Robin

A long white feather was fluttering down from the sky, and I stretched out a hand. It landed perfectly on my palm, and I quickly trapped it with my fingers. Sumia swooped down to the lake on her pegasus, and the mount's hooves skimmed the water's surface. They both probably thought that this ferry ride to Tinsdale was a nice change of pace from the nearly constant marching we'd been put through for the past week and a half.

This was my first experience with a boat and such a large body of water, and I was finding that I quite liked it. The smell of the sea was strangely rejuvenating, and the setting sun made the rolling water look beautiful.

There was a cough behind me, and I turned to see Chrom standing there. He gestured to the book in my hand. "Taking a short break form studying?"

"Yep, to watch Sumia fly past," I replied, placing the feather in my book to mark my place.

"What's that one about?"

"Terrain on the Ylissean continent. I've been focusing mostly on the Plegian chapters." I tapped cover of the book. "I'm hoping that we'll never have to fight on King Gangrel's home front."

"Just from the terrain?" Chrom asked, frowning slightly.

"Yes, because that area is mostly sand. The only people who can move quickly in sand are mages and fliers. We have one of each, and only one more potential mage."

"Lissa?"

I nodded. "Once she can use a physic staff, her magic will be potent enough that she can become a sage and use tomes with me and Miriel. I've been teaching her the ancient text to prepare her for that point in time. That's still only two mages and one pegasus knight, and while Sumia can carry another rider, there's no way for someone who isn't a mage to keep up with one."

"Since you're not counting yourself, I'm guessing that mages can move easily through sand because they're so light?"

"Yeah, and they have the right sort of shoes for sand as well. Sort of slipper things. If I traded my boots for those things, I'd be unable to walk due to blisters. I honestly don't know how Miriel manages." I shrugged. "Speaking of Miriel, I'm going to ask her of she can create a spell to get around the movement issue. I'm pretty sure she would have the drive and knowledge to do so. But if she asks for funding, I'm in trouble."

"Fund-wise, you're in charge of equipment and seals only, so if she does need money, I'll pay for it," Chrom assured me. "I noticed that Stahl has a wyrmslayer now, which was what that redhead back in Ferox was carrying?"

"Yep. That and Lissa's rescue staff were well worth being knocked down to fourteen gold." I tucked my book into one of my pockets. "I know that donations and the royal treasury are yours and Frederick's, so how am I going to earn money for equipment?"

"Anything we collect on the battlefield is yours, and that includes anything dead enemies might drop. They won't be needing it anyways."

"No, no, they won't," I agreed. Not exactly the most steady source of income, but I was sure that I could make do.

"Captain!" Sumia circled around to the front of the boat. "We're coming up on Tinsdale, so I'm going to land."

"Wait for us on the dock," Chrom called up.

"I know!" She turned her mount around and flew toward the island.

I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the setting sun's light, squinting at some tendrils of smoke rising from the island to the sky. "We almost there, then?" I heard Vaike ask behind me.

"Give or take five minutes," Chrom replied.

"Good. That devil horse of Sully's has been eyeing me, and I don't like it doin' that when it's nervous."

"At least he and Stahl's mare will be raring to go if there's a battle here," I remarked. I really needed to get the names of those horses if they had them. "What do you think is more likely if there is?

"Probably the same gang of bandits that was around here this time last year," Vaike said grimly. "The knights are more likely to be after Risen than bandits, and I don't see a single feathered horse out there other'n Sumia's."

"Those ran off as soon as we got here, but only because their leader was already wounded. If they are here, they'll be out for blood. Vaike, tell everyone to be on guard and get ready to move as soon as we land."

"You got it, Chrom!"

I turned just in time to see Vaike hurrying back. "It's been a good long while since we fought actual humans to kill them. I remember them being easier to take down than Risen."

Chrom nodded, looking down at the dock we were coming up on. Sumia's pegasus was pawing uneasily at the ground there. "There have been more reports of Risen than bandits lately, however, which means that Plegia may be having problems of its own. We can hope." The boat came to a stop, and the crew hands began running about. "You ready to see if there's even a reason to be talking about fighting?"

"I am," I replied, and we began walking to where some crew hands were quickly lowering the gangplank.

"Coming through, fellas," Sully called as she and Stahl led their rather restless-looking horses from the back of the ferry down the gangplank, and the rest of the Shepherds were quick to follow.

"How long do you think you'll be, milord?" the captain asked Chrom once we were all on the dock.

"Depends on what we find," Chrom replied. "I'm thinking four hours at the most, one hour at the least."

"We'll be waitin' for ya, then." The captain nodded.

"Let's move, Shepherds," Chrom ordered, and we stared up the hill. "The town and fields are all up here, and it's pretty except for a small forest of fruit trees on the west side."

"Makes perfect sense for a farming area." I nodded, continuing to hike up the hill.

There was a sudden shout from the top. We all looked at each other, and then all of us began rushing up the hill, Sully, Stahl and Sumia riding ahead. "Son of a griffin," Sully snapped. "I don't see anything."

We surged over the top of the incline to find nothing but fields and the small forest Chrom had mentioned a small distance away. Stahl was frowning, looking around. "I know it's sunset, but there should still be some people out here..."

"Town's thataway." Vaike pointed east.

"Halp!" A voice yelled from the opposite direction, and I whirled around to see a boy who looked just a smidge younger than Lissa sprinting toward us from the trees. He was wearing a copper pot on his curly dark purple hair, and was carrying a bronze lance with an expression of pure panic on his face. "You gots to help us! I'm beggin' you, milords!"

"Slow down," Chrom told him, raising a hand, and the boy stopped in his tracks once he reached us. "What happened?"

"Oy!" A man wearing a goat skull on his head ran out of the trees. "There's the wee piglet!"

"Great," Chrom muttered, eyes narrowing. "Bandits."

"What's this?" The man grinned as he came closer, and I recognized both his accent and his clothing as Plegian. He brandished his axe. "A little lordling come to watch over his chattel? Haw haw ha-" his laugh died, and his face turned white when Chrom drew Falchion and I snapped open my tome. Vaike pulled the boy into our ranks, brandishing his out axe, and I heard weapons being drawn behind me and the horses snorting. "Ah, blast! Sh-Shepherds!"

"That's right," Chrom growled, taking a step forward. "So, what'll it be? Run and live? Or fight and die?"

I'd never seen a man run so fast on his own two feet. Chrom glared after him, then turned to the boy. "Quickly, lad. What happened here?"

The boy snapped a sharp salute, and I closed my tome. "Y-yes, milord!" he stammered. "Right away, milord! Er, if it pleases Your Graciousness."

Chrom grimaced. "Maybe just hold off on the titles for now. What's your name?"

"Donny. Er, that is, Donnel..." the boy tipped his pot. "Your Majestyful. I live in the village just beyond, sir." He pointed the direction that Vaike had when he had been talking about the village.

"I guess that'll do." Chrom smiled gently at Donnel. "Now, what happened?"

Donnel scowled. "That rotten-toothed, pig-stinkin' bandit you just ran off attacked us!" He swallowed, then fidgeted a bit after this heated exclamation. "Er, pardon my language, Your Lordliness. I'm the only one what got away, and even then just barely." Chrom gave a puzzled frown, and the boy hurried to explain, "They were roundin' up the others to haul 'em off to a bandit camp..." he looked down for a moment before looking up at Chrom again, desperation evident on his tanned face. "Please, sir! You gots to save them folks! My ma's one of 'em and..." he looked down, and I realized with a slight pang that there was a threat of tears in his gray eyes. "She's all I got in this world. Please, Your Royal Highness!"

"This blasted war seems to spawn more evils by the day." Chrom's expression and tone were both grim, and then he nodded. "All right, Donny. We'll save your ma. Can you lead us to her?"

Donnel's face broke into a large, relieved grin. "Aw, thank you, milord! Thank you! Just follow me, Your Sirness!" He turned around and began hurrying off.

"They'll know we're coming," I warned the rest of the group as we entered the trees.

"Due to that bandit we ran off earlier, we know," Sully finished with a nod.

"I just hope we get there in time for the poor townspeople," Lissa added, worry evident in her green eyes. "I'm really glad we came down here. I can't imagine how Donny's feeling right now."

"Just keep moving," Sumia told her, just as the sun finally gave way to the night sky. Night fighting. The only people here that I knew had experience with such were Lissa, Chrom, Sully and myself. Leaving Virion and Frederick in Ferox was proving to be a riskier decision than I'd first thought it to be, but I was sure we could handle ourselves.

Donnel turned back, pressing a finger to his lips. "Closer, quieter ranks, Shepherds," I ordered, not turning around and not raising my voice. Lissa pressed up next to me, as did Chrom for a moment before he flinched away, an apology on his face.

Oh gods. We were going to have to have another discussion about the bathing tent incident after this, weren't we? I frowned at Chrom, but pushed thoughts of that away for now. We were coming up on a giant, overgrown fort that was surrounded by bushes. I could smell smoke tainting the otherwise clean air, and see the glow of fire within the walls mingled with it. "This here's where they've taken up camp, Your Lordshipness," the boy whispered, pausing just before he would have exited the tree line.

"Er, right." Chrom seemed to shake off some other thought and nodded, placing his hand on Falchion's hilt. "Thanks, Donny. Stay close now."

"Beg pardon, milord?" Donnel's face paling was visible even with the limited moonlight filtering through the trees' leaves. "You don't mean- I... I can't fight, sir! I ain't never even stuck a pig before."

"Oh, sorry. I just assumed..." they both looked at the lance in Donnel's hands. He'd probably stolen it when he'd escaped from this place, I realized. "I mean..." Chrom cleared his throat awkwardly. "Look, just stay here. You'll be fine."

"I wish I was as strong as you sirs and madams," Donnel muttered, glaring at the lance then at the fortress. "Kick that scum out single-handed, I would!"

Chrom gazed down at him, new interest in his dark blue eyes. "Then you should fight and grow stronger."

Donnel's gaze jerked away from the fortress back to Chrom, the glare giving way to wide eyes. "But I ain't-"

"No man is born a warrior, Donny," Chrom told him gently but firmly, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "And farm work makes for fine training... a sickle's not far from a sword, after all." He gave a small smile. "Bandits may be tougher than wheat, but the principle's the same."

Donnel's pale face didn't return to its normal color, and he looked down with a soft sniffle. When he looked up, though, his gray eyes were shining with determination. "A-all right, milord," he replied, standing tall. "As you say, I'm no warrior. But there're my people. I gots to do what I can!"

"Well said, kid." I turned to see Sully's grin gleaming like a knife lit by moonlight. "Let's get to it, yeah?"

"Donny, you stay with me for now, Sumia, you stay back, Sully and Stahl, you two are together again," I instructed. "Lissa, we're going to test that new staff of yours."

"Right!" Lissa straightened, switching her staff to the rescue.

"The rest of you come in after my initial charge," I told the Shepherds. "And fight as you see fit."

"Shepherds, forward," Chrom ordered, and we crept forward to the entrance. I could see several enemies milling around, one with an axe the closest to us. Movement behind me and Donnel came to a standstill. "Everyone in place?" Chrom whispered.

"R-ready!" Donnel whispered along with everyone else, then he swallowed.

"Nervous?" I asked, not taking my eyes off of the bandit that was getting closer to us. A fighter, much like the one we'd run off earlier.

"Fight and get stronger, he says," Donnel replied. "Guess it can't hurt to try." A pause. "I sure hope I don't get in the way! Gosh, that would just be awful..."

"You won't get in the way," I told him.

"How d'you know, miss?"

"Because you're going to help me take out this brute. Don't think about it, just follow my lead... now!" I leapt out from behind the wall, running forward and throwing thunder at the fighter.

The man mostly blocked the shot with his axe, teeth bared in a snarl. "Over here, ugly!" Donnel yelled, jumping in and clumsily stabbing the fighter in the thigh.

The man howled, bringing up his axe, and Donnel yanked out his lance and bolted back to me. I grabbed him by the arm. "Now, Lissa!" I called, dodging away from the axe that was way too close to my face for comfort and smacking the man in the face with my tome to get him to back off.

"Hup!" I heard her respond, and the world went white for a moment after there was sudden pain in my cheek. A feeling like lying in a fast moving river later, Donnel and I were standing next to Lissa. "It worked!"

"Whoa-HO!" Donnel exclaimed.

"All right, Lissa, remember that thing is-"

"Fragile," Lissa finished for me, nodding. "Don't worry, I'll be care-"

"GRRAAHH!" The injured fighter came over the wall, bringing his axe down toward Lissa.

"Eek!" Lissa ran behind me and the axe was stopped by Kellam thrusting his lance at him. The startled bandit flinched away, swearing at the knight's sudden appearance.

"You leave 'er alone!" Donnel leapt forward, thrusting his lance the way Kellam just had, stabbing the fighter straight through the stomach. The man fell.

"Like that, Donnel," I told him while Sully and Stahl thundered past me. "Looks like you learn pretty quickly. Just be careful, all right?"

"Chrom, archer heading your way!" Sully yelled.

"Right!" Chrom ran past me into the fort.

"Teach is ready for action!" Vaike hollered, right on Chrom's tail.

"I owe ya, miss! I'll be careful as I can," Donnel told me.

"You're going down!" I heard Sully yell.

"Showing me up?" Stahl called, tone amused.

"Donny, come out with me," Sumia told him, her mount spreading her wings.

"You got it!" they both rushed into the fort.

"Robin, wait." Blue light surrounded me. "There's a cut on your cheek."

"Oh, that's why it hurt. He mut've gotten me before you rescued us," I realized. "Thanks, Lissa."

"No prob." The magic faded. "Now go get 'em!"

"Right." We ran out into the fortress, Lissa making a beeline toward a bleeding Donny. Stahl was bringing his wyrmslayer down on a fighter's axe, and sully was blocking arrows from reaching him by twirling her lance into a blurry shield.

"She's done nothin' to ya!" I heard Donnel yell, and saw him stab an archer that had been aiming at Lissa. "You leave her be!"

"I see the prisoners!" Sumia yelled from her position in the sky.

"Rescue them!" Chrom yelled back, and I ran to where he and Vaike were advancing to another part of the fortress.

"Very nice!" I heard Stahl call, then I heard Sully scoff. Then I heard the telltale creak of a bow and spring of an arrow string.

I whirled around to see an arrow heading toward me at the same time Chrom yelled, "Hold on, I'm coming!" He jumped in front of me, blocking the arrow with Falchion just in time.

"Thanks," I told him, quickly throwing thunder at where the arrow had come from. It illuminated the archer rather than hurting him, but that was quickly remedied by Chrom leaping forward and cutting the man down.

"Hrrah!" I heard Vaike yell behind us, and I turned to see him a few feet behind us, taking down another fighter and looking rather bloody in the torchlight.

Sully galloped toward us, surrounded by blue light. Lissa was sitting behind her on the horse. "Lissa, can you reach Vaike?" I asked, noting that she was lowering her staff and the blue light was fading.

"I think so." Lissa lifted her rescue staff, and the green gem on the top glowed with brilliant light of the same color as she hopped off of Sully's horse. She pointed it toward Vaike and swung upward. "Hup!"

He was standing next to us a moment later, and the light was immediately gone. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, arm pressed to his side.

"You're bleeding." Lissa quickly swapped staves, and blue light immediately began swirling around Vaike.

"There you are!" Stahl galloped up, then jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Kellam and Donnel are keeping the ones we left behind off of our backs."

"You're bleeding, too!" Lissa exclaimed, and I saw that there was indeed blood matting part of his hair.

"I'll be fine, this isn't major. We need to finish this before their leader decides to cut his losses and run again," Stahl replied, bringing his mare to a halt.

"He's just beyond that wall." Sully pointed to a wall a few feet away. There was an opening in it that firelight was emanating from. "Saw him go in, and I'd recognize that mousey mullet anywhere."

"Lissa, you stay back and watch for stragglers. Vaike, you come with me and Chrom and take out anyone who tries to stop us from killing the leader. Stahl, get healed up and then you and Sully come in after Vaike and sweep through," I told them, and got a chorus of nods. "Ready, you two?"

"Let's kick some butts!" Vaike grinned.

"I'm with you." Chrom nodded. Lissa raised her staff to heal Stahl, and the three of us rushed forward and around the corner into the smallish square, Vaike immediately locking axes with another fighter than had jumped to attack us.

"Time you castle whelps learned what us wild-born men can do!" the man with the painted face snarled. He really did have a mousey mullet, that had been a rather good description from Sully.

"Already know," I told him, throwing thunder at him. He blanched under the red paint, barely ducking my attack, but then Chrom was blowing past me, Falchion gleaming with cold blue fire as he sliced up and through the brigand.

"Gahaugh!" the man wailed as he fell, and hoofbeats under similar screams behind me told me that Sully, Stahl, and Vaike were doing their jobs. I turned to see that they were the only three standing, with a couple of brigands lying at their feet.

"Hop on, Chrom." Sully offered her hand to him. "Let's go see how Sumia's coming with the prisoners."

"Right." Chrom took her hand and hopped up onto her stallion.

"Guess that means you're with me, Robin," Stahl chuckled, offering me his hand. "Have I told you how much I love my new sword yet?"

"Yes, you have." I grinned, taking his hand. Vaike hurried off while Stahl pulled me up onto his horse. "I'm just glad it's doing its job."

"Not as glad as me."

"C'mon, slowpokes!" Sully galloped out of the small square after Vaike, and Stahl hurriedly followed while I held tightly to his waist. Oh gods, I hate horses...

Thankfully, it wasn't a far ride out to where the other three were, and Sully and Stahl paused when Donnel waved, grin large and bright, saving me from the jostling. "We did it!" the boy cheered. "We're rid of those bandits for good and all!"

"A worthy first victory, Donny," Chrom told him with a warm smile while Lissa nodded eagerly. "You fought well."

"Captain, they're here and they're all safe!" I heard Sumia call from above us, and looked up to see her pegasus circling. I looked back toward the entrance of the fortress to see a veritable army of villagers hurrying into the area, an older woman with worry evident on her face at their head.

"Ma!" Donny ran forward, dropping the lance. "Ma, it's me!"

"Oh, Donny!" She caught him in a hug, relief evident on her face. Chrom and I slid off of the horses, and Lissa picked up the bloody lance, frowned at it, and then handed it to me. "Thank goodness you're safe. I was worried near to death, boy!" Donny's mother continued as Chrom and I walked over. She released him, and then bowed to Chrom, the rest of the villagers taking a knee. "I can't thank you enough for savin' my son and our village, milord... Donny!" she looked up at her son, who was staring at the lance in my hands. "Where are your manners?" she scolded when he looked at her. "Where are your manner? Take a knee and thank His Lordliness!"

So Donnel got his unfortunate knack for titles from his mother. The boy in question quickly dropped to one knee. "Er, I can't begin to repay all what you done for us, sir! Th-thank you!"

"You led the charge, Donny," Chrom replied, gesturing for him to stand. The boy did so, and Chrom looked to me. "We just picked off the stragglers," he continued while I stepped forward and placed the lance in Donnel's hands. "Hone your potential and use it to keep this village safe."

There were several murmurs among the villagers as I stepped back. Donnel stared at the lance for another moment, and then his hands tightened around it and he looked up quickly. "W-wait! Please!"

Chrom blinked. "Something wrong?" he asked.

Donnel shook his head, looking rather nervous now, but determined. "I has a request, sir. If it please Your Graceliness..." He took a deep breath. "Take me with you, milord! Lemme be a Shepherd like you." He gave a sheepish, hopeful grin. "I'm good with livestock, I am. Please, sir!"

His mother took hold of his shoulder. "Hush now, you fool boy!"

Donnel shook his head, looking at her pleadingly. "I want to hone my... whatever he said. I want to keep this place safe! I never though I was good for nothin' more than shovelin' dirt." He raised a hand toward Chrom. "But milord showed me there's more I can do! More I needs to be doing!"

"You needs to be knowin' your place, boy," his mother refuted, looking at Chrom worriedly. "A farmhand's no fit for a royal-"

"Actually, we'd be thrilled to have him," Chrom interrupted, looking at Donnel with new interest. "The Shepherds need every good man we can find, and your son fought bravely."

Donnel looked at his mother again, clutching the lance. She looked at him, then at Chrom, worry still evident on her face. "Y-you're very kind to say as much, Your Lordshipness, but..." she looked down, and then sighed before looking her son full in the face. "Well, you're a man grown now, Donny. I s'pose you can make up your own mind."

"Aw, ma..." he smiled, something wistful in it.

She returned the smile, and I felt something like a pang in my chest. It's because this is the first time you've seen a mother, the analytical voice in the back of my head was quick to inform me. And you've forgotten yours. "You just come home safe, love," she told Donnel. "I'll see that the village is still standin' when you return a hero." She looked down at him proudly, then released his shoulder. "Well? Off with you, then! Glory's waitin', boy!"

"I ain't fightin' for glory, Ma. I'm fightin' for you!" Donny replied. "But if I do find some glory, I'll be sure to bring it home for you."

She chuckled softly. "Just come home alive, Donny."

They embraced once more, and the villagers surged forward, all talking at once, before Stahl moved his mare forward. "Sorry, but we must be going," he called. "Got to be back in Ferox by the end of the month."

"Bye, y'all," Donnel called, and he hurried to us as we moved past the sea of villagers to the outside of the fort.

"Sumia," Chrom called up to the pegasus knight. "Send a missive to Phila about this, would you? I know the knights are spread thin, but there are solders to help on the mainland and they don't have anything of the sort here."

"Yes, Captain!"

"Once we have our alliance with Ferox, those knights will be able to stay put without fear," Sully remarked. "Let's see how fast we can get back, hey? Race you to the ferry, Stahl."

"Sure thing." Stahl grinned, and the two of them blew past the rest of us and down the hill.

"I can't believe we're goin' all the way to Ferox," Donnel told me as we picked up the pace.

"Yep, it's going to be a long march," I replied. "You're certain that you want to come into the heat of battle with us instead of staying here to train?"

"Sure as I've ever been sure of anything, miss," he replied earnestly as we started down the incline. "I learned more by watching you an' that sir in the big suit of armor than I ever will on my own. IF I'm gonna get stronger, It's gonna be with you."

I smiled. "All right, Donnel." I offered him my hand. "But you've got to quit calling me "miss." The name's Robin."

"And seriously, hold off on the titles," Chrom added over his shoulder. "if you can't call me by my name, "milord" or "Captain" will do."

"You and yer ma's titles were pretty good, though," Vaike told Donnel with a grin.

"But you'd better not start them with me!" Lissa called up from the bottom of the hill.

"You guys're going to shatter everything I've ever been taught about the higher classes, aren't you?" Donnel asked, taking my hand.

Vaike laughed, and I grinned as I shook hands with the boy. "Welcome to the Shepherds."