Theme 18: Love

Themes 16 through 18 are one connected storyline.

"... And so I got her back. I put a few worms on her bed." Robin finished, swirling the last bit of ale around in his mug. "I have to admit, revenge feels good. I just wish I could have seen her reaction." He smirked slightly, recalling the shrill squeal of the princess that echoes through Ylisstol castle as she discovered the slithering insects covering her bedspread.

Listening intently through the chatter of the pub, Gaius nodded before taking a swig from his own tankard. "Y'know, Bubbles. I gotta tell ya, you're sounding an awful lot like you're in'ta her. What kinda weirdo drops a bucket of worms on a girl's bed. A princess's bed, for Naga's sake! You're lucky that she likes ya, or you might have been exiled, or somethin'." The thief turned over his shoulder and whistled to the waitress, raising his now-empty glass in a wordless request for more alcohol.

Tonight, most of the male Shepherds (and Sully) had gathered at the Mug and Talisman, a local tavern in Ylisstol. For no particular reason at all (though he insisted on citing 'crippling boredom'), Chrom had decided that the Shepherds deserved a break from daily monotony, and so he rounded up his companions for a much needed Boy's Night (and Sully). Robin, although somewhat reluctant, agreed to join his friends. Though he wasn't much of a drinker, the tactician needed a break from his work and a chance to relax, for once in his busy life. And so he found himself in a bright, loud, and energetic alehouse, sandwiched between Stahl on his left and Vaike on his right in a booth that was too small and made his rear hurt too much. Virion, Chrom, and Gaius sat across the table from Robin, and Frederick, Sully, Gregor, Lon'qu, and Donnel sat at a nearby booth.

Chrom tried his best to tune out the current conversation. He was content with his whiskey and too amused by Vaike's drunken advances towards a waitress to pay close enough attention. That, and he would rather not listen to his best friend and sister potentially becoming more than just friends. Gaius, Stahl, and Virion listened close, slightly surprised by the tactician's sudden openness. Robin rarely talked about himself and his feelings in front of anyone. He was much more reserved and humble than most other Shepherds.

"Imagine what woulda happened if someone caught you in the act? Invading the private quarters of the Godsdamned Princess of Ylisse." Gaius leaned back in his seat, arms folded across his chest. After a moment, a sly grin grew across his face, and he let out a chuckle. "Hell, I'm surprised you had the balls to do it. You don't strike me as that kinda guy." Quickly the thief shot back upright, whistling louder and waving his empty mug above his head, as if forgetting that he was in the middle of a conversation.

"How long has this been going on?" Stahl questioned. He and Virion were the only ones truly taking this seriously, as Gaius seemed to be just horsing around.

Robin scratched his head trying to remember. "Uhm, she's been pulling pranks since I first joined the Shepherds. But recently it's been getting more frequent. Once a week, on average." Robin finished, taking one last sip of the bitter alcohol in his mug. The tactician set the tankard aside, deciding it was time to stop drinking.

Suddenly, like a switch being flipped, Vaike ditched his efforts to swoon the nearby waitress and butted into the conversation. Voice slurred from the many shots of whiskey, he loudly jabbered, "What'cha find in 'er room? Ya read 'er diary? Bet'cha there wus some juicy stuff 'bout'tcha." Robin's face began to redden as Chrom listened in, eyes glaring a hole through Vaike with a fierce yet skeptical expression. "

Ya do know what girls keep in there, yeah? Juicy stuff, lemme tell ya. Bet'cha she's writin' 'bout kissin' ya, or some crap like that. Hell, I think'n that she's writin' 'bout more'n that. Stuff like, 'oh Robin's so dreamy, he- *hic* he's so elegant-like and cute! I wish we could kiss 'n have babies 'n stuff'!" Vaike tried his hardest to impersonate the princess, raising the pitch of his voice an octave or two as well as drunkenly nudging Chrom across the table. "'Ey, Sully! What crap do girls talk 'bout in their diaries?!" As quickly as he joined the discussion, Vaike left it, leaving Chrom and Robin both visually flustered and uncomfortable.

"I'm getting another drink…" Chrom muttered, his face screaming a look of mortification. He awkwardly stood from the booth and shuffled out, stepping over Gaius's legs and nearly losing his balance in the process. The Exalt disappeared into the mass of bar patrons, his blue hair sticking a few inches above the other heads.

Hand shielding his face to hide his embarrassment, Robin's face flushed into a burning shade of red. The lewd comment caught everyone off guard: Virion nearly choked on his wine, Gaius broke into a fit of laughter, and Stahl's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. The tactician cleared his throat rather loudly, trying to break away from the awkward topic. However, with Chrom gone from the table, Gaius wanted to press onward, seeing his opportunity to harass the tactician without facing any repercussions from the Exalt.

