Title: A Bird's Flitting Dream
Writer: Neph Champion
Idea: Awakening: Robin has never been shy, she is confidant and controls powerful magic. She is clear spoken and articulate and has no problem making her opinion knows. Unfortunately, she can't remember anything but a horrible dream, her new commander Beloved and her own name. But there's a problem, if she's not talking tactics with Beloved she gets tongue tied, can't seem to string two words together without stuttering, and she seems to almost lose her voice! What is going on?
Summary: Beloved was the first thing Robin can remember seeing so of course she would fall in love with him. But she is not by any means shy and will do anything to make sure that her dream never comes to pass. And who knows, perhaps she will win Beloved's heart along the way…
Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is the property of Nintendo.
Warning: Robin is Build 1, Face 1, Hair 3, Hair Color: 12.
(Shepherds)
Robin sighed as she sank into the water. It really had been too long since she'd bathed. "Maybe after this I should get some training done," she mused as she finished washing her hair. She got out a few minutes later, already feeling much better since she was clean for the first time in a while.
"I'm a bit afraid of what Lissa's picked out for me to wear but…" Robin mused as she left the restroom. She smiled into the bronze mirror, glad that she once again felt normal. She quickly braided two locks of hair and pulled it all into a ponytail. "There we go." Then she turned to the clothes on a nearby chair.
The outfit wasn't too bad. At least it wasn't a dress. "Hey, I can train in this," she realized happily. She needed to make her magic and swordplay stronger, and there were gloves that she could use to hide that mark on her hand. Robin smiled as she slipped the pure white gloves onto her hands.
Lissa smiled when she came in. "Oh good, you're done, let's go."
"Um, where are we going?" Robin asked as Lissa grabbed her hand.
"The Shepherd's Barracks," Lissa replied.
"Oh," Robin replied, suddenly feeling extremely frightened by the fact that Chrom, her beloved prince, was not there to shield her from any harsh reactions.
Five minutes later
"Here we are," Lissa grinned up at a flustered Robin. "This is the Shepherd's Garrison; feel free to make yourself at home."
Robin looked around. The place sure was big, and she didn't miss the other blond running up to Lissa but ignored it for the moment. That was when a man came out.
"Hey, where's Chrom?" he asked. "I bet he had a really rough time out there without ol' Teach and his trusty axe." He grinned.
Robin twitched. "For your information he did just fine with his new tactician by his side," she hissed.
Lissa blinked turning to see why Robin was so angry. "Oh, it's just you, Vaike," she muttered. "So you're 'Teach' now? What could you possibly teach my brother?"
Vaike backed up, not used to this kind of reaction. "That was an insult wasn't it?"
Robin huffed. "Look who's sharp." She really didn't like him much. Robin turned her head when another girl came into the room.
"Um, beg pardon," the brunette looked rather nervous. "But when might we see the Captain?"
The other blonde, Maribelle, Robin remembered overhearing her name was, sighed. "Poor Sumia," Maribelle smiled sadly, "she was just beside herself with concern. She was scanning the horizon all day."
Sumia blushed. "Yeah," she agreed quietly. "I must have gotten several bruises that way…"
"It's sweet of you to worry about my brother like that," Lissa told her.
"Well, he's the captain," she reasoned. "Of course I'd worry."
"So, who are you?" Vaike finally spoke up, turning to Robin.
Robin crossed her arms over her chest and blew a piece of her sky blue hair out of her eyes. "I'm Robin," she let her gaze travel from Shepherd to Shepherd.
"She's Chrom's new tactician," Lissa explained as she watched Robin size up her new allies. "She can do magic, and you should have seen some of the things she did on the battlefield." Lissa was truly excited to have Robin here.
"Oh yeah, can she do this?" Vaike asked before giving a loud, long belch.
Robin's nose wrinkled in disgust. "I was about to say that is was nice to meet you all but I suppose I'll have to make an exception to that." She turned away from Vaike. "Maribelle, Sumia, it 'twas nice to meet you both. I look forward to working with you."
Maribelle smiled. "Thank you not encouraging Vaike. I knew you were made of finer cloth than that. I shall enjoy working with you I expect." She turned. "But for now, I'm afraid I must take my leave. Ta ta, Lissa." She left the room.
