Author's Note: Well, this took a month to get out. I want to apologize sincerely for that. I took a week off doing absolutely nothing, as I had a crushing trimester in academics last from January to April. I've been horribly burnt out by it, and I really needed the break to rest and recuperate from the exhaustion. I apologize if there were any of you who felt I was dilly-dallying or thought I'd already killed the story three chapters in, but I do need to rest, as well.
I also would like to take this chance to address the review left by guest reviewer "Domino" before we continue on. As I can't reply to him via PM, he's a lucky fella because he gets to have the spotlight right here. I will probably be doing similar with other guest reviewers whose reviews carry concerns I feel should be addressed where everyone can see.
Anyways! Here goes. Domino, mate, I certainly won't stop updating this fic, don't you worry about that. It certainly didn't come off as rude, but I somehow felt that it did come off as rather insensitive. You have to understand that I have a life outside of this website. I have duties and obligations to my academics, to my family, and to my own well-being. This is a hobby of mine that I use to stimulate my mind and encourage my imagination. It's not something that puts food on the table. As for the suggestion of writing shorter chapters, it just doesn't fit my writing style. Every chapter is significant in some way, shape or form, and I try to make it come to life as much as I really can. Thank you very much for the thoughts, and I hope to hear from you again sometime. Cheers!
With that out of the way, we can move on back to the story proper. We've got a few new changes also being introduced this chapter, as well, so I hope you all enjoy them.
As usual, feel free to leave a review or shoot me a PM for questions, discussions, thoughts, and concerns - though I will admit that reviews will always be more appreciated; I get really happy every time that counter ticks up another number. I'll be happy to reply to you at the soonest possible opportunity to address anything my readers might want to say. Flames, as usual, will be used for cooking fondue.
With that said, happy reading - and hopefully reviewing! Naga be with you all!
Chapter 2 – A New Beginning
Location: Ylisstol
"So this is Ylisstol, the capital of Ylisse… I've never seen so many people!"
Robin looked around with an awestruck expression, his attention nowhere and everywhere at once as he took his first steps into Ylisstol, the capital city of the Halidom of Ylisse. They'd arrived on the morning of the day after the battle in the forest, well ahead of their original schedule due to Chrom setting a punishing pace and allowing them to slow down only when the city was in sight and they could confirm that none of the destruction from the forest had befallen the capital. Luckily, they'd managed to avoid any other encounters the rest of the way, though Robin couldn't help but be slightly disappointed that they hadn't seen hide or hair of Marth, either.
The snow-haired tactician was exhausted from the previous days' battles and march – not to mention having been wounded and healed more than once within the same amount of time – but it had all disappeared from his body as soon as he'd stepped through the city's large gates, replaced instead by awe and wonder.
It was both similar and completely different from Southtown. The hustle and bustle of everyday life pervaded the streets, people moving to and fro as they went about their business. The tactician watched and listened with interest as he walked, taking in all the sights and sounds of the city and etching it all into his memories. Almost everyone, he noticed, carried at least one thing or another that was probably necessary to their daily lives, from small portfolios to baskets and larger bags. Merchants and vendors called to the passers-by from their stalls, displaying all manner of wares and negotiating deals every which way.
But where Southtown had been exactly what its name and its chief suggested – a humble town of simple means – Ylisstol was a sprawling upscale metropolis enclosed by high walls and divided into many different wards and districts. In the distance, he could see the royal palace of the Exalt standing upon the crest of a hill that occupied the exact center of the original castle town, almost as if to represent how the Exalt was watching over her subjects with a careful eye.
"Captain Chrom!" the red-haired cavalier called out from the rear of the group, jolting Robin from his thoughts and bringing him back to the real world.
The blue-haired man stopped just before the next intersection and turned, prompting the rest of the group to stop, as well. They were treated to an almost comical sight. The red-headed cavalier Sully, her expression one of annoyance, had one hand out as she attempted to keep the silvery blue-haired archer Virion at arm's length while the other held onto the reins of her steed as she guided it through the crowd. Whether Sully was doing it more for her own sanity or Virion's safety, no one could begin to guess.
Robin took a moment to recall what he'd learned of their two new companions as they'd made their way to Ylisstol.
'Yeah, I really should try to do a better job at this whole memory thing.'