"C'mon Bubbles, don't act like you've never thought of it before." Gaius teased, accepting another mug of honey liqueur from a barmaid. "C'mon. What kinda guy are 'ya if you haven't thought of a girl in that kinda way." The thief took a large swig from his tankard, slamming it back onto the table with a thud. "Just lookit His Lordship over here." Gaius pointed a thumb into Virion's chest. "He chases so much tail I'm not sure if he's thought of anything else in the past month," Gaius finished with a smirk.

Stahl coughed into his hand, seeing Robin's awkward expression. "Listen Robin, Gaius kinda has a point. You two seem very close to each other, it's not hard to see the connection between you. Hell, everyone is wondering when you are going to finally get together." Stahl smiled, his hand patting Robin reassuringly on the shoulder.

This made Robin's face drain of all color. "What?!" The tactician practically jumped in his seat. "Have I really been making it that obvious?" He frantically asked, beginning to panic.

"It's true," Virion spoke up after a sip of his wine. "We have all seen it, at some time or another. You and the Princess don't necessarily make yourselves subtle."

"Lookit that! Ylisse's Master Tactician, clueless when it comes to girls!" Gaius laughed, folding his arms across his chest. "It's kinda cute, actually." After no response from Robin, who was still reeling from his friends' comments. Reaching across the booth to grab yet another mug of liqueur from a passing barmaid's tray, Gaius set the fresh drink in front of the tactician, who looked at the new mug like it was a disease.

"I think I've had quite enough for tonight." Robin muttered, pushing the tankard away. Just the sight of more alcohol made his stomach flip. The tactician adjusted his coat's collar, shifting in his seat to fake a confidant composure. "Alright. I admit it. I like Lissa."

"Hey, the first step to addiction is admittance," Gaius shrugged smugly, taking another large gulp of his honey liqueur. "C'mon Bubbles. Be reasonable for a second." The thief leaned in, chin in his hand, the other clutching his mug like his life depended on it. "I can already hear the wedding bells ringin'. So save us some time and propose to her already, would 'ya?" The thief laughed, downing the last dregs of alcohol. Vaike offered a loud, yet supportive 'Chug!', raising his own glass and following Gaius' lead. The two really seemed to enjoy their alcohol.

Robin's eyes widened. Through his drunken façade, Gaius had actually made some sense. He couldn't deny his feelings for Lissa any longer. Too many days spent hiding his feelings, refusing to let himself become attached. Too many weeks spent away from his friends, building barriers to keep himself isolated. Too many months admiring his Princess, his brain overcoming his heart. Too many years of war, scarring him beyond what a normal man can handle. The threat of death was enough to deter him from making bonds. If he were to pass, his burdens would be passed onto his comrades. Robin couldn't bear the thought.

He stood from the table, his lips a thin line, no expression on his face. Nodding to his friends at the table, the tactician silently made his exit, leaving Stahl and Virion to exchange puzzled looks. Not bothering to wave goodbye to the other Shepherds at the table, Robin left the Mug and Talisman, in search of a quiet place to think.

"...Do you think that is possible?" The tactician hurriedly asked, shrugging off his hood and running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I hate to be so sudden, but it can't be helped any more."

Laughing, Anna leaned back on her display stand, folding her arms. "Don't worry about it. I've done a lot more on a much shorter time limit." The merchant smiled. "In fact, I may have just the thing…" She trailed off, turning around to rummage through her cluttered stand. Crates of merchandise were thrown aside, stacks of boxes toppled over, and burlap sacks tipped over to spill their contents on the ground. Eventually, Anna emerged from the mess triumphant, a small box held high above her head. "Here we are! Only the finest for Ylisse's finest." She faked a posh, elegant Rosanne accent, probably mocking Virion's prissy speech. Stepping forward, careful not to crush the various items spilled over the Ylisstol street, she handed the object to the tactician, who inspected it, turning it over in his hands.

Soft gray felt covered the exterior, save for the brass hinge separating the top and bottom. Slowly opening the box, Robin saw the beautiful golden ring sitting in its place, a stark contrast to the similar felt lining the interior of the box. The band was engraved, an extravagant flower pattern circling the circumference of the shimmering metal. At the top of the ring was brilliant, round cut diamond set in a grooved bezel. Removing the ring from the box with one hand, he held it to the light of the full moon, the diamond reflecting a beautiful spectrum of light through its intricately cut design. It was easily the largest stone that he had ever seen.

"Like it?" Anna's cheerful voice pulled the tactician from his thoughts. "Pretty big gem, wouldn't you say?" She laughed, watching as Robin ogled the ring.

Carefully setting the ring back inside its box, Robin handed it back to Anna, who closed it shut with a soft thud. "It sure is large. And expensive, I'm guessing. It must have taken you a lot of time and money to get that in your possession."