Sumia blinked after the other healer. "Wow, you made quite the impression on her Robin," she gave the tactician a shy smile. "She usually warms up to people slowly."
Robin chuckled. "Thank you, Sumia," she replied, turning to face the door as it opened and Chrom came inside, "Chrom, you really must do something about Vaike."
"Did he insult you, Robin?" he asked as he walked passed, slipping his hand into hers.
"Worse than that I'm afraid," Robin said as she took her place behind him and a bit to the left.
"I see," Chrom replied, his eyes darkening.
"Ah, Captain," Sumia smiled brightly, "you've returned, I, we were..." She fell forward and landed on the ground hard.
Sumia looked up at Chrom and Robin. Her heart sank when she saw just how close they were, not to mention the way Robin stood, a powerful queen, ready to deal out any punishment her king decreed, and knew that she had lost. Still, Robin was nice, and so Sumia pushed herself back to her feet and brushed herself off.
"Are you alright, Sumia?" Robin asked from her place at Chrom's side.
"Yes, I'm quite clumsy," she explained and gave Robin an embarrassed smile. Secretly, Sumia thought that Robin and Chrom would be very cute together and silently wished that she would find someone like that for herself soon.
Chrom gave Sumia a fond smile. "Was it your boots again?"
Sumia blushed. "Y-yes, I mean no…" she was willing to step aside so that Robin could have Chrom. She'd make a better queen if anything happened to Lady Emmeryn than Sumia ever would, but Sumia couldn't help the crush that she knew would fade once she found someone else. She sighed.
"Alright, listen up!" Chrom called his voice a bit louder and his hand tightening on Robin's. "We march to Regna Ferox in the morning." He turned, pulling Robin behind him.
The door closed as Chrom pulled Robin to the room she'd been assigned. "This is your room for whenever we are here. Is there anything you wanted to ask?"
Robin smiled softly as she entered her new room and let him in. "Yes actually." Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him.
"Is this about where we're going?" Chrom asked as she sat on her bed.
Robin nodded. "Where is this place?"
"It's a unified kingdom to the north," Chrom told her as he watched her from the door. "It's said that they are all barbarians."
"Why is that?" Robin asked.
Chrom chuckled. "They are warriors and like to fight, and that's why." He shook his head. "We'll need their strength to defeat this new menace."
"But shouldn't your sister go?" Robin asked, looking up at her beloved with curious eyes.
"Normally she would," Chrom agreed, "But with what's been going on recently…"
"Your people will worry," Robin finished.
Chrom hummed, nodding in agreement. "Yes, so the task has been passed to me. It's voluntary but no doubt everyone will want to come."
Robin nodded. "Sumia might decide to stay behind for now."
Chrom nodded. "I'll let you get some sleep then."
Robin waited until he'd closed the door. "Goodnight," she whispered, "my beloved prince."
The next morning
"Is everyone ready?" Robin asked. She'd been surprised when Sumia had shown up, despite her prediction that the brunette would want to stay behind. "It's a long march."
"W-wait!" a man called as he ran up, putting his hands on his knees as he finally came to a stop.
Robin looked up, from her map as she checked their route one last time. "Who's this Chrom?" she asked curiously.
"Oh, that's right, you didn't meet him last night," Chrom realized, "This is Stahl. Stahl, this is Robin."
Stahl gave her a nod of respect. "Why was I the last to find out about this expedition to Ferox?" he somehow complained without whining.
Robin snorted. "Why am I not surprised?" She rolled up the map and put it away before coming to Chrom's side. "I knew I couldn't rely on Vaike to spread the word."
Lissa groaned as she found herself more inclined to agree with Robin about the axman. "Don't tell me you forgot again?"
"The Vaike never forgets!" he told them. "I just… don't always remember."
Robin and Lissa both shook their heads. "I swear," Lissa muttered, "he'd forget his name if he wasn't always saying it."
"That and he'd lose his head if it wasn't attached to his shoulders," Robin agreed in disgust. "You remembered your axe, right?"
Vaike huffed. "It was just that one time!" He began to sweat at all the deadpan looks he was getting. "Okay it was twice, but training doesn't count! Anyway, I've got it right here."
Robin said nothing. She'd noticed several minutes ago that it wasn't on his belt where it should have been.
"Teach is loaded and ready for action. Nice to have you along Stahl," Vaike finished.
