Chapter 4 : Reward and surprise
Hi folks. Another one here (yes, I have a bunch of free time for now u_u) !
Thanks for the support and the reviews / advices !
Simmedon : Note that we only have Robin's opinion on his bonds with the Shepherd for now, so he could be biased and think very little of something that would mean the world to someone else. Fortunately there's three former Shepherds in Fates to see if he was right or not ^_^ As for Robin's character, it's what I try to go with, so I hope I manage to keep him that way :p
Grimaxnaga & Vanderspiegel : Yes, I read a little bit and popular opinion on the net would have Grima either wipe the floor with a crying Anankos or them being roughly equal. ^_^ And yes, Robin in this story received A LOT of power, and could probably rekt the majority of the cast. We'll see ;)
As for Elise's age, I actualy went with what the game tell us in an Elise!Azura support where Azura claim that Elise was born only after she was abducted. And in a support with Arthur, we learn that she was kidnapped "more than a decade ago" which I personnaly take to mean something like 12. And frankly, in the japanese version, she was stated to be 10 years old so I find myself generous xD
Azura, her mother and her sister all joined Ryoma in the infirmary of the arena just a bit after he regained consciousness. Sakura immediately ran up to him to check his state, elliciting little laugh from the crown prince and the queen before the latter inquired about the former.
"How are you feeling, Ryoma ?" The concern in her voice was evident.
The swordmaster raised both arms in the air. "Nothing except for my pride has been injured. I just lost consciousness for some minutes." He then put one of his hands on the top of the head of the pink haired girl fussing over him. "Which is why you can stop looking so worried, Sakura."
The younger girl immediately started fidgetting while staring at the ground, her face bright red. The crown prince then turned his atention toward his mother and other little sister, his face now devoid of any emotion.
"I didn't know someone this powerful was hiding somewhere in Hoshido. Who is he ?"
"I do not know", the queen started answering before hesitating a bit and ending her sentence in a lower tone. "But his features..."
The prince narrowed his eyes at that, looking at the longing expression plastered on the monarch's face. "I know what you are trying to say, Mother, but I highly doubt they are related in any way. For one, he is a man."
The hoshidan ruler simply whispered a tiny "Yes, I know..." before shaking her head and regaining her natural smile. "We still have to meet with him anyway for his reward, we could always just ask." She giggled a little.
Ryoma scowled a little a the thought. "The reward still stands ? Are you sure ?" He crossed his arms, taking his usual I am thinking pose before pursuing. "He is a stranger."
The queen smiled brighter than before. "A powerful stranger. Wasn't that the whole point of your participation in this tournament ? To find someone powerful ? I don't remember ever having stated that he needed to be hoshidan. It would probably work out better that way anyway."
That answer ellicited a sigh from the crown prince. "Very well. But let's at least talk to him first. Ensure he is worthy. Alright ?"
Mikoto laughed again. "Of course, dear. Do not worry." She went to Sakura to take her hand before turning to leave. "Come on children, let's go." Ryoma followed after another sigh.
Azura was the last to leave. She stayed silent during the whole discussion, not comprehending what they talked about for the most part. As far as she knew, the reward was just an audience, was there more ? It seemed so. And what about the face of the stranger ? It certainly was strange that both Ryoma and her mother seemed to recognize it.
After a long sigh, she hastily went chasing after her family.
Robin was led to a rather fancy room after his victory over the way too red prince. They took his sword and he was told to wait, so he decided to plunge into one of the sofas in the center of the room and pick up his translation.
Unfortunately, he was not able to concentrate and he found himself pondering over what his plans where now.
Frankly, he didn't have much to work with. All Naga told him was that her "acquaintance" asked her for someone to protect their child and her heritage. Said child being in the hoshidan royal family, and the child's heritage was somewhere in hoshido too. He saw an image of the girl thanks to Naga, so he more or less knew what he was looking for. And even should that fail him, he just had to spot their draconic scent, since even if the crafty goddess didn't want to say it, her friend was obviously another dragon. The child would be too, at least half of her. Their aura would be on another level entirely from the rest of the family.
No, he had that part covered. The real problem was getting the trust of the queen and be allowed to do his job. Somehow he doubted that saying "Hi, I'm a dragon-god of destruction and apocalypse, let me hang out with your daughter, it's for her sake, thanks !" would do the trick.
Then again, just seeing their faces if I do it would probably be priceless.