"Not really. I've got a jewelry guy. Or girl. Sister, if you want to get into specifics. I think you've met her before, actually. Long red hair, carries around a big backpack… You get the idea." She smiled, setting the ring down on the display stand.

"Speaking of specifics, let's talk price." Her grin turned into a wide, slightly devilish smile. She loved the thrill of a good haggling competition. "I'll give you the 'friend discount', so that knocks the price down quite a bit. And what the hell, you're the first person who's considered that ring. I've had that thing for ages… Anyhow. I'll let you walk away with this, right here, right now, for the low low price of five thousand gold." She smirked. Another one falls to the wicked and cunning Anna, she thought, studying Robin's face for the sure signs of a sale.

Robin pursed his lips, carefully considering the deal. On the outside, he tried to keep a straight face, one showing confidence and integrity. But on the inside, Robin was nervous. A lot of money was on the line, almost as much as his savings from the war.

But what was money compared to his future?

The tactician sighed in defeat, his shoulders dropping as he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "You've caught me in a good mood tonight, Anna. Normally I don't act on an impulse. But I've had a drink or two and a shift in perspective fairly recently. I could give you a hard time and try to barter, but it's in our best interests to move on." He gave Anna his outstretched hand along with his best, warmest smile. "You've got a deal."

Peace Offering

Meet near Chrom's Crack at 10 AM SHARP!

This is your LAST CHANCE!

Robin studied the piece of ragged parchment in his hand, reading and rereading the cryptic message scribbled in black ink. He had discovered it in his room earlier this morning, slipped underneath the door sometime during the previous night. The paper was folded, refolded, and slightly crumpled from the time spent inside Robin's coat pocket. The writer's penmanship wasn't the greatest. A small smudge blurred the ink of the word 'sharp'. The extra exclamation points and capitalization definitely weren't necessary. The writer didn't even sign their name. But Robin knew exactly what this letter entailed.

Judging by the position of the sun, Robin was right on time. He approached the meeting place, the secluded area of the Ylissean Royal Palace where the Shepherds exclusively trained. The palace walls, with usual uniform and evenly-stacked bricks, were bashed in, a result of Chrom's intense training regimen. In his wake, a large crack ran in between the mortar of the brick, some stones left crumbled or missing. Robin and Lissa had come to call this area of the palace 'Chrom's Crack' (Lissa had quite the fit of laughter after Robin had jokingly suggested the name), and the two had used the spot as a quiet shelter, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of rest of the palace.

Sure enough, Robin found the princess sitting cross-legged, her back leaning against the stone wall. She was watching the morning sky as white, thin clouds danced across their blue backdrop. She looked so peaceful, so content with this rare moment of peace. Nothing like her usual, bouncing-off-the-walls, talk-your-ear-off, secretly-scheming-pranks-behind-your-back self. The princess simply folded her hands in her lap, absorbed in her own world.

Lissa wasn't wearing her usual cleric's attire. Instead, her crinoline and numerous amounts of bows and frills were discarded, replaced with a shorter, pleated yellow skirt as well as a simple seamed white blouse. Her brown leather corset still hugged her petite frame snugly, as well as her white leggings and leather boots. Her hair was let loose from the standard pigtails, cascading down her back in long, blonde waves. Her buttoned headdress was gone as well.

Upon seeing Robin's approach, Lissa immediately sprang up to her feet. Trying to bring a look of confidence to herself, the princess smoothed out the wrinkles of her dress and quickly folded her arms, faking an intimidating pose.

Robin didn't stop himself from smiling as he approached her, her scrambled movements to steady herself had quite the opposite effect. He could see the soft pink blush of her cheeks, the quickened rise and fall of her chest as she jumped to her feet. He knew she was flustered. Robin moved his hands to his pockets, making sure his belongings were in order. In one pocket, the wrinkled letter. In the other, the small grey box that he had bought the previous night.

Lissa cleared her throat, trying to imitate a menacing tone."Took you long enough. And here I was, thinking 'dying of boredom' was just an expression." She cracked a small smirk, her composed demeanor quickly giving way to her relaxed, playful personality. "Did you bring the note I left you?"

Robin laughed, returning Lissa's wam grin. "Of course," he nodded, pulling the note and handing it to Lissa. She opened the folded parchment, eyes darting over the words, before crumpling it in her hand before handing it back to Robin.

"Make sure to shred that fifty times over. No one can know that we had this meeting. I'm supposed to be having tea with Maribelle right now," she giggled.

"Maribelle would kill me if she knew I had you all to myself," Robin tucked the wad of paper back into his pocket, fingers brushing against the soft felt of the ring box. His heart skipped a beat. He knew what was going to happen soon.

Lissa dropped to the grass, leaning back against the brick walls of the castle again. Robin joined her, and the both sat side by side in silence for a moment. Wispy white clouds continued to pass overhead. Birds chirped happily in a nearby maple tree. The sun's warm yellow glow coated the landscape in beautiful rays of sunshine. It was the perfect summer day.

"Y'know, I was gonna invite you here to dump another frog down your jacket, laugh, and call it a day." Lissa spoke up, her voice oddly soft. Robin looked over. The princess twiddled her thumbs in her lap, eyes cast down, staring at nothing in particular. "But Maribelle says I'm being childish."

"What do you mean?" The tactician asked, scooting closer to Lissa. His arm draped comfortably, warmly, oddly familiarly around her shoulder, prompting Lissa to stiffen. Forcing herself to relax, she continued.

"She told me that no princess should by throwing around animals to have fun…" She trailed off, taking a deep, shaky breath. "Princesses should be helping their people. Not pranking them. Dropping a frog down your coat might be funny. But it doesn't help anyone." Her breathing hitched, a tear forming in her eye. "I need to be a princess. Not for me. For Emm. And Chrom. I have to be a p- princess for everyone I love. I- Including you..." She trailed off, trembling fingers balling up the fabric of her skirt.

She looked upwards at Robin, the lone tear trailing down her cheek. "So I'm stopping the pranking. I know how it makes you feel. I know how it makes e- everyone feel." Another tear broke free. Than another. Soon, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. She turned her head, shielding her face from Robin as she desperately wiped at her face. More tears replaced the ones she tried to rub away.

Slightly surprised at her sudden change in character, Robin's mind quickly sought an answer to help calm her down. He wasn't very good at emotional problems, his own or other's.

"Lissa… Listen to me for a moment." He whispered, his arm pulling her closer to him. Their faces inches apart, Robin gingerly brought her chin up to face his with two fingers. She sniffed, eyes reddened from crying yet widened at his sudden touch.

"Who cares what other people think, Lissa? A princess doesn't have to exist solely because of her people," He explained, his thumb softly brushing a tear away from Lissa's cheek. "I used to have the same train of thought. Remember, during the war, when I would do nothing but sit in my tent? I told myself, 'These people depend on me. I'll put my own life on the line to help keep my friends safe. And because of all my time spent secluded, working only on strategy away from everyone else, I wouldn't sadden anyone if I die'."

Hearing his words, Lissa spoke up. "That's not t- true, and you know it. Everyone would miss you. You mean so much to the Shepherds, and to me…"

Robin nodded in understanding. "I know that now. You were the one who changed my way of thinking."

Lissa's cheeks burned a bright crimson as she felt herself grow embarrassed. Her tears had stopped. "I was?"

The tactician nodded. "Mhm. Whenever you pranked me, you got me outside my tent. You got me to spend time with the Shepherds. And I realized, what is the point of working so hard if I'm not happy myself? If I am not happy in life, there's no reason in living."

Lissa sat quietly, listening intently to his words. His words repeated in her head, making more sense than Maribelle ever could.

"Maribelle is wrong. A princess doesn't exist just to serve her people. Just like a tactician doesn't exist just to make strategy. Yes, it is a part of their jobs, but it doesn't define their entire character. You're not just a princess. You're Lissa, the girl who loves to drop frogs down my coat, the girl who loves to laugh and have fun with her friends, the girl who I love." He finished, fishing around in his pocket for the box. He shifted himself from his position against the stone wall, propping himself onto one knee.

A breath caught in her throat at that particular word. Did he just say he loved her...?

"So Lissa, I must ask you this," He pulled her away from her thoughts, a grin spreading across his face. The dumb, lopsided grin that Lissa had come to adore. He opened the box, the diamond glinting in the warm summer sun. "Will you marry me?"

Her hands flew to her face, covering her open mouth. No matter how hard she tried, more tears formed in her eyes. She threw herself against Robin's chest, burying her face into the warm fabric of his coat, arms clutching him as tight as she possibly could. He was knocked backwards, landing on the soft grass as Lissa laid happily on his chest.

Lissa's tears were not of sadness. The feelings of heartache were long since discarded. The only feeling in her heart was pure, unhindered happiness. Screwing her eyes shut as Robin's warm arms wrapped around her waist, she let the floodgates open, wetting his familiar black and purple cloak with her tears.

"Yes! Yes! A million times yes!" Lissa shouted, her words muffled against the cloth of his coat. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you ask those words…" She practically collapsed into putty in his embrace. "I've loved you for so long… Since the very beginning."

Lifting her head from the crook of his neck, she found her lips crashing down onto Robin's, unable to resist the passionate kiss of her lover. She knew, at that moment, she didn't care what the rest of the world thought.

She was happy, he was happy, and nothing else mattered.