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.

(Of Sacred Blood Part One: Meeting Bird)

One week later

Frederick and Tharja walked in on Robin lying down on a couch with her head in Chrom's lap, and Chrom running his fingers through his wife's silky hair.

Robin's eyes opened. Both she and Chrom looked over at the pair. "I wonder, did they finally send a reply?"

"Let's find out," Chrom sent Frederick a nod, a clear command to report.

Frederick and Tharja bowed, and Frederick began. "Milord, we have word from Plegia." He grimaced. "They have agreed to meet with us at their outpost on Carrion Isle."

Tharja growled. "It's really a poor choice of venue. Whoever the new 'king' is obviously does not realize that you will be bringing our Princess Robin with you," she sighed and crossed her arms over her ample chest, "but then I don't see how we have much of a choice."

"Maybe not," Robin waved Tharja's concern aside. "I think they realize that we have next to no time to spare. Carrion Isle is little more than a three day march from here."

"I will continue to think it callous of them to put you at such risk until I see the state of the defenses myself," Tharja retorted. "Your safety is my top priority, Princess Robin."

Robin smiled. "I know, which is why I'm not particularly worried."

Chrom smiled. "Cautious as always, Tharja, Frederick the Wary." He leaned back. His fingers never stopped running through his wife's hair. "Don't worry. We'll get our ships. This threat hangs over all of us—Plegia as well. They must see that."

"They do," Robin stretched as she sat up. "Shall I get the others ready to march?"

"We leave tomorrow, at dawn," Chrom agreed.

Three long days later

Tharja was not happy about the state of Carrion Isle's defenses. "It's like whoever is ruling in your stead at the moment cares nothing for your safety," she griped as they walked into the darkened main hall.

Robin sighed. "Calm down, Tharja. I'm sure it's not what you think."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Tharja muttered to her husband, who nodded after a moment of thought.

"I'm with you, Tharja. There's something fishy going on here." Frederick gave her a glance.

"You know," Robin breathed into Chrom's ear, "it's so dark here. I'm starting to agree with Tharja…"

"This place is very dark," Chrom agreed. "I see someone up ahead."

"Let us hope that it is our hosts," Robin frowned.

Chrom nodded again.

Aversa stepped out of the shadows to greet them. "Greetings, Prince Chrom, Princess Robin." She bowed to them both. "Plegia welcomes you."

"Aversa," Robin breathed. What could Aversa be doing here?

Aversa smirked. "What can I say?" she chuckled. "It seems fate has designs for me yet."

"You serve this new king?" Robin asked. "This… Validar?" Her eyes widened at the name.

Chrom turned to her. "What's the matter?"

Robin shook her head. "It could just be nothing."

Aversa, ignoring the byplay between husband and wife, nodded. "I do."

Frederick gave the woman a suspicious stare. "They say he worships Grima."

"Well of course. He's Grimleal," Aversa smirked. She found this all very amusing. "We are both believers. My liege often says it was his faith that got him through after Gangrel's passing. It was a difficult time."

She sighed. "He kept order where there might have been chaos. We had meant to arrange an official visit to Ylisstol, but." She turned with a smile. "Ah, here he is."

Robin turned curious eyes to the opening doors behind Aversa. Her heart froze at the sight of who it was. She surprised Chrom by stepping forward and putting herself between him and this new king.

"Robin?"

"It has to do with the nightmares," she gave him a fierce look. "I promised myself that I would never let anything happen to you."

Chrom blinked. "But I thought you said you couldn't remember them."

"That doesn't mean I can't get impressions from them," Robin reminded him. "We've seen his face before."

Chrom took a good long look at the new King Regent of Plegia and almost reacted. "You're right. Did we kill him?"

"I'm pretty sure we did, in fact, I'm positive we did." Her eyes narrowed angrily, "He's the one who sent the assassins after Emm."

Validar inclined his head, "An honor to finally meet you, sire." His smile sent shivers of unease down Robin's spine. "I am Validar, king regnant of Plegia."

Tharja tensed, and Frederick had to hold her back to keep her from cursing the man. "Tharja!"

There were tears in her eyes, "He's the man that tried to steal Princess Robin!" she snarled. "He's the reason Queen Marc fled!"

Frederick turned his own glare on the man.

Chrom had to force himself to be cordial. "The honor is mine, good king." He cleared his throat. "Is it possible we've met before somewhere?"

His laugh sent chills of fear down Robin and Chrom's spines. "I'm quite certain I would remember any encounter with Ylissean royalty."

"For some reason, I find that hard to believe," Robin almost spat silently.

"And you must be Lady Robin," Validar bowed.

Tharja finally slipped out of Frederick's hold and stepped in front of Robin. "I think you meant to say Regent, King Validar," she snarled angrily.

Validar took a step back as Frederick joined his wife in keeping the royal couple away from the man. "I'm afraid I do not know what you mean."

"Don't lie," Tharja hissed. "You knew who her mother was when you destroyed her father. It is because of you that Grima's Daughter has been missing since she was born."

"But whatever you had planned cannot be now, for she is safe with Naga's Son and together they will bring peace. Just as it was foretold!"

Validar almost broke character to kill the little brat of a retainer. It was a good thing he'd already gotten rid of the other.

