book. "Oh, Hello Lon'qu." Robin greeted with her usual smile even though she was scared out of her wits.
"Heavens you are an elusive woman. I've been trying to figure out where you were for the past few days." Lon'qu hissed quietly.
"Sorry I didn't realize." Robin replied honestly until she noticed a large bruise on his chin. "Ouch, where'd you get that bruise on your chin?" Robin asked just as honestly which just pissed off Lon'qu more. "Ah right, Figs. Sorry about that. Gracious that looks swollen." Robin stated with a wince, sure she meant to hit him with the fig but she didn't want it to hurt him that bad.
"Well I didn't think you'd continue to attack while I was sleeping." Lon'qu stated angrily while managing to keep his volume under control.
"But that was the only way I was ever gonna win the challenge." Robin replied slightly embarrassed by her own actions. Maybe she was wrong for trying to help him, or at least maybe she was going about it the wrong way. "Yeah, maybe the fruit thing was a bad idea." Robin admitted to herself as she realized that being a girl and attacking the poor guy in his sleep was most likely not going to help him trust women.
"Do you even understand how reckless that was?" Lon'qu scolded causing Robin to flinch a bit. "What if you had been seen? Imagine what the others would have thought!" Lon'qu continued his scolding showing how flustered he actually was as he started to lose control of his volume.
"Is that what you're upset about?" Robin asked with a soft smile. "That's actually kinda sweet that he's worried like that." Robin thought as she examined Lon'qu's ever stoic expression despite the emotion he had displayed earlier.
"Yes and I have every right to be upset."Lon'qu reminded her causing her to laugh a bit.
"It's ok, I know exactly when and where everyone sleeps. I made sure I wouldn't be spotted." Robin stated causing Lon'qu's shoulders to slump as he held his head.
"I honestly can't tell if you're a genius or a dimwit." Lon'qu announced as his irritation grew.
"Well, silly is cuter then clever, don't you agree?" Robin asked causing Lon'qu to stare at her in shock as he took a slight step back as if he just remembered that he was suppose to be afraid of her.
"I have no idea what you would mean by that." Lon'qu stated bluntly.
"What did I mean by that?" Robin mentally questioned herself before responding. "Um, Well. I think I was trying to be clever and just disproved my point." Robin admitted even though she didn't know what her point was in the first place causing Lon'qu to let out a light chuckle. Robin's ears perked up upon hearing the laugh causing her to smile. "Wait did you just laugh?" Robin asked excitedly.
"No." Lon'qu lied as he looked away only proving his guilt further.
"You did!" Robin contradicted happily. "I heard you say 'heh'" Robin stated while doing her best Lon'qu interpretation.
"Never." Lon'qu replied venomously as if Robin had just hit him with yet another fig. "You couldn't provoke so much as a chuckle from me." He added confidently causing a familiar gleam to sparkle in Robin's eyes.
"That sounds like another challenge to me Warrior." Robin stated deviously causing Lon'qu to flinch before quickly exiting the tent.
"How do I get myself into these messes?" Robin heard Lon'qu mumble as he left. Shortly after he left a happy Cookie walked in with a small piece of paper.
"Hey Robin can I talk to you?" The chef asked in mock innocence that Robin didn't catch.
"Yeah sure. What's wrong? Did you catch Gaius in your kitchen again? I swear I told him a hundred time." Robin stated as the cook took a seat on her cot.
"No no it's not that. If it was I'd be angry." The chef explained which caught Robin's attention.
"Ok, so… What's up?" Robin asked her curiosity at its peak.
"Well, you promise not to tell?" The Chef asked blushing, reminding Robin that she was indeed a female even if she was a brute of a woman.
"Sure. You can tell me anything Cookie." Robin reassured her which caused the cook to smile deviously on the inside.
"Well there's this really cute guy" Cookie started which caused Robin to smile.
"Oh, sounds like somebody's got it bad." Robin stated with a smirk.
"Oh and I'm not the only one here who does." The cook stated letting her thought become words causing Robin to stare at her concerned.
"How do you mean by that?" Robin asked wearily.
"Well surely you've seen Sumia and her pie baking for Chrom. The girl made 16 pies before she finally made one that she thought was good enough for him." Cookie covered her potential blunder which just caused Robin to laugh a little.
"I didn't know that. Well I guess it is the right season for a lady's heart to go a flutter." Robin replied with a gentle smile. "What can I do to help you?"
"Well my writing isn't very good. I was hoping that maybe." The cook started and trailed off like the master of deception that she was. Honestly it's a miracle she never caught Gaius.