Sully was another one of Chrom's Shepherds, clad in armor the same fiery shade as her short, untamed hair. She was loyal to a fault, and, without a doubt, a tomboy who could slug it out with any man worth his salt. Aside from the fact that she was built with the physique of a champion female wrestler if her toned shoulders and upper arms were any indicator, Sully also possessed a certain spirited zealousness that radiated self-confidence and passion for her chosen livelihood, something which was quite easy for Robin to admire in a comrade.
"We'll split off here, make a quick detour, and then meet up at the barracks, that alright?" she said. "Those moaning piles of crap put up a hell of a fight, and I'm pretty sure Ruffles over here wants to sit his arse down in front of a mirror after all of that action."
… Her spirited, aggressive demeanor also ended up influencing her language. Robin could swear that even in his forgotten past life he'd probably never met someone with a mouth as coarse and vulgar as Sully's, and he probably never would in this new one. Even those brigands from Southtown might probably blush at some of the things that came out of her mouth.
Not that any of this mattered to Virion, apparently, as he hadn't stopped trying to flirt with Sully ever since the conclusion of the pre-dawn battle against those creatures.
The silvery blue-haired archer was a fairly recent addition to the Shepherds, as well, Robin had been more than a little surprised to learn. With fair features, long, impeccably groomed silvery blue hair, a refined, sophisticated air about him, and a frilly long-sleeved shirt and cravat ensemble that only someone of high society could stomach wearing, Virion gave Robin the impression of a typical aristocrat. However, his shoulder armor, arm brace, rugged traveling trousers, vest, and knee-high combat boots helped to balance his fashion sense's dedication to form with some measure of function.
"Ruffles? Sweet Sully, I'll have you know that this is the epitome of high fashion!" Virion replied, flipping some of his long hair back. "Granted, some may not quite understand its charms at first, but, once you do, you'll find no greater paragon of nobility than I!"
… He also had a habit of being quite the braggart, as well as a persistent flirt. The man certainly didn't know how to give up, and every rebuffed advance only spurred him on to redouble his efforts the next time. Robin had a hard time remembering a point in time during their journey when he hadn't been trying to hit on Sully. On the subject, he wasn't quite sure how the hot-tempered cavalier hadn't managed to kill the man yet.
"The hell, you're still going on about that?" she asked, turning on the archer fully and gripping a fistful of his vest and shirt with one hand as she drew her other back. "Well, you can take your 'nobility' and shove it right up your –!"
Chrom cleared his throat, placing a hand on Sully's fist before she could throw a punch. "That will be quite enough, Sully, Virion," he said firmly, stopping the scuffle before it could actually begin. "Sully, try not to threaten and kill your fellow Shepherds. Virion, try not to harass our female members."
Sully deflated, loosening her grip on Virion's shirt and allowing the man to straighten out his appearance. Both wore sheepish looks as they apologized, looking almost like children who were being scolded for poor behavior.
"Sorry, Captain." "My apologies, sir."
Chrom smiled. "Good," he said. "With that out of the way, you can head on back and get some rest. You've both earned it. Good work, you two."
The two Shepherds both gave Chrom respectful nods, the red-headed cavalier taking the reins of Frederick's steed from the larger knight and promising to take it to the stables. The pair took the path to the group's right, Virion immediately attempting to start up another conversation as they wove their way into the flow of traffic with the two horses following behind them. Robin watched them walk as they disappeared into the crowd, Virion's voice fading even as Sully's curses and threats continued to carry over the din. The tactician couldn't help but crack a wry smile. The red-headed cavalier certainly had some lungs in her.
Robin turned back to Chrom as Sully's voice finally faded into the distance. "It's quite the atmosphere here, huh," he said, gesturing around him with a hand. "I don't think anyone's the wiser about what happened out in the forest last night."
Frederick nodded. "It seems the capital was spared the chaos we encountered, thank the gods," he remarked. "I see no evidence here of the great quake… it must have just been limited to the forest road, then."
"Well that's a relief!" Lissa said, smiling cheerfully.
The snow-haired tactician offered up a small smile of his own. "Now that we know that, might I suggest that we take a slightly less urgent pace, now?" he said, nodding slightly towards Lissa. The blonde girl did a valiant job of hiding it, but it was clear she'd been worn out by the previous day's events and the pace of today's march even more than he had. Robin, too, was a bit winded, but he somehow found it in him to keep up with the almost-brutal pace that Chrom had set in his rush to return home.