"That makes one of us," Stahl muttered unhappily. "Because of the idiot over there forgot to tell me about this I got up late and was in such a hurry that I had to miss breakfast!"
Robin smiled as she pulled out a clear bag. "Here, you can have my leftovers. It wasn't right that Vaike forgot to tell you where we were going."
Stahl smiled. "Thanks, Robin. You are Robin right?" he asked as he dug into the toast and egg sandwich she'd made.
"Yes. I'm pleased to meet you, and I can't have one of Chrom's troops not at his best. It might get you killed on accident."
"You as well," Stahl replied after swallowing the first bite. "Miriel told me that there was a new Shepherd. She's one of our mages actually. She should catch up really soon."
Robin smiled. "I will be glad to meet her when she gets here."
Chrom started their march, eying Stahl who was fallowing a step behind Robin as he ate his breakfast. "Thank you for looking after Stahl like that," he said, her gloved hand sliding into his. "Stahl's one of my, our finest Cavaliers. I'd have been very unhappy if he'd gotten hurt on this march somewhere."
"I will always take care of your Shepherds Chrom," Robin whispered, anything to keep her beloved happy after all. "If he's not at his best then I can't use him in my plans the way I should, after all, your men, and even you, are game pieces on my board."
"…I'm not sure I like being compared to game pieces," Chrom told her uneasily.
"I will never forget that I am moving men and not chess pieces Chrom," Robin reassured him, squeezing his hand slightly. "I'm a tactician I have to think that way is all."
Chrom nodded, her hand was warm and soft through her glove, and he knew there was a brand there. He wasn't sure what it was, but it had to be like his Exalt Brand on his shoulder. His grip on her hand tightened as he thought about what they would need to do.
They stopped for midday meal and to do a little training. Robin brought out two roast beef sandwiches for herself and Chrom. "You didn't have a very big breakfast did you, my prince?" she asked as she sat herself on his left and handed him the larger sandwich.
"No," Chrom admitted as he unwrapped his lunch and took a bite. "I was too worried about getting to Ferox as soon as we could."
Robin gave him a smile. "You're no use to anyone hungry Chrom. You might have gotten hurt if we'd run into anymore of those things from yesterday."
"Frederick is calling them Risen," Chrom told her before he took another bite. "That seems like a good name for them."
Robin nodded. "As good a name as any. I was going to get some training in before we started marching again," she said after finishing her lunch. She got up and stretched, leaving Chrom to eat his.
Chrom blinked, staring after her. "Robin…" he whispered before stuffing the rest of his sandwich in his mouth and swallowed. He needed to do some training too.
That evening: Base Camp
Chrom finally caught up with Robin again at the end of the day. "Hey," he called as he slowed to a walk so that he could walk next to her. "Finished training today Robin?"
Robin stretched and Chrom took the opportunity to snatch her hand up. "With combat practice yes," she replied, squeezing his hand and giving him a gentle smile. "I thought I'd go over a few battle histories before turning in for the night."
Chrom grinned. "Maybe you should relax a bit," he suggested as he led her to her tent. "Put your feet up. As an experienced soldier I can tell you that you need to rest when you can."
"I suppose," she agreed. "We never know when there'll be a battle, right?"
Chrom nodded. "You must have noticed that we barely have time to eat some days."
"That's quite true," Robin agreed, looking down.
Chrom sighed as he stopped and pulled her into a hug. "We're on a hard road, and it's only going to be tougher from here on out." He looked down into her golden eyes and tried to convey how serious he was being.
Robin nodded, leaning against him before they started moving again. "I really do try to rest when I can," she gave him a teasing smile. "A lady needs her beauty sleep after all."
Chrom blinked down at her, staring at her, with her sky blue hair highlighted silver in the moonbeams. He wouldn't call her a classical lady by a long shot. Her hair was damp with sweat, and there was a smudge of dirt under her left eye.
"Did I say something silly, Prince Chrom?" Robin asked, turning her luminous golden eyes back onto him.
Chrom began to sweat. How could he tell her what he was thinking and not come out sounding rude? "Uh, no. No, it's nothing." He cast his mind around and came up blank. "It's just, well, I really didn't think that you'd be the type to consider something like that important."
Robin's eyebrow began to twitch. "Is that so?"