His little laugh was interrupted by a knock, then the opening of the sliding door barring entrance of the room. He hastily got on his feets, book still open in his hands, and looked at the door, seeing a woman in armor with a cross shaped scar on her face and a lance in her hand leading four other people in the room, including his opponent for the last round.
Each of the people possessed a rather potent draconing aura, as expected of the royal family, but the girl at the far back was by far the one with the largest and purest scent.
Probably her. It was even easier. Good job again, me.
He chuckled to himself until he could see her better, when his eyes slightly widened before he collected himself and put back his practiced "tactician' smile".
Not even close. Nobody changes that much in just a few years, right ? That's not the Kamui brat, right ? Who's that ?
Upon entering the room, Azura could have sworn the stranger had been staring at her for whatever reason, but when she looked at him all she saw was a composed and assured smile. And piercing eyes.
The ears are c-
She didn't even finish her thought that she was already blushing and averting her gaze, finding the ground to be suddenly very interresting. Fortunately it seemed nobody took notice of her state as her mother chose to proceed with the introductions.
"Good evening, stranger." She inclined her head with a smile, her eyes never leaving the man's face. "Allow me to be the first to do the introductions."It wasn't really proper for the queen to do this, but this was her mother, who didn't like all the formalities. "I am Mikoto, I currently serve Hoshido by being its ruler, and those are my children. You already met Ryoma, and the girls are Sakura and Azura."
They each bowed when the queen motioned toward them, Ryoma's greeting being much like the queen's when the girls were much more formal. The man then closed his book -if Azura read correctly, it was a rather complex book on history written in kanji- and put it inside his coat.
He then took a step back and bowed low, a by the book hoshidan greeting. "And I am Robin, it is an honor to be able to make your acquaintance." Azura was rather surprised by his countenance, it was as if he was familiar with the situation.
The queen too seemed to take note of that fact as she giggled a little. "Let us sit down before talking any further, shall we ?" She then moved to sit in the middle of the big sofa opposite to the one the stranger apparrently took for himself before they arrived.
Sakura and Azura respectively sat on the right and left of the hoshidan ruler while Ryoma, like always, chose to stand behind the queen, acting more like her bodyguard than her actual bodyguard who still stood by the door.
"As you say, your highness." The stranger, as Azura assumed, took his place in the center of the other sofa, sitting rather boldly, crossing his arms and his legs, again with his assured smile.
That is not a proper way to sit.
Azura thought as she checked on the expressions of her family. The queen was, as always, smiling. Sakura was, as always, nervous and cute. And Ryoma was, as always when in official business, expresionless. She sighed and sat properly just before the queen talked to her bodyguard.
"Reina, could you fetch us something to drink, please ?", the woman talked to just bowed and exited the room. The queen then returned her attention to the still unreadable young man in front of her. "I hope you like tea ?"
"Of course, your highness." He answered, his smile deepening a little. "But in the mean time, if I could risk an inquiry..." he trailed of, eyeing the queen and her entourage.
With the way he did not seem to pay any attention to her now, Azura was more and more unsure of the fact that he was staring at her before. Oblivious to her small turmoil, the queen acquiesced strongly.
"But of course. I have some of my own too, after all."
The dark clothed stanger just nodded. "Then I will be the first to start." He laughed a little, visibly at ease and his expression almost unchanging. "I am curious as to the aim of this audience. Obviously the reward for beating the prince isn't an audience, right ?" Surely his serene smile didn't subtly change into a smirk. That was obviously Azura's poor social skills misunderstanding.
As was, surely, the queen's discreet laugh while Azura -and no doubt Sakura- was frozen because of the dangerous aura Ryoma was emiting at the little quip.
"Evidently, that is not all. But before we come to that, I would very much like to know more about this year's champion.", the queen broke the heavy atmosphere like it was nothing. "Would you mind telling me where you come from, maybe ? And where you learned how to fight like that ?"
The end of the questions was accompanied by the return of Reina, with a plate. She silently placed it on top of the small table in between the two sofas and served four cups she ten passed to everyone but Ryoma, whom she avoided to look at due to his leeking aura. She then took her place by the door again.
The man accepted his cup with a "Thank you" before looking at the queen and, Azura thought, organising his answer. "I could tell you names of places, but I doubt they would mean anything to any of you, so I will just say that I come from very far away. So far, in fact, that this country seems like another world." He chuckled a little. "As for where I learned, I'd say mainly on the battlefield. But I am more of a mage than swordman, so my technique, as I'm sure your son could tell you, is more crude and self taught than anything else."
