A/N: So Chapter three… if you can't tell I'm posting these as soon as I finish writing them so this is not scheduled at all…
Unwelcome Change
Lissa groans out "I told you-it's getting dark already! ...Ech! And now the bugs are out! Noisy, disgusting bugs that buzz around and crawl all over and bite you when-AGH! WON GOPH IN MAH MOUTPH! LECH! PETOOEY!" Robin couldn't help but laugh at Lissa's antics as Chrom chuckles a moment before smiling at his sister "Aw, come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character. Want to help me gather firewood?" Lissa shakes her head "Tpht! Tpht! YEEEEEUCK! … I think I swallowed it… I'll pass on finding firewood, thanks. I think I've built QUITE enough character for one day!" Lissa flails her arms and stomps around with the last comment.
"I can help gather firewood, but we should probably think about food. I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Robin says rubbing her stomach as it softly growls, bringing an embarrassed blush to her cheeks. Frederick smiles softly "Yes, I think a little hunting and gathering is in order. Now, who wants to clear a campsite?" Lissa sighs and says "I'll clear the camp sight." Frederic turns to Chrom saying "I wouldn't mind gathering firewood if you wish to go hunting…"
Chrom turns and starts heading out "Hunting it is…" and Robin turns and rushes after him "Hey can I help?" The blue-haired lord chuckles sure. "And can I ask you something?" Robin asks. Chrom turns to her a bit surprised as he nods "yeah go ahead."
Robin tugs at her sleeves for a moment mentally psyching herself up, before turning back to make sure they were out of earshot of Frederick and Lissa then looks Chrom in the eyes and says "Could my past prevent me from becoming your tactician?" Chrom shakes his head no "Why do you ask… Did you remember something?" the slight smile at the thought of Robin remembering her past disappeared as she shakes her head "No… but… Frederick… he said I was plegian right?" Chrom sighs "oh… yeah we are mostly fighting plegians… I guess that would be-" Robin cut him off saying "No it's just that, do you think everyone would be okay with having a plegian as their tactician?" Chrom smiles and laughs a moment "I don't care, and if they give you any trouble, I'll deal with it… I told you my heart says that I can trust you… you fought to save Ylissian lives… I will stand by what I said." Robin turns away blushing as she says "Thank you…"
Chrom hums out having taken his first bite of the bear he and Robin had bagged while hunting, "Mmm… It's been too long since I last had bear meat. Delicious!" Taking another bite he would notice Lissa neglecting her food "...What's wrong, Lissa? Dig in."
Lissa practically glares at the meat skewer set before her, "PASS! … Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal normal people eat for once? I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! You're meddling with the food chain. Right, Robin?" Lissa turns to the other woman in their small party who was across the fire from her, but Robin didn't respond, "... uh, Robin?"
Everyone turned to their newly appointed tactician as she was quite noisily devouring her meat juices and small bits of meat sticking all over her face as she practically buries it in the meat as she tries to eat like she hasn't eaten in days. All three of the people there were actually wondering when was the last time the woman had eaten.
Lissa sighs and says "I suppose a person would enjoy just about anything after not eating for days…" while she thinks about how thin Robin is under her robe, maybe it really has been days since she last ate… 'Robin you poor thing… we will take good care of you.'
Chrom shakes his head "Just eat it, Lissa Meat is meat." Lissa shakes her head announcing "Since when does meat smell like old boots?! Wait, I take that back-boots smell better!" as she holds her meat out to Robin who breaks into tears softly muttering "Thank that gods~!" and taking the meat only to give it the same treatment she gave her own. Chrom's smile wilts at the fact Robin was brought to tears just because she was given food and the idea of the woman having been starved before they met her.
Frederic looks to Lissa saying "every experience makes us stronger milady. Eben those we don't enjoy." as he quietly hands Robin his share of meat making her cry out "GODS BLESS YOU!" Lissa gives the knight a glare "Really? Then why don't I see YOU eating, Frederic?" The knight laughs almost sounds forced as he says "Me? Oh, well… I'm not hungry. I...I had a large lunch! Yes, Quite… and Robin looks starved… we don't want our new tactician collapsing from starvation." Lissa pouts at the decent excuse Frederick gave as she mutters "Yeah right, Frederick!"
A while after eating Robin started spacing out and staring at the fire as she hugs her legs tightly, Chrom is the first to notice and he asks her "Hey… you okay?" Robin doesn't answer, she doesn't even acknowledge him until he puts a hand on her shoulder making her jump "ahuh!" she gasps before looking at Chrom as he repeats himself "Hey… you okay?"