"Did you need help writing a confession?" Robin offered with a gentle smile that almost made the cook feel guilty and yet so very not since she knew that Robin would cover for a thief.
"You wouldn't mind?" The cook asked curiously as she offered the small scrappy paper that she brought to Robin.
"Of course not. Just tell me what to write." Robin offered as she accepted the paper and looked it over. "You know I have some nicer paper that Chrom gave me. Would you want me to use that instead?"
"Would you be willing to do that?" The checky chef asked happy that her plan was going better then she could have ever planned.
"Of course! Anything to help out a friend hit by cupid's sting." Robin stated as she sat down with the new paper and dipped her quill. "What should I write?"
"Umm. Could you write, I'd like to talk to you in person. Can we meet in my tent tonight?" Cookie scripted causing Robin to turn to her with a smirk.
"Cookie so scandalous. He'll get in trouble if he's caught you know." Robin pointed out even though she was willing to be quiet about the fact.
"I know." Cookie replied. "It will be worth it." Cookie added with a determined fire.
"Well I wish you luck then." Robin stated as she offered the neatly scripted note to Cookie. And with that the mischievous cookie left with everything she could have hoped for. Robin got up from her desk and looked around her room. "What was I doing before all this?" Robin thought to herself as she tried to remember. "Ah yes. I wanted to take a bath before the tactical meeting today. It's been 5 days since I cleaned myself and it's definitely starting to show." Robin stated as she grabbed her towel, her fire tome and wind tome. That was one of the pluses of being an elemental magic user. Nice, warm, steamy hot baths for relaxing. "This is just what the cleric ordered." Robin thought happily as she increased the fire under the buckets of water that were placed around the shower room before dipping her rag into the nearest bucket to continue cleaning herself.
"Hey Robin?" Robin heard Chrom call. "Robin are you still around?" He continued to call as he walked past.
"Is it that late already?" Robin thought sadly. "Guess I should let him know I didn't forget the meeting." Robin added to her thought as his voice continued to get closer to the tent.
"Are you here? Hello! I have a question about our next move." Chrom called again causing Robin's shoulder to slum in a sulk as she realized she have to cut her relaxing time short.
"I'm here. Just wait outside a minute. I'll just be a moment." Robin called back as she noticed his shadow stopped outside of the tent. "Good he heard me" Robin started to think as she started to turn to put the Rage away when good old Chrom just bumbled on in.
"Coming. Huh? Why is it so steamy in your tent? were you practicing magic again?" Chrom asked as he tried to look around blinded by the steam. As soon as the fact that Chrom was in the tent with her registered, Robin screamed loud enough that Chrom would have thought a herd of Dragons had just died above them. Would have being the key words in this sentence.
I guess the scream was at a decimal that the poor prince couldn't hear because he just continued to walk around the tent until the cold air that he let in started to cause the steam to slowly disappear. "So anyways I was hoping to go over tomorrows march. You see I really think" Chrom started only to go slack jawed. "Is there any particular reason you aren't wearing anything?" Chrom asked dumbfound as his face started to go red.
"Maybe because I'm in the women's bathing tent!" Robin stated as she hurried to cover herself with her towel which caused Chrom's eyes to bulge. "Could you perhaps wait outside like I asked before?" Robin requested only to have Chrom bumbled and fumbled with his word for a bit rather than leave. Annoyed by this Robin picked up her wind tome and sent the poor prince flying out of the tent. Robin held her head in her hand as she put out the fires that made her somewhat protective steam. "I swear I've done something in a past life that has to have warranted all of this embarrassment." Robin thought as she got dressed. "At least today can't get much worse." Robin thought trying to console herself as she walked out of the tent to find Chrom waiting for her. The two walked silently and awkwardly back to her tent before she decided to ripe the prince a new one. "What sort of crazy mad man do you have to be to blunder straight into the women's bathing tent?" Robin asked rhetorically, and not to mention slightly ironically since she had made a similar mistake no to long ago.
"I'm sorry. Really I am. I misheard you. I had no intention of having wandering eyes, I swear it." Chrom announced causing Robin to glare at him more before her eyes softened as she held her head and sighed.
"Fine. I accept your apology. Now what was so important that it couldn't wait?" Robin asked only half heartedly accepting his apology. She did want to forgive him but she knew she was still mad about it. After spending half an hour working over the kinks of the march for the next day Chrom and Robin where satisfied with their work that was presented on the map. After a very awkward departure from the prince, Vaike and Stahl entered her tent next.
"We got the cow you asked for. Heck when the farm figured out we where the sheppards he gave us another too." Vaike stated excitedly. Robin drew a mark on her map noting the location that they had gotten the extra cow from.