Chrom flinched. It sounded like his dear friend was starting to get angry, it really didn't help that he couldn't stop himself from saying the next thing that came from his mouth. "I suppose I never really thought of you as a lady." Oops!
Robin's soft eyes hardened into a fierce glare. "Excuse me?" she snarled. How could her beloved say such a thing?
Chrom backed up, waving his arms in surrender. "No! I mean-" He tried again to come up with a better thing to say but his mouth ran off again- "I didn't mean! Not like that!" Stupid!
Robin took a deep breath and let it out, motioning for her beloved prince to continue which he did, only to stick his foot farther down his throat.
"That is to say, a 'lady', per se." He swallowed. "Uh, you know, you fight and strategize and, and..." His shoulders slumped.
"Not to say that a lady can't fight," he admitted. "Gods, this is coming out so wrong."
Robin snickered. "You are the scion of a noble family, Chrom." She shook her head. Her beloved was suck a dork, but he was her dork. "Didn't they teach you manners in those schools of yours?"
"Of course they did," Chrom admitted. "We spent an entire term on etiquette."
"You must have been asleep when they were going over how to speak to a lady," she told him. "Perhaps you should go back." Robin was still irritated, but not so much that she was angry anymore, just frustrated.
Chrom's shoulders slumped. "It's just, you aren't the image I think of when I think of a lady," he admitted, knowing that she was going to get angry at him again for what he was about to say. "When I think of a lady, I think of someone who is prim and proper, perfumed and pretty." Oh Gods! He hadn't actually said that out loud had he?
Robin's glare got darker as she started eying the ground. She needed to teach her beloved Chrom a lesson.
"That's nothing at all like you. When I look at you, I don't see a lady, I see," Chrom took a step back. "Um, Robin, what are you doing with that?"
"I'm thinking that a sharp blow to your head might fix your eyesight," she snarled.
He took another scared step back and swallowed. "Wait, wait! That was a joke!" he laughed nervously. "Got to go!" He ran off towards his own tent. He wished that she would have let him finish.
'When I look at you I see a Goddess, not a lady,' he thought to himself as he slipped into his tent.
"I don't believe it," Robin muttered as she threw the rock to the ground. "He ran away! What kind of manners… Sheesh."
She growled as she pulled the flap back and entered her tent. "Oh well," she sighed, "perhaps it's fair. I don't see him as a gentleman or a noble… just as my husband." She threw herself onto her bedroll and tried to go to sleep.
She was not going to be very successful.
The next morning
They'd only been marching for an hour when Robin saw them on the other side of the bridge they needed to cross. "Look!"
"Gods, have the Risen really gotten this far?" Chrom swore.
"Looks like," Robin agreed. "Who came up with that name?"
"The Council did," Chrom replied. "We did need a name for them, remember?"
Robin nodded, shivering slightly at the reminder that she'd been stupid and left her Thunder Tome in camp. "We need to remember what we're up against."
Vaike laughed stupidly. "They'll remember me once I drive my axe into their-" he reached for it, only for his hand to close around nothing- "my axe! I had it a second ago!"
Robin sighed, sharing an exasperated look with Chrom. "This is no time to joke Vaike."
"I'm serious. It's gone," Vaike pleaded with his Commander. "It has to be here somewhere."
Robin got into his face. "Keep to the rear then," she snarled. "I can't use you in this fight if you have no weapon. The battle is nigh." Muttering about idiots, she went back to Chrom's side.
Chrom took her hand and squeezed it. "It'll be ok," he tried to reassure her.
"That man drives me up the wall," Robin snapped angrily, "and not in a good way."
Chrom took a deep breath. "Alright listen up," he called to the troops, "especially those who brought their weapons."
Robin took a deep breath and continued for him. "Remember, axes are weak to swords and strong against lances. Swords best axes and so on." She glared at the Risen. "Sully, you partner up with Lissa and take care of the axe wielder you come across. Frederick, you and Stahl buddy up for now. Virion, you stay back with Moron over here and keep the Risen off him. Chrom and I will pick up everything else, Lissa, keep an eye out for injuries."
A few minutes later, Miriel caught up, finally. She noticed Vaike's axe on the ground. "That brute must have dropped this and not realized it," she muttered. "At least I've finally caught up, splendid."
Vaike turned and retrieved his axe. "Thanks Miriel."