Robin looks at her hands shaking her head… "No… I can't stop thinking about the Brigands… I never killed anyone before… or I don't remember ever doing it before…" Frederick looked over to his liege and the tactician before walking over and sitting next to Robin "It's never easy…" Robin looks to Frederick and nods "the last one… the one I stabbed… I watched the light leave his eyes… I… I feel sick…" Chrom puts a hand on Robin's shoulder "It was you or him… but we are doing this to protect people…"
Robin sniffles and nods "I… I'm tired… I'm going to bed…" Lissa yawns out "Yeaaaah, that is probably a good idea, you have been through a lot today, and we don't even know half of it… after all, we found you bleeding out in a field." Lissa turns to Robin who just lays down and covers herself with her blanket, not saying a word until she falls asleep.
"I hope she'll be okay…" Chrom says sighing, Lissa nods pointing out "She has no memories so all she has is that felid and that battle… I mean… it's gotta be rough…" Frederick smiles softly at the kind hearts of Chrom and Lissa before he says, "We should get some sleep, and I'm sure we could do more for Robin at the capital than we can do here…" Chrom nods, "I'll take watch tonight… you two should sleep." Frederick is about to suggest he take watch instead, but Chrom gives him a look that screams, 'just let me do this tonight…'
"...Huh?" Chrom stands up a feeling of dread filling the air as he looks around, accidentally waking Lissa up, who yawns as she gets to her feet and asks "what's wrong, Big Brother?" Chrom just keeps looking into the trees expecting to see something as he says "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, but… Something is amiss…" Lissa stretches asking Chrom to "Define "something"." Chrom frowns "I'm not sure… I think I'll have a look around." Lissa shakes her head "Not alone, you won't! I'm coming too." Chrom smirks "Heh. Thanks, Lissa."
The two siblings start walking and looking around finding nothing absolutely nothing. Lissa is the first to say something after minutes of silence "It sure is dark. ...And quiet. Where did the birds go?" Chrom nods "Something is wrong here…"
Suddenly the earth starts to violently shake and Lissa cries out "Aaah! Chrom!" Chrom rushes to Lissa's side holding her up on her feet as he shouts "Gods, what-Agh! What is the madness?! Lissa, Stay close!" as in the distance trees start to fall Chrom grows tense "Lissa… Run." Lissa looks up to her brother "huh?" He looks down at her for a moment saying "I mean it go!" as he shoves her away from whatever is coming he turns to see the ground cracking and earth rising as lava and fire bursts forth from the ground he takes off running after her, and soon passes her shouting "Hey, this way!" As he waves for her to follow him.
Once both of them are finally safe from the lava and shifting earth they take a moment to catch their breath when Lissa notices something, points it out to her brother "Chrom, what is that?" as a giant vortex forms in the sky, magical and divine symbols and line of ice that splits open like a giant eye, before mangled forms ooze out of and fall to the earth with heavy thuds before standing themselves up their eyes glowing red in the dark.
Chrom has no doubts that these things are dangerous as he says "Lissa, you better stand back." while drawing Falchion and his sister listens stepping back away from the new threat before them. The shambling forms roar and charge one leaping forward swinging its axe down only for Chrom to doge cleaving into its side, but to Chrom's shock and horror it doesn't die from the normally fatal wound as its head makes a 180 to face him before swinging its axe with Chrom barely catching the blade with his sword. Chrom breaks the blade lock sending the thing back onto its stomach before he leaps upon it impaling finally killing the creature, making it fade away into a dark and foul purple mist.
Chrom looks up after hearing Lissa scream. The other risen having cornered her it readies its axe to kill her as she holds her staff up as if it could withstand a blow from the creature's blade. Just then a third figure emerges from the eye a man with a mask, he rushes forward holding his blade behind his back to block the axe swing saving Lissa's life Chrom gasps in surprise and relife seeing his sister saved, he stalls for a moment as the masked man struggles to hold back the axe, before turning to Chrom shouting "HELP!" snapping out of his stupor he responds "right" as he charges forward catching the creature's attention allowing both Chrom and the masked man to bisect the creature with one swing from each of their blades.
The masked man just sheathed his blade as Chrom turns to him saying "Quite an entrance, what's your name, but the masked man doesn't say anything. Just then Frederick bursts through the treeline calling out "Milord! Milady! Are you hurt?" Lissa finally breaks from the spell of fear that has taken her and calls back to the loyal retainer "Frederick! Robin!"