Azura was content to stay silent during the conversation, even if she was surprised to learn that the guy that beat her brother in a swordfight consired himself a mage. She glanced at the queen who seemed to ponder on something.
"You could always try a few names ? You never know."
The stranger sighed, took a sip of his cup before placing it on the table and standing up. "I have better than names, if you really want to know." He turned his back to the group of royals. "The symbol of my coat is the emblem of my homeland, Plegia. Does it say anything to you ?"
A smile returned on the queen's lips, as if she confirmed something. "Alas no." The stranger took his seat back, crossing his legs again and drinking his tea. "Then again, for someone so young looking to be so good with a sword is rather surprising. How old are you ?"
Why is that of any importance ?
The tactician made a show of drinking his tea while he analysed the queen in front of him. Since she entered the room, never once her eyes left him. And the look she had in her eyes told him that she was seeking something from him, analysing him.
Is it because of this mysterious "reward", or something else ?
Lying wasn't hard for Robin, that was practically his job. But making things up all the time wasn't healthy. He managed to stay mostly truthful about his origins, but he couldn't do it forever. His age was somewhat of a problem, too, because even if with his memories back he knew his age precisely, he didn't know how much time he spent in Boring Land. And on top of that, he didn't look his age anymore. Like, at all. He wanted to sigh.
"Nineteen, your highness." He decided to go with a little less then his age when Chrom found him. He looked like he was in his late teens anyway. "Not much younger than your son, I would think."
The queen then, again, ever so slithly narrowed her eyes. She made that look each time he answered her. Robin didn't know if it was because she by some otherwordly method saw through him or otherwise, but he was beginning to loose confidence in himself.
Seemingly oblivious to his problems, the queen rapidly smiled again, even if she seemed a little sad. "How young... And you say you knew wars already ?"
Am I growing paranoid ?
Her concern seemed genuine enough this time, and the suspicious look in her eyes abbated a bit.
Let's indulge her there. And force the conversation onward with a little uneasyness.
"Quite a few time, actually. It was that kind of age, with wars one after the other." He chose to say cooly, his expression neutral. "I'm sure it's not that rare. Then again, it seems rather calm in that aspect here. At least no major conflicts."
"If only things were this simple..." The queen looked a bit bitter before she sighed and finished her cup of tea, replacing it on the table. "But you indulged my curiosity long enough. Let us speak of the reward for the championship."
"Oh ?", the plegian too finished his drink and placed it on the table. He noted that the two silent girls -including the blue haired, probably dragon one who always stared at him- imitated him shortly. "I am rather curious, yes. What could it be ?"
"It was supposed to be a position as retainer to the royal family" she began to explain. "But I wonder if that would interest you, given that you are not from here and posibly do not wish to stay ?"
"That would depend on the duty, I'd say." Robin answered calmy, trying his best to not let slip his inner laugh of victory. "But would you give such a post to a stranger ?"
"There would be a test period, of course." The answer was one he expected. "And your duties would be something of a bodyguard and maybe a little councelling. And as I imagine you do not have a residence here, you would lodge at the royal castle. That would give us plenty of time to talk more in details about yourself."
What the hell, are all monarchs exactly like Chrom after all ?!
He pointedly ignored the ominous comment about further questionning to not ruin his victory. And he did his best not to let his thoughts break his serene and smiling expression.
She never heard of that. Azura was quite sure that this was not how retainers were chosen. She would know, she was supposed to nominate some since two years ago but never bothered. Why doing that through a tournament ? Why did Ryoma have to test them ?
Why even accept a guy like him ?!
"And who would be my charge ? Surely the queen herself does not need to headhunt a stranger for her own safety." The stranger was way too composed for Azura's taste. She would like to have at least a little support in her flustered state other than her ever nervous sister, no matter how cute she was.
Her mother was, of course, mercilessly oblivious. "Of course not." And, being the merciless mother she was, dropped another bomb on her near breaking daughter. "You would be Azura's retainer, since she couldn't bring herself to choose."
The blue haired princess froze. It took her an insane amount of willpower just to crisply turn her head and confirm that her mother was still smiling and did, in fact, say what she thought she said.
WHY DID I NEVER HEAR ABOUT THAT ?!
Surely she would have shouted instead of just thinking it if she wasn't utterly stunned.
I always thought that Azura not having any retainer was kind of pitiful, so I decided to have Robin be one. What do you think ?
There you have it. Hope you liked it ! o