"We'll have to repay their kindness once the war is done." Robin stated before standing up. "Are they outside?" Robin asked to which Stahl nodded his head, to busy thinking about all the yummy food that would come from the cows for the next few days to come. Robin walked outside to find the two fat happy cows that they had purchased when Robin had barely gave them enough for a young calf. Robin smiled gratefully before taking the lead on one of the cows. "Hey Vaike could you help with the other? I don't feel like being torn in two on my way to the kitchen." Robin stated.
"The Vaike is always ready and willing to help." Vaike replied and followed behind Robin.
"Right." Robin thought as she hurried to the kitchen to find Cookie happily cooking away. "It's great to see her so happy." Robin thought with a smile before clearing her throat alerting cookie that she was there.
"Goodness you sent my heart through the roof you startled me so." Cookie said as she turned around. "Are you ok I heard you had a bad run in with the prince? At least that's what the others are saying." Cookie asked causing Robin to blush as Vaike looked at Robin with interest.
"Oh really and what happened?" Vaike asked curiously as Robin made multiple signals for Cookie to not tell him.
"They say that he just waltzed in to the ladies sho-." Cookie started in a gossipy ton causing Robins face to turn red again before robin cut her off.
"We brought some cows for you. They should be good to eat." Robin stated as Vaike started to laugh.
"The prince was a peeping tom? I have to give him credit for bravery on that one. It looks like he's learned a few things from the Vaike." Vaike said proudly like a father who finally taught his son how to throw a baseball.
"I'd appreciate it if this story didn't continue to circulate so if you could be quiet about it." Robin requested with a sigh as she tied down the cows outside of Cookie's kitchen.
"I donno it is pretty funny." Vaike replied to which cookie nodded in agreement causing Robin to tense up. Robin stood after finishing the knot that she was working on then looked to Vaike, her glove starting to spark from Lightning that was gathering from the magic she was conjuring.
"I don't think I made myself clear. That story dies here. Ok?" Robin enunciated as she held up her hand full of electricity causing Vaike and cookie to nod quickly. "Good." Robin stated allowing for the electricity to disperse by knocking out one of the cows. "Here you go Cookie. Dead as a doornail. That should help you out yes?" Robin asked sweetly which just caused the blood to drain from cookies face.
"Yes I do prefer to would with dead animals then live ones." Cookie replied before Robin nodded and left.
"I wonder what she was baking, it smelled sweet." Robin thought as she went back to her tent smiling as though she forgot the incident already. "Whoever has got her attention sure is gonna be lucky." Robin thought as she went back to working hard as usual. That night the Sheppards had their usual fire and moon lit dinner which was definitely worth all the trouble Robin had been through that day. When Cookie brought out the well cooked servings of beef the others cheered happily despite the dread and pressure that they were all under. Robin could have sworn that she saw Fredrick holding back tears of happiness as he ate the dinner with the group for the first time in ages. "Why do we have to be fighting to be able to gather together and be happy like this?" Robin thought sadly. "At least we have it while we can." Robin reasoned before digging into her own food for a bit then heading back to her tent for the night seeing as the sun had set earlier then she thought it would.
Gaius smiled as an opening presented itself for him to follow Robin causing him to smirk as he thought back to earlier that same day.
"Phew I'm tired." Gaius announced to himself as he walking back to his tent. Gaius was about to flop onto his cot when bright red frosting caught his eye. "Hello there gorgeous. When did you come in to see me." Gaius thought as he picked up one of the two cupcakes on his bed exposing the folded piece of paper underneath it. Naturally Gaius ignored it in favor of stuffing the fluffy cake with airy whipped frosting in his mouth not realizing that some of the frosting got onto his nose. Once the second was devoured in a similar fashion, leaving bright blue frosting on his face instead, Gaius finally opened the note. "Oh really?" Gaius thought as he read the note with a smirk.
I'd like to talk to you in person. Can we meet in my tent tonight?
-Bubbles
"Gaius you sly dog. To those who say I'm no good with the ladies I laugh. Ha. Hahaha." Gaius thought as he put the note in his pocket.
Gaius smiled as his mind returned to the present and he walked past Robin's tent. "Can't go in the front, that's too obvious. I'll get caught." Gaius thought logically as he watched his comrades head to their tents as well. After waiting a good 30 minutes for everyone to be in their tents Gaius sneaked out of his tent, around to the forest so he could enter the tactician's tent from behind.
Robin had been studying the map of the area they were in for the past 30 minutes when she decided it was time to get a proper night's sleep. Robin has undress down to her small clothes before heading back to her desk to blow out her candle when she felt a draft from the back of her tent.
"Hey bubbles." Gaius greeted causing Robin to fly back and land on her rear from surprise as she let out a small scream.
"Gaius! What are you doing here! Get out!" Robin demanded as she hid as well as she could behind the small head board of her cot while reaching for her over sized coat that was still resting on her bed. At least then she'd be covered.
"What so you want to see me but I can't see you?" Gaius asked while he laughed lightly, amused by the fact that she had invited him to her tent in the first place but then was too shy to actually let him be there. Wait a second.
It was then that it donned on Gaius that he was the butt of some cruel prank of some sort and that he had not been invited at all. Sadly for him it was a little too late to run. Chrom now knew well what Robin's scream sounded like and hurried to her tent in a heartbeat. Chrom ran into the tent to find Gaius standing there while Robin was cowering in a corner trying to get to her clothes.
"Aw, Ginger snaps." Gaius thought as he realized how incriminating this looked.
"Have you no decency?" Chrom asked, angered that he had let Gaius join them as he lifted his cape to work as a blind so that Robin could grab her coat and quickly put it on, making sure to wrap herself in it.
"Robin, Robin are you ok I heard screaming." Cookie stated as she popped her head guiltily into the tent before walking over to Robin.
"Cookie, Hi." Robin greeted as she stood up from the ground holding her coat shut. "Everything's fine." Robin lied blatantly considering Chrom looked ready slice Gaius in two.
"Look it's not what it seems like Blue. I'm being framed I swear it." Gaius stated which peaked Robin's interest and caused the color to drain from cookie's face as she realized a fatal flaw in her plan. Robin trusted Gaius, at least enough to hear him out. Cookie slowly started to back towards the exit of the tent.
"Sure you are." Chrom mused in disbelief only to have Robin put her hand on his shoulder causing Chrom to look to her.
"Let's hear him out." Robin suggested diplomatically "If he's lying then we know we can't trust him and we kick him out." Robin finished stating her reasoning to which Chrom nodded in agreement.
"Ok, Gaius why did you come here?" Chrom asked.
"I got a note from bubbles here asking me to stop by her tent cause she said we needed to talk."Gaius stated simply causing Chrom to glare at him again and a light bulb to go off over Robins head as she turned to face the chef that was just about to leave the tent.
"That sounds awfully familiar." Robin thought suspiciously. "Can I see the note?" Robin asked to which Gaius obliged and gave it to Robin for her and Chrom to examine and sure enough Cookie had added bubbles to the end of the note that Robin had wrote for her in a visibly different hand writing.
"Cookie!" Robin hissed as she turned to face the retreating chef.
"Please don't zap me." Cookie whimpered as she coward by the tent door.
"Why does Gaius have the note you asked me to write for your lover?" Robin asked her eyes turning dangerously sharp as she walked over to Cookie.
"Lover?!" Chrom asked concerned. "Wait so you actually wrote this Robin?"
"Yeah, cause Cookie asked me too. I didn't think she'd go and use it like this." Robin replied as she held her forehead in her hand. "Dang it all cookie I know you think he's taking your treats but he's not; so leave the poor guy alone. He just has a sweet tooth." Robin added which surprised Gaius that she'd blatantly lie like that to cover for him.
"Is that what this is all about cookie?" Chrom asked in disbelief only to have cookie run out of the tent in tears causing Chrom to sigh. "I think. We need a new Chef."
"No. I think she learned her lesson." Robin replied honestly before sitting down on her cot. "If not I'll just give a little holler." Robin added with a light laugh. "Heavens this is embarrassing." Robin thought as she allowed a small blush to creep on her face as she crossed her legs.
"If you're sure. I guess giving her a second chance is still in the cards." Chrom agreed slightly begrudgingly to which Robin nodded while Gaius scratched the back of his head not sure of what to say.
"Um. I am kinda tired. If you guys want to continue this conversation can we do that in the morning?" Robin asked hoping to remind the two that she was previously getting ready for bed.
"Right. I'll um. I'll see you later I mean. um. Bye." Crom stated his fair well still flustered from earlier.
"Whats got his silk small clothes in a wad." Gaius asked with a chuckle to which Robin just raised her eyebrow.
"Right. Tired. Good night." Gaius stated before turning to leave the way that he came only to pause in the doorway. "Hey Bubbles?" Gaius started again only to get a 'hm' in response from the groggy tactician. "Thanks for covering for me like that. About not stealing cookie's sweets." Gaius clarified. "Looks like I owe you twice now." Gaius added before scurrying off, missing the fact that Robin groaned in annoyance from what he told her.
So no super cliff hanger you can thank me or curse me what ever your preference. next up the death of Emmeryn. dunDun DUUUUUN!