Seeing the inhuman creatures slinking through the forest towards them Robin asks "are such Horrific creatures commonplace in these lands?" Chrom swiftly answers "They're not from Ylisse, I promise you that." Frederick looks over the siblings saying "No one is injured, then? Thank the gods…" Lissa nods saying "Thank the masked man who saved me! If it wasn't for him, I'd be.." turning to where the man once stood only to find him gone "Hey, where did he go?" Frederic rides up front next to Chrom saying "We can worry about him later, AFTER we put these...things...to the blade. Eyes open, now. We know nothing about this enemy." Chrom nods to him "Right"
Looking around Robin notices something "Hmm? Are those…" Frederic interjects "abandoned forts, yes." Robin smirks "then we should take shelter in them whenever possible. No doubt they will offer distinct advantages in battle. Chrom let's take the first fort Frederick you take Lissa and take that one over there we will let the enemy break upon us within the forts!"
With a nod, Frederick lifts Lissa onto the back of his horse and sets out to fulfill his orders and Chrom takes Robbin's arm and pulls her to the fort as swiftly as he can. Just as planned The first wave of the undead creatures breaks upon the forts they inhabit when a change of plans becomes necessary as Red Haired cavalier rides towards the fort with a blue-haired archer riding along with her, Robin swiftly orders her to take up refuge in one of the abandoned forts and let the undead break their ranks upon it.
Riding by the man introduces himself "Goddesses and gentlemen Might I have your attention? I, as it happens am an archer! ...The archest of archers, in fact. As such, I attack most effectively from a distance. So Kindly keep me one step away from peril, if you would!" robin shouts to him, "I want you on top of that fort over there, Cavalier you keep him these things from taking him out!"
Following Robin's plan, the creatures are soon cut down to the last as they are swiftly slain upon funneling into the old abandoned forts, and everyone soon regroups including the masked man who saved Lissa earlier Frederick reports "It seems all the creatures are Vanquished. This young man took care of the others." Lissa steps forward saying "Um, I never got to thank you...for before. So...thank you. You were very brave." Chrom steps forward as well "thank you, you saved my sister's life. My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?" the masks man waits a moment before saying "You may call me Marth." everyone but Robin steps back making her wonder if there is some meaning behind that name, only for her question to be answered by Chrom as he asks "Marth? After the heroic king of old? You certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn your way with a sword?"
The masked man shakes his head "No, I'm not here to talk about me. This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned." before walking away without another word. Lissa jumps in surprise "Huh? What's teetering where now? Hey, wait!" but the masked man doesn't even acknowledge her as he walks off.
Robin sighs out "Not much for conversation, is he?" Frederick turns nodding "right, it appears his skills lie elsewhere. I wager we'll hear his name again… But for now, I'm more concerned about the capital. We should make haste."
"So this is Ylisstol, capital of Ylisse… I've never seen so many people!" Robin says her eyes wide as saucers as she looks around in child-like wonder, making Lissa and Chrom smile at how she runs from stand to stand along the streets and practically drools over some of the food, and when Chrom buys her some candies she smiles so brightly it could match the joy of most children.
Frederick thinks out loud "It appears the capital was spared the chaos we encountered thank the gods. I see no evidence of the great quake. It must've been limited to the forest." Lissa sighs "well that's a relief!"
Robin's attention is taken away from the candies as an elderly villager shouts out "Look! The Exalt has come to see us!" Robin rushes over to the crowd fathers around a procession with a beautiful woman, with a mark on her forehead just like that on Chrom's shoulder walks by she can help but think 'She is beautiful, and looks somewhat familiar… that hair…' Robin looks to Chrom asking "The Exalt is your ruler, yes?" Frederick answers for his lord saying "yes. Her name is Lady Emmeryn."
Robin asks "Is it safe for her to walk among commoners like this?" her eyes expressing worry to her travel companions. Federick just nods "The Exalt is a symbol of peace-Ylisse's most prized quality. Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the gell dragon tried to destroy the world. But the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and laid the beast low. Exalt Emmeryn Reminds us all of the peace we fought for then." Robin lifts a hand to her forehead in pain for but a moment before it passes and Chrom says "With Plegia poking at our borders, the people need her. She's a calming presence, when some might otherwise call for war."
Robin watches the Exalt pass out of view saying "Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her." her tone expressing her respect. Lissa smiles commenting "she's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!" Robin laughs "Yes, I imagine she…" Robin turns to Chrom and Lissa a look of shock on her face as she pales "WAIT, WHAT?! She's your… But wouldn't that make you and Chrom…" Frederick laughs saying "The prince and princess of the realm, yes. You remember Chrom's name and not this?"