Chrom chuckled tiredly, at last offering the first signs of his own physical limits. "I suppose we could slow down a little bit," he said, before jerking his head in the direction of the Exalt's palace. "But we should keep moving. The Exalt needs to know about yesterday's events."
"Hey, you're the boss," Robin replied, shrugging lightly. The group made to set off towards the palace once more, this time at a pace more in line with that of the people walking around them. However, they had only traveled a few blocks more before they came across quite the commotion.
"Look! The Exalt has come to see us!" an older man yelled from down the road, near the next intersection where two of the outer wards' main roads met. The man's words seemed to inspire something in the people, as suddenly everyone was flocking in his direction with a distinct sense of excitement.
Robin felt a sense of curiosity well up within him, and he too made his way towards the edge of the crowd that had formed on one side of the city's main road, his three companions following behind him. As the pathway he was on was heading downhill, it was easy enough for him to see over the heads of those in front of him, giving him a clear view of the source of the excitement. Flanked by lance-wielding female knights, some of whom were sitting astride winged horses – pegasus knights, his mind absently reminded him – was a serene, blonde-haired woman clad in gold-trimmed white and green robes.
"So… that's the Exalt…" he murmured, watching as she waved to the people with a gentle smile. He turned to face his companions. "She's your ruler, isn't she?"
It was Frederick who answered the tactician's inquiry. "That is correct," the knight responded. "Her name is Lady Emmeryn."
Robin looked back at the Exalt as she continued to greet and be greeted by the common folk. "Lady Emmeryn…" he murmured, looking around and noticing that they were a fair distance away from the walls that separated the outer wards from the castle town proper. Frowning, he turned to face his companions again. "Say, Chrom… is it safe for her to walk among the commoners like this? Even with an escort, she's still painfully exposed to danger."
Frederick shook his head. "The Exalt is a symbol of peace – Ylisse's most prized quality," he responded again. At Robin's questioning look, the larger man seemed to remember the snow-haired man's amnesia and launched into an explanation. "Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the Fell Dragon Grima tried to destroy the world. However, disaster was averted by the efforts of the first Exalt, who joined forces with the Divine Dragon Naga in order to combat the beast's scourge. Exalt Emmeryn reminds us all of the hard-won peace that so many fought and died for in those days."
Chrom let out an easy sigh. "With Plegia poking at our borders and looking to instigate a war, the people need her more than ever," he added. "She's a calming presence, when some amongst both the people and the nobility might call for war."
With that said, the blue-haired man gave Robin a pat on the shoulder. "Come on, we should get going," he said as he turned towards the palace once more, Lissa and Frederick following his lead.
The tactician gave one final glance towards the Exalt and her retinue. He watched them for a brief moment more before he turned and jogged after his companions, falling into step with Chrom as they entered the wealthier castle town district.
"We're heading to the palace so you can meet with the Exalt, right?" he asked. When Chrom nodded, Robin continued. "So, is there anything I might need to know – any courtly manners or whatnot – before I do or say something in there that gets me hanged? I am technically only two days old, you know."
Chrom laughed. "Don't you worry about that, friend," he said, grinning at Robin's query. "Exalt Emmeryn is kind and forgiving, both as a ruler and as a person. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd rather sit you down in a room and give you a crash course on court etiquette. Take it from me when I say that getting hanged might be a more favorable outcome than going through one of her lectures, though. I've had to sit through more of them than I'd care to remember."
Frederick shook his head. "Perhaps if milord actually cared to pay attention to and follow the rules more often, he wouldn't have to be lectured by Lady Emmeryn over and over again," Frederick remarked. Lissa giggled to herself at the remark, prompting Chrom to shoot her and the knight a dirty look.
"Shut up, Frederick," the blue-haired man said, turning back just as Robin wiped his own grin from his face. "That said… Emmeryn loves and cares for the people more than any other ruler Ylisse has had or probably ever will have. You'll be fine."
Robin nodded. "Huh, I see… she truly sounds like quite the benevolent ruler," he remarked. "The Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her."
"She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!" Lissa chirped from beside Robin as the group approached the palace gates.
"Yes I imagine she would be…" Robin mumbled absently as the gates opened at their arrival, allowing them entry. The guards saluted the group as they passed, Chrom waving at them in return as they made their way onto the palace grounds. The snow-haired tactician initially didn't pay the exchange any attention, focused as he was on admiring the simple elegance of the palace's architecture and studying its defensibility as a stronghold.
However, Robin's brows furrowed as he suddenly realized they'd just waltzed into the royal palace without so much as a question asked.
