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Robin made his way down the spiral staircase of the fortress. About halfway down, a door led out to a medical ward. He peeked his head inside and saw a female cleric there, treating some soldiers who were injured, possibly the scouts Christina mentioned.
"Um, excuse me, ma'am?" Robin spoke up. "I was hoping to inquire about my friend Stahl's condition. He was brought in here earlier, arrow to the shoulder."
"I'm sorry, young man." She responded. "No one was brought in yesterday."
"What?" Robin asked. "We came back late afternoon after being ambushed. He took an arrow straight to the shoulder. The guards brought him here for treatment."
"The only people who have been here are the scouts who were victimized." She said. "They've been here for three days. Some were able to leave early, but no one's come in since then."
"But... how..." Robin stuttered and then he thought to himself, then left to get himself some answers.
Robin made his way to the central room of the fortress, where General Otto was talking to his subordinates about battle tactics.
"-inside, close the gates. Then they'll be sitting ducks." General said before noticing Robin. "Ah,Robin! Come, we could use your advice here."
"I'm afraid I don't have the time." Robin said. "You remember my friend Stahl was injured the other day? I talked with your cleric and she claims to have never seen him."
"'She hasn't seen him'?" Otto asked. "You mean she hasn't treated him yet?"
"No, I mean Stahl was not taken to the medical ward." Robin stated. "She did not see him at all."
General Otto scratched the back of his head and started to think. Then he turned to his men.
"You men! Search the fortress!" Otto ordered. "He must still be in here, he couldn't have gotten far!"
The guards saluted and left to search.
"Your men personally escorted him to the medical ward." Robin further stated. "How can it be possible he did not reach it?"
Otto throws his hand up. "I cannot say. This whole situation has gone straight to Hell. I wouldn't be surprised there was some sort of conspiracy going on behind my back."
"A conspiracy?" Robin asked.
Otto looked around and motioned Robin to lean closer so he could whisper.
"It's no secret that I'm getting older." Otto whispered to Robin. "It wouldn't be the worst thing for some people if I should fail here. Some young upstart general might want to reclaim a fabled city and make a name for himself and this is probably the best garrison posting in the entire kingdom. Then the lucky general would lead a life of leisure here without any hard work."
"You seriously suspect that someone would try to undermine you like this?" Robin asked.
"We've had reports of a mysterious figure in the city after all of the civilians have been evacuated." Otto told him. "If we succeed, I wouldn't be surprised if there were an assassin's dagger in my throat."
"Well, sir, I'll make sure to keep an eye out for any 'daggers'." Robin said.
Otto laughed. "Bows and arrows would be pretty bad, too." Otto joked. "But in all seriousness, as long as my men survive this battle, I don't care if I die this night."
Robin nodded as he stepped away from the general. "Well, I have to go friend. By your leave, General."
Robin then walks away and as soon as he leaves the room, the General snickers.
"Hehe, best of luck to you, boy."
Tharja peeked her head around the corner of the hallway, making sure the coast was clear.
"Alright, come on!" Tharja said. She dragged Kellam across the hallway and stopped near Christina's room.
"Why are we doing this?" Kellam asked.
"I have a bad feeling about that woman." Tharja explained. "I'm gonna find out what she's really up to."
"Aren't you just a little upset because she might have a crush on Robin?" Kellam questioned.
Tharja grabbed Kellam's ear, twisted it and forced him to his knees.
"Shut your trap!" Tharja told him. "Now stand watch and warn me if anyone's coming, all right, Invisible Man?"
"Right, got it." Kellam responded in pain.
Tharja let go of Kellam's ear and quietly entered Christina's room. She looked around and saw how nice and clean the room was. Good, that meant it was organized. She started with a row of books that Christina had laid across her work desk. She checked the books for any dark magic trademarks, flipped through the pages for secret notes and bent the covers to check for hidden pages. Nothing. Tharja put the books back and made sure it was placed perfectly.
"Nothing there..." Tharja muttered.
She then looked toward Christina's bed, flipped off the covers, threw the pillows aside and even flipped the mattress for something. Nothing.
"Damn it..." Tharja murmured, putting the bed back together perfectly.
Tharja then opened the closet and revealed a series of bright, colorful sundresses women would often wear to feel pretty.
"Disgusting..." Tharja muttered.
"Uh-uh, hey, Christina!" Kellam said from the other side of the door.
"AH! GEEZ! How do you do that? !" Christina asked.
Tharja heard their conversation and Kellam was stalling her from entering the room. Tharja looked around for a place to hide, but she jumped into the closet and hid behind the dresses. She then closed the closet doors, but left it a slit open so she could see what was going on.
"Just a minute, I need to get something out of my room." Christina said as she entered her room.
She closed the door behind her so Kellam couldn't see what she was doing, but Tharja could see from the closet. Christina lightly stepped across the floor of her room, putting pressure on each individual board until she stepped on one that made a light creak. Christina went down to her knees, pulled the board and revealed a safe that was buried into the ground. Christina pulled out a key, unlocked it and opened it. Tharja looked on as she saw Christina pull a single book out of the safe. However, Tharja couldn't see what was exactly on the book. Christina hid the book underneath her jacket, got up and left the room.
"All right, Kellam, show me what you wanted to-" Christina said. "Oh damn, where did he go?"
"I'm right here." Kellam pointed out.
Sully had heard Stahl had gone missing and searched the majority of the fortress for him.
"Ah, damn it, Stahl!" Sully said. "Where did that scatterbrain get to? Chrom could be here any minute."
Sully walked down a flight of stairs to a door titled 'Dungeon'.
"Well, couldn't hurt." Sully said. "Maybe that dunderhead accidentally locked himself in a cell."
Sully opened the door to see two guards standing watch over the area.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, you can't be here. You have to go." The guard told her.
"Well, relax, I'm looking for my friend." Sully told him. "He got himself lost and-"
"SULLY!" Someone yelled.
Sully looked over to see Stahl in one of the prison cells, grabbing onto the iron bars.
"There you are, you meathead!" Sully exclaimed. "I knew you got yourself locked in one of those! Come on, let's-"
"It's a trap!" Stahl shouted.
Before Sully could react, two swords were at her neck, front and back, held by each of the guards.
"Don't move or we'll cut your head off." The guard said.
'Ah, well damn!" Sully groaned.
Outside the city, Chrom and the Shepherds began their approach. The city's walls were just in sight.
"Wow! Those walls are HUGE!" Lissa yelled. "The walls at Ylisstol are nothing like this!"
"Ugh, what an eyesore." Maribelle spoke up.
"They're not for decoration, Maribelle." Frederick pointed out. "They're for defense. But from what I've seen, they've proven useless against the Risen."
"Well, we better get within those walls as soon as possible." Chrom said.
Robin couldn't find Stahl anywhere. When he heard that the Shepherds had arrived, he went to the east gate to greet them. First sight, General Otto was there greet Chrom.
"The exalted prince himself makes a grand entrance!" Otto spoke. "I cannot thank you enough for coming to us now! You will be a great help to this city!"
"We'll do what we can." Chrom said.
"Luckily, we did not encounter any Risen on our way here." Frederick said. "It seems we just missed them."
"That's good." Otto said. "Don't want any casualties before battle."
Robin then made his presence known to the group.
"I've given enough thought to our battle plan to make sure we don't have any casualties at all." Robin spoke up.
"Wonderful!" Otto responded. "Robin, you go over the battle plan with your fellow comrades. I'm going to go into the city and rally my outer guard to return to the keep."
General Otto then got on his horse and rode across the drawbridge, into the city to alert the guard.
"Robin, where are the others who came with you?" Chrom asked.
"Searching for Stahl." Robin answered. "We think he got himself lost."
"Oh, for Naga's sake!" Maribelle exclaims. "That man will be the death of me!"
"Well, at least I can tell you what we're going to be doing." Robin said.
Robin explained the plan to them, leaving the gates open and having the Risen enter the narrow passageway and having the Shepherds bottleneck them so the archers can do most of the work. Robin had divided the Shepherds to defend the gates as such:
At Gate 1, it will be Chrom, Frederick and Kellam with Tharja and Lissa for support.
At Gate 2, Robin, Sully and Lon'qu will be positioned with Virion and Maribelle for support.
At Gate 3, it will be Vaike, Gregor and Stahl with Ricken for support.
"Well thought out." Chrom complimented. "Good job."
"I can't take all the credit this time." Robin said. "Most of the groundwork was laid out by Christina."
"Christina?" Gregor asked. "Christina of Sillfi? Gregor hear of name before."
"You have?" Robin asked.
"Aye, Gregor has." Gregor said. "Adopted Daughter of Old General. Left at Orphanage by Plegian mother. Or so rumor goes."
"Rumors don't matter now." Robin stated. "We need to focus on the battle."
"Robin." Fredrick interrupted. "If she is Plegian she could be a spy."
"She is not a spy!" Robin quickly defended. "And the problems with Plegia died with Gangrel."
"Robin it's not like you to dismiss such a claim." Chrom spoke up. "Gregor, can you prove it?"
"Gregor can't prove nothing." Gregor said. "Gregor hears hundreds of rumor before. Can't prove any of them."
"Then Gregor should keep rumors to Gregors-Self!" Robin snapped.
"Hey Robin Relax!" Vaike said. "That old just saying what he's thinking. You know that."
"Yeah, well...yeah." Robin said calming down. "Sorry Gregor."
"Eh, No being problem." Gregor said. "Gregor got feeling Robin sweet on girl Yah?"
"I-what?" Robin asked. "I'm going to ignore that-for now-Christina suggested a small drill to prepare. I really don't see the need, but I didn't argue."
"Didn't argue cause Robin sweet on girl Yah?" Gregor asked.
"Shut up Gregor." Robin sneered.
"Awww I think it's cute." Lissa said. "Our little Robin's Growing up into a Man."
"If you're going to make fun of me, I'll just leave." Robin said.
"Alright enough." Chrom said. "We need to take this seriously."
Christina watched the Shepherds strategize from a window in the fortress' main tower. Her focus was mostly set on Robin. The very sight of him made her sigh.
"All right, I better get this over with." Christina said.
She turned to walk down the hallway when she saw Tharja standing in her way.
"Uh, excuse me, please." Christina said.
Tharja stepped in front of her. Christina tried to get around, but Tharja kept getting in her way.
"Um, okay, what's up?" Christina asked.
"What's the book for?" Tharja asked.
"What book?" Christina asked.
"The book you had hidden in your room." Tharja stated. "The one hidden in your floor safe."
Christina crossed her arms and nodded her head a little as she came to a realization.
"So Kellam was outside to warn you that I was coming, huh?" Christina guessed. "You're more clever than I gave you credit for."
"So what's the book?" Tharja interrogated.
"It's none of your damn business." Christina answered.
"If it threatens Robin, it IS my business." Tharja glared at her.
"Robin? Oh, so that's what this is about!" Christina said. "You're just jealous, aren't you?"
Tharja hissed at her.
"That is it, isn't it?" Christina asked. "Gods, you are so petty. Listen, if Robin is attracted to me more than he is you, you're just going to have to live with it. Robin does not seem the kind to fall for a girl who obsessively stalks him. Especially when her curses are as weak and pathetic as she is."
Tharja said nothing and just looked down, her hair obscuring her eyes.
"That's what I thought." Christina said.
Christina then walked past Tharja, but stopped just a little bit behind her. She then reached out behind her, pulled out the book and showed it to Tharja.
"It's a curse book." Christina said. "A family heirloom, so to speak. It was all I had left. I know a couple curses or two. That's how I was able to easily counter-curse you the other day."
Tharja looked up and met Christina's eyes.
"I don't want any harm to come to Robin, either." Christina expressed. "Let's hope we all get what we want in the end."
Christina then hid the book back under her jacket and left.
Robin had finally convinced the Shepherds to go through with the battle drill.
"All right." Robin said. "We're in position. Now what happens?"
"It is a drill, is it not?" Virion asked. "Should we not have a mock battle?"
"... Shouldn't Sully be joining us?" Lon'qu asked.
"She's missing, too." Robin said. "The only one who actually showed up is Kellam... I think..."
"Ah, perhaps I should be on the rafters with the other archers." Virion suggested.
Robin looked up and saw the archers were taking up their positions on the wall already.
"Maybe..." Robin said.
A guard then came up to them and saluted.
"Robin, sir." The guard said. "Christina requests to see you in the main chamber."
"What for?" Robin asked.
"She didn't say." The guard answered. "She said it was of the utmost importance and to meet with her immediately."
"All right." Robin responded. "Guys, I'll be right back. I got to see what she wants."
"Should I send ye a bouquet of red roses to channel your thoughts on her beauty for you?" Virion asked.
"Shut up, Virion." Robin responded before leaving.
Chrom looked ahead at the passageway that lead before him. Frederick stood right nearby him.
"What's wrong, milord?" Frederick asked.
"Is it just me or did it get too quiet here?" Chrom asked.
"The archers are keeping a low profile on the wall, as per the ambush tactic." Frederick stated.
"Isn't it a bit early for that?" Chrom questioned. "This is just supposed to be a drill."
Chrom took a couple steps forward to get a closer look.
Robin made his way to the main chamber.
"Christina, what's the prob... lem?" Robin said as he realized that Christina wasn't there.
Instead, the room was filled with guards at every entrance and two guards appeared behind Robin and closed the door he entered from. In the center of the room was a large man in heavy armor wielding a giant axe.
"You're not pretty enough to be Christina." Robin said.
"I am Captain Crellan." The man said. "My orders are to keep you here and to kill you if you try to leave."
"On who's orders? !" Robin asked.
Chrom looked down the passageway and noticed the drawbridges were being raised.
"Who gave the order to raise the drawbridge?" Chrom asked.
"THERE'S THE SIGNAL!" The archer captain signaled. "FIRE AT WILL!"
All the archers drew their bows, turned to face Chrom and released. Chrom stood frozen as a shower of arrows rained down upon him...