Robin ignored the rest of their conversation. "Miriel, can you cover Virion?" she called over the noise of the battle, shooting a Thunder spell at a Risen that was trying to sneak up on Chrom.
"Thanks, Robin," Chrom shouted as he cut down one on her left side.
"Sure thing, Madame Tactician," Miriel called while hurrying to the archer's side.
Chrom panted as they finally got some breathing room. "What next Robin? Guide our swords."
Robin nodded and was about to start issuing orders again when Frederick barged in, again, "Might I advise patience my prince?" He gave Robin a smile. "Lady Robin here is a fine tactician, but we've been working her mercilessly."
Robin shook her head but didn't say anything. She really wasn't tired, even if she'd had that nightmare again.
"Even the best of us need rest," Frederick finished.
Chrom nodded, giving Robin an apologetic look. "I'm sorry Robin, I should have been thinking about your endurance too."
Robin huffed. "I'm not tired, my prince. I'd have said something if I was," she lied.
"Perhaps you would prefer that we take action on our own at times?" Frederick asked.
Robin sighed. "I'll tell you if I ever feel like doing so. It will be a rather simple command, however."
She gave Frederick a glare, "You do know that I can't guarantee victory or that you will even come out the other end alive if that happens."
Chrom nodded. "I do realize that Robin." He gave her hand a squeeze. "Now, let's get back to it. Shall we?"
Robin nodded. "Frederick, I see something on the ground over there. Go pick it up before the Risen get to it.
Frederick nodded, riding ahead.
Robin turned to Chrom. "Alright, we're going to take on the chieftain, as always. Ready?"
"Yes," Chrom replied, "just tell me what to do."
"Back me up this time. I'll get it from a distance."
Chrom nodded, stepping to the side and behind her. "You have a clear shot. Go for it."
Robin took a running start. Gripping her tome tightly, her magic crackled in her palm. "Thunder! Now, Chrom."
Chrom gave a battle cry. "It's not destiny the binds us!" He brought Falchion down, and that was the end of the Risen. He was panting slightly as Robin caught up with him.
"Thank you, Chrom," she put her arm around his chest. "I think we can move on now."
He nodded. "Good riddance. But if they are this far north…"
She bit her lip. "In that case we may need to take a page out of Frederick the Wary's book as no path seems to be safe now."
Having caught his breath, Chrom nodded again. "Let's move on."
Half an hour later
Robin blinked. "What have we here?"
Lissa gasped. "Is that what I think it is?"
Chrom nodded. "It's definitely a Pegasus," he agreed with his sister and let Robin pull him closer. "I think it might be hurt."
Robin stopped short. "Do we have someone good with animals with us?" She didn't want anyone to get hurt after all.
"I am!" Sumia called as she rushed up and tripped on her way to Chrom and Robin's side, "Oof!" she pouted with a sigh. Great, she'd made a fool of herself in front of her new tactician, again.
"Sumia, are you ok?" Chrom asked.
"Yeah, it's either my boots, or I really am this clumsy," she tried to joke as she pushed herself up and back to her feet.
Robin frowned. "Perhaps you should pick your feet up a little higher when you walk or calm yourself before you go anywhere."
"Yes, I think I'll try that," Sumia agreed as she looked at her feet. "Thanks, Robin." Sumia took a deep breath and stepped closer to the winged horse carefully.
"There, there, it's okay," she soothed as she pet the animal's nose. "We don't want to hurt you. I want to help you. Shhh…"
"Wow," Robin breathed. "I didn't think she was quite that good at calming an animal. I've never seen anything like it."
Sumia blushed as she turned to the other woman. "Oh, I've always had a way with animals."
"Well, I'm glad you do."
"You should go on ahead. I'll catch up with this sweety once I dress her wounds," Sumia suggested.
"We can make time and wait," Robin replied, thinking about it. "What do you think, Chrom?"
"We could," Chrom agreed.
Sumia shook her head. "I really don't think you should. Every minute you wait is another moment the Halidom is in danger."
"Right then," Chrom sighed, knowing that his old friend was right. "Stay safe, Sumia."
"As you command sir. Make sure you take care of Robin."
Chrom turned back to look at her in surprise then nodded. "Let's move."
And the Convoy was off again, leaving Sumia behind.
(End)
Ok! Got the other half of the Support done! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, feel free to leave a review, and thank you to my wonderful Beta.