"I shouldn't be surprised that you know of me," Robin muttered and felt that strange rage rising in her chest again. It was directed at Validar.

Validar tried to pull the talk back on track. "The whole world knows of Ylisse's master tactician," he sang her praise, "and indeed, I see the sparkle of wisdom in your eyes."

"You don't even deserve to be in this room," Tharja spat. "Never mind on the throne in Princess Robin's stead, never mind even in the same room as Princess Robin."

"My," he sighed. Tharja was making this harder than he had thought it would be. "The talks haven't even started and already things are breaking down."

"My apologies, we meant no disrespect," Frederick spoke up before his enraged wife could make things worse.

"Then let us get to it," Validar smirked almost nastily.

Aversa stepped in, clearing her throat. "Plegia can offer no soldiers, but will provide 800 warships and 200 transports." Her smile seemed pleasant enough, but it gave Robin a bad feeling, "We would be pleased to fully fund the campaign against Valm."

Frederick's eyes narrowed "That is, surprisingly generous of you." He looked down at Tharja, who was still enraged.

She took a deep breath. "We must keep them as far away from Prince Chrom and Princess Robin as we can," she whispered before turning to Aversa. "We could not ask for more, quite literally. You offer most all your assets."

Validar sighed theatrically. "I would give troops as well, but our army remains in shambles from the last war." He gave them his most glib smile. "I trust the gold and ships will suffice as a sign of our commitment to the cause?"

"Of course it will," Chrom reassured him. "Thank you, King Validar."

"The honor is ours, my prince." The Plegian Regent bowed. "I look forward to building a strong bond between our two nations."

Chrom nodded. He had his best polite smile on his face. It was the one he used when dealing with his counsel, "As do I. Then, if there's nothing else? My men and I must hurry back to Port Ferox."

Aversa pouted. "Oh, so soon?" she acted as if she was genuinely sad, "but I have one more introduction to make."

Chrom looked at her over his shoulder, one arm wrapped tightly around his wife. "...Yes? And who would that be?" He didn't want to waste any more time.

"A hierophant," Validar volunteered, "the highest of her order in all Plegia."

That sentence caused Robin to freeze and turn around. Her eyes widened in fear as a figure in a strangely familiar, though tattered, tactician's cloak walked out of the shadows. Robin's breathing became ragged as they got closer and closer.

Robin took a deep breath and tried to get her composure back. It wasn't working very well. "So you lead the people in worship?" She tried to be polite but something inside was urging her to attack this person, to keep Chrom away from them. That they were more dangerous than they looked. "We were just discussing religion earlier actually."

The darkness of that hood was making her very nervous. "I'm sorry, have I said something to offend you?" Robin asked when she got no response.

The figure chuckled softly in amusement. "The heart still sleeps, but the blood flows through it." The hooded woman walked passed Tharja and Frederick. She brought one hand up and gently traced Robin's face with a clawed nail. "And the blood is strong..."

Robin tried to blink the red from her vision. Something inside was screaming to her that this woman was a danger to her husband. "Beg pardon. Were you talking to me? What are you talking about?"

"Good hierophant, I would ask you lower your cowl." Frederick tried to distract the woman, to give Robin time to get away. "In Ylisse, it is a courtesy expected of one in the presence of royalty."

Chrom's blood nearly froze when he heard his wife's familiar quiet, almost loving, laugh come from under the cowl. "You are a long way from Ylisse, sir." She reached up.

"But very well," she pulled her hood back, and Chrom could barely see the familiar glint of gold in those cerise eyes. "Is this better?"

Chrom almost didn't react in time as Robin made to lunge. "Robin, what are you doing?"

"She'll kill you," Robin hissed in pained anger as she struggled to get out of Chrom's arms.

"What manner of sorcery is this?" Tharja hissed angrily. "You can't be Princess Robin!"

The older version of Robin smiled sadly at the royal couple. "My name is Robin. Oh and that was YOUR name as well, wasn't it?" She looked away as she felt her heart break again. And chuckled a sad, broken sound. "What a strange coincidence... To avoid confusion I suppose I could permit you all to call me Bird."

"Why that IS rather curious, now that you mention it," Validar muttered. He had been wondering this himself for quite some time. "What are the odds? In any case, I believe we are finished here. We will let you be on your way."

Robin's eyes were a solid red as she finally got an arm free and brought it up, thunder magic crackling in her palm. "I will not let you touch Beloved!"

"Robin," Chrom turned her around and pulled her close. "Robin, please!"

When it was clear that she was beyond reason Chrom leaned down and kissed her deeply, his lips to hers.

Robin blinked several times before closing her eyes, leaning in and kissing her husband back. The red drained from her eyes as the rage drained from her heart, though none could see. "I'm sorry Chrom," she whispered into the kiss.

"Hold just one moment," Frederick almost shouted.

"Yes?" Aversa asked in confusion.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tharja hissed. "Why do your hierophant and Princess Robin—"

Aversa smiled snidely, "I'm afraid we've no time for such trivial matters now, Your Highness. We have aid preparations to attend to, and you have a long, hard journey ahead." She turned to go deeper into the fort before looking over her shoulder. "Oh, and do be careful on your way back to Port Ferox. This time of year the highroads of Plegia can be quite treacherous..."

(End)