Robin blanches even further "You said you were "shepherds!" Chrom laughs at the utter shock on Robin's face "And so we are...in a manner of speaking. We just have a LOT of sheep." Robbin falls to her knees bowing down "C-Chrom… I mean, Prince Chrom! Sire! FOrgive my dreadful manners!" its the prince's turn to blanch as he pulls Robin up, "Just Chrom is fine. I've never been much for formalities."
Robin rubs at her temples "The prince and princess… That explains why Frederick tolerates all the teasing, eh?" said knight sighs "Indeed. Oh, the sacrifices I make for the good of the realm…" Chrom turns and starts walking "hey, it looks like Emm is returning to the palace. Would you like to meet her?" Robin blushes at the idea then shakes her head to clear it and nods "yes… I would love too."
Robin never felt more conflicted as she was taken aback by the beauty of the castle but was put off by the occasional glare sent her way, the whispers of "Plegian" and "Frimleal" in accusatory tones making her feel discomfort… but she would soon find everyone coming to a stop in front of Emmeryn who smiles "Chrom! Lissa! Welcome Home. Oh, and good day, Frederick. How fared you all?" Chrom smiles "Well-we shouldn't have any bandit problems for a while." The kind woman's soft smile only grows as she says "Wounderful. And our people?" Chrom answers "Safe as they can be, Emm. But we still need to watch the borders. The brigands Crossed over from Plegia." Robin can feel her shoulders slump as she pulls up her hood trying to hide herself as the unease from the comments of strangers grows after hearing someone she cares about using the term negatively.
A white haired woman in armor steps forward "Forgive me, milord. My pegasus knights should have intercepted them." Chrom waves a hand "No, Phila. Your duty was here, with the exalt." Lissa smile turning to look at Robin "And besides, we had plenty of help!" Emmeryn looks to Robin taking in her garb stance and the fearful look in her eyes, "Ah, you speak of your new companion here?" Chrom nods turning to Robin also picking up on how tense the woman has grown "This is Robin. She fought bravely with us against the brigands. I've decided to make her a Shepherd."
Robin takes off her hood put at ease at the smile that Emmeryn gives "It sound as though Ylisse owes you a debt of Gratitude, Robin." Robin gasps "Not at all, Milady!" it looked like Emmeryn was about to say something but Frederick speaks up "Forgive me, Your Grace, But I must speak. Robin Claims to have lost her memory, but it is only that: a claim. We cannot rule out the possibility that she is a brigand herself or even a Plegian spy." Robin noticeably wilts at the words of Frederick as she rubs at the back of her right hand.
Chrom glares at his faithful knight "Frederick!" Emmeryn turns to Chrom "yet you allowed her into the castle, Chrom. Does this woman have your trust?" Chrom turns to his sister "Yes. She risked her life for our people. That's good enough for me." Robin avoids eye contact with Emmeryn as she speaks "well then, Robin… It seems you've earned Chrom's faith, and such you have mine as well." Robin smiles wide and bright "Milady, thank you!"
Emmeryn turns to Frederick "But Thank you , Frederick, for your prudence, as always. Chrom and Lissa are blessed to have so tireless a guardian. I do hope they remember to mention that from time to time…" Frederick nods to the exalt "They occasionally Express Something akin to gratitude, your Grace." the knight turns to Philia "Phila, I assume you'be heard about the deathly creatures we encountered, yes?"
The white harried woman nods "Yes, milord. They've been sighted all across Ylisse." Emmeryn nods to her brother "Chrom, We are about to hold Council. I was hoping you could join us." Chrom nods stepping forward to join Emmeryn as she heads to the council chambers.
Lissa grabs Robin's arm and pulls her away saying "I think that's our cue, Robin! C'mon, there's a place I want to show you." Robin just shakes her head at the princess's antics asking "where are we going?" Lissa smiles back "To meet the other shepherds."
A/N: Yes this is the most ineffective cliff hanger ever… but I am planning on doing a lot more with the next chapter, and I probably wont tackle that one for a few days as my work week is starting tomorrow… and these actually take a lot of time to write… more than I would expect to be honest… anyways I hope you enjoy chapter three! I also do plan on going through all of these again once I get to the end revising each chapter one by one and adding onto them... so even after the last chapter is out, this will get a new game pulse treatment!