That was when Lissa's words – and his own – finally registered in his head.
'Wait, did she just say big sister?!'
Robin suddenly stopped walking. "… Hold on a second. She's your what?!" he blurted out, surprise clearly evident by his wide eyes and lack of modulation. "But wouldn't that make you and Chrom…"
Frederick almost smiled. "The prince and princess of the realm, yes," he finished for Robin in a tone that made it sound as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You remember milord's name and not this?"
Lissa giggled at Robin's slack jawed expression as she overtook the utterly gobsmacked tactician and spun around to face him, offering him a cheeky grin.
"Y-you said that you were 'shepherds'!" Robin spluttered, looking back and forth between Chrom and Lissa.
Chrom laughed at Robin's confused outburst. "And so we are… in a manner of speaking," he said, slapping the shell-shocked tactician on the shoulder. "We just have a lot of sheep."
Robin blinked once, twice, as his mouth continued its fairly accurate impression of a fish. When his mind finally began working again, he did the first thing that he could think of doing in the presence of royalty he'd actually been conversing with so casually and irreverently: he dropped to one knee and lowered his head in shame.
"C-Chrom… I mean, Prince Chrom! Sire! Forgive my dreadful manners!"
The blue-haired prince burst out laughing as he took Robin's arm and hoisted the man back up to his feet. "Robin, please raise your head. Just 'Chrom' is fine," he said. "I've never been much for formalities."
"Hence all the lectures you've had to sit through!" Lissa quipped.
Chrom mock-scowled at Lissa, but it quickly melted into a good-natured smile, making Robin give a small one as well as he realized that he wasn't about to be sent to the gallows for any transgressions.
"The prince and princess, huh…" he murmured, a sudden thought occurring to him as he gazed at Frederick, who he now realized must be the two siblings' personal bodyguard. "I suppose that explains why Frederick tolerates all the teasing, eh?"
The knight nodded. "Indeed," he affirmed, before taking on a tone of long suffering. "Oh, the sacrifices I make for the good of the realm…"
Chrom looked up, prompting Robin to turn and notice a group of pegasus knights rising up into the air from one of the castle town's main squares. It appeared that Emmeryn and her entourage were finished with their rounds, and were already making their way back to the palace.
"Looks like Emm is returning to the palace," the prince remarked as the formation made to land within the largest of the castle towers. He smiled at Robin. "Would you like to go and meet her?"
Robin could only nod in reply.
Location: Exalt's Palace
As soon as he'd stepped through the arched entryway just beyond the large oaken main doors, Robin found himself nearly floored by what lay before him. The palace's main atrium was a large, almost-cavernous open space with light filtering in through strategically-placed glass windows. Several white marble columns stood arrayed around the large central space, each one intricately carved with a piece of Ylissean royal history, while banners – each one bearing the same crest that Chrom bore on his exposed right shoulder – decorated either side of the grand hall. Flanking the oaken doors at the other end of the hall were two grand staircases that led up to the second floor walkway which extended out to balconies overlooking the entire chamber.
Robin hadn't had much of an opportunity to take a closer look, as Frederick had ushered him along in Chrom and Lissa's wake before he could get lost in his distraction.
"If milord has his way, there will be plenty of time for sight-seeing, surely," the knight said, prompting a dry chuckle from the snow-haired amnesiac.
As they walked, it became very apparent to Robin just how well-liked Ylisse's royal family was. Chrom and Lissa greeted and were greeted by patrolling guardsmen and staff alike with warmth and familiarity, keeping with Chrom's earlier insistence that he be addressed informally in spite of his station. Frederick, too, exchanged pleasantries with many of the castle guards that their little party came across, giving Robin the impression that the stern knight was also in good standing in spite of – or maybe even because of – his near-fanatical dedication to Chrom and Lissa's safety.
The snow-haired tactician noted that the staff still maintained their courtesy and a measure of friendliness with him, but it came as no surprise that they were more than a little curious about the stranger following along after their prince and princess. The questioning looks many of the staff members were sending his way – obviously, he might add, in spite of their attempts to be discrete – made that point quite clear.
Robin really couldn't blame them for being a little guarded. He was a complete mystery, and any unknown figure who also happened to be quite clearly armed would definitely be quite the cause for suspicion.
'Just ask Frederick the Wary over here…'
The snow-haired amnesiac couldn't help but think the presence of the ever-vigilant knight was probably what allowed the staff to keep to some measure of normalcy – surely, if Frederick had not gutted the newcomer or led him off to the dungeons yet, then there would not be too much cause for concern.
The two royal siblings led the way through the twists and turns of the palace, reaching inner areas that outlined just how big the palace really was. Robin couldn't help but look around as they walked, his mind automatically filing away details about their route even as it also absently brought up names of events and people being depicted by paintings and sculptures that decorated the palace's hallways.
It wasn't long before their small group had reached another set of oaken doors, though Robin noted these doors held a much more ornate appearance than any others and had two armed and armored knights standing guard. In fact, looking around, this entire area seemed a fair bit more extravagant than the rest of the palace that the snow-haired man had seen thus far.
Chrom raised a hand as he approached, the guards reacting to the signal by grasping onto the handles on either side of the heavy doors and slowly pulling them open. The prince and princess passed without question, the guards saluting as they did so, but Robin could clearly feel the two tense up as he followed after Frederick.
'Clearly, people assigned to protect royalty are required to be pretty jumpy,' the snow-haired man thought dryly as the doors closed behind him, before his pace slowed as he took in his new surroundings.
Robin found himself in a grand hall that stretched on for several meters, light streaming in through the countless windows on both sides of the hall. Emerald banners decorated with an intricate pattern hung from the pillars that lined either side of the large chamber, with a larger banner – bearing what the snow-haired man recognized as Ylisse's coat of arms – hanging over the throne located on the dais at the end of the hall.
Waiting to meet them halfway, however, was the Exalt Emmeryn herself. A stern, steel-haired woman in light, ornate armor stood at attention at the right hand of Ylisse's monarch – a bodyguard of some sort, he'd hazarded. Robin briefly wondered why the Exalt had deigned to meet them like this, but he figured that a meeting between family members would allow for this sort of informality as opposed to a traditional royal audience. Still, he decided it would be best to keep back and keep silent for the time being.
"Chrom, Lissa! Welcome home!" the Exalt greeted in a soft, gentle tone, her arms spread in welcome. Lissa wasted no time launching herself into Emmeryn's waiting arms, her own arms encircling her elder sibling's waist. Chrom was calmer about it, but he as well came in close to embrace his older sister.
Now that they were closer, Robin finally had the chance to examine the young woman who ruled over Ylisse. The Exalt Emmeryn couldn't have been older than twenty-four or twenty-five years of age, but her grey-green eyes held a look that spoke to wisdom far beyond her years. She was of a regal bearing, and possessed a serene beauty and tranquil charisma that left Robin utterly awed by her presence. She was definitely Chrom and Lissa's elder sister, possessing long blonde hair not unlike her younger sister's done up in braids and plaits that framed a face that seemingly derived the best of both her younger siblings. However, what caught Robin's eye was the pinkish crest adorning the pale skin of her forehead. It was the same as what Chrom bore on his shoulder, and which was emblazoned on many banners throughout the castle. He resolved to ask someone about it the first chance he got.
The Exalt looked up, seemingly unencumbered by her younger sister who remained latched onto her. "Good day to you, as well, Frederick," she said, the addressed knight snapping to attention even as Emmeryn turned back to Chrom. "How fared you all?"
Chrom smiled. "Everything went quite well," the prince answered. "We shouldn't have any bandit problems for a while."
Emmeryn returned Chrom's smile. "Wonderful," she said, her relief palpable through her words. "And our people?"
"Safe as they can be, Emm," Chrom said, before his expression soured. "However, we still need to watch the borders carefully. The brigands crossed over from Plegia."
The stern woman standing at the Exalt's shoulder frowned at the news. "Forgive me, milord," she said, clearly ashamed. "My pegasus knights should have intercepted them."
Robin immediately decided that the female knight was not one to be trifled with, in spite of her smaller stature. She had harsh, angular features that were made all the more prominent by her stern expression, although a beauty mark just beneath her eye managed to soften the severity of her countenance. Her steel-colored hair was pulled back into a tight bun, leaving fewer locks of hair free to frame sharp rust-red eyes. She was clad in a long-sleeved blue tunic and loose-fitting trousers which partially revealed her dark stockings, while ornate armor the color of polished bronze adorned her shoulders, breast, forearms, hips, and lower legs. While a slight woman, she held herself with the sort of bearing that one could expect from a veteran warrior.
Chrom shook his head at her words. "No, Phila," he said. "You're the wing commander of Ylisse's pegasus knights. Your duty was here, with the Exalt."
Lissa grinned up at Emmeryn. "And besides, we had plenty of help!" she chirped cheerfully.
With that, the Exalt suddenly turned her attention to Robin, who'd been doing his best to remain unnoticed. "Ah, you speak of your new companion here?" she asked lightly, the same gentle smile still gracing her features.
'Damn it, Lissa…'
Chrom nodded, placing a hand on Robin's shoulder to guide him forward. "This is Robin," he said in introduction. "We found him passed out in a field, and he has no recollection of how he came to be there… or anything else for that matter."
"Your Grace," the snow-haired man said, placing his right fist on his left chest and giving her a respectful half-bow that he somehow knew was acceptable for informal meetings with members of court. In fact, he could see both Lissa and Phila wearing expressions of surprise, and he most certainly could feel Frederick's questioning gaze all but burning a hole in the back of his head.
Emmeryn's perfect eyebrows rose in surprise – but whether it was from Robin's gesture or from learning about his amnesia, he couldn't be sure. Her smile had also dimmed slightly, tinged as it was with a bit of sadness and sympathy for Robin's situation.
"In spite of that, he fought bravely with us against those brigands, and his efforts were quite the contribution to seeing us home unharmed," Chrom continued, though Robin could tell he was also surprised slightly by him knowing exactly how to react.
The Exalt blinked once, slowly. "I see… it sounds as though Ylisse owes you a debt of gratitude, Robin," she said warmly, her head inclined in gratitude as her smile brightened once more. "You have my sincerest thanks."
"N-not at all, milady!" Robin stammered out, his cheeks growing as warm as the Exalt's words and smile. He heard Lissa giggle, and even Phila herself had the barest hints of a smile on her face.
Chrom chuckled. "I've known him for only a day and a half, but in that short space of time I've come to respect his martial prowess and his expertise in the field of tactics and strategy," he said, surprising both Phila and Emmeryn – not to mention Robin himself – with such a glowing assessment. "It's because of these attributes that I've decided to make him a Shepherd, and hopefully he'll agree to lend us his services as our resident tactician."
Robin's eyebrows shot up as he stared at Chrom with wide eyes. 'You want me to be your what?!' he screamed silently at his benefactor. The blue-haired prince only shrugged and offered him an apologetic smile, discretely mouthing 'I'll tell you later'.
"Forgive me, Your Grace, but I must speak," Frederick suddenly said, drawing the attention of the three royal siblings.
The dsnow-haired amnesiac almost chuckled at the predictability of it all. 'Ah, right on schedule.'
"Robin here claims to have lost his memory, but it is only that: a claim," the knight stated. "We cannot rule out the possibility that he is a brigand himself, or perhaps even a spy for Plegia or some other foreign nation. The very talents that milord speaks so highly of are the very reasons that I have to view his story and circumstances with suspicion."
Chrom scowled, clearly displeased. "Frederick!" he growled out, but a raised hand from Emmeryn silenced him from anything he was about to say.
"Frederick's concerns are valid, Chrom… and yet you allowed him into the castle, regardless," she said, glancing back at the amnesiac, who watched and listened calmly. "Does this man have your trust?"
Chrom nodded without hesitation. "He does, sister. He fought alongside us, and risked his life for our people without any hesitation." Chrom suddenly smiled. "That's good enough for me."
Emmeryn's quiet eyes searched Robin's own, making the snow-haired man feel as if that unassuming gaze was peering deep into his soul. He met her gaze steadily, at the very least trying to hide the glimmers of doubt and uncertainty he was feeling. After a few moments that felt as if they were stretched out for an eternity, the Exalt blinked, once, and nodded slightly as if satisfied by what she had seen.
"Well then, Robin…" she said, her lips turning upwards into a reassuring smile. "It seems you've earned Chrom's faith, and as such you shall have mine, as well." She extended a pale, slender hand towards him. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I welcome you to Ylisstol."
Robin looked at the extended hand, then at Emmeryn's smiling face, then back to her unwavering hand. The snow-haired man helplessly looked at Chrom and Lissa, who both gave reassuring nods and smiles as if to say that it was alright.
Swallowing nervously, Robin took the Exalt's hand and cupped it in both of his as he bowed his head deeply. "T-thank you, milady," he said. "… You honor me with your faith and trust."
Emmeryn shared a smile with her two siblings before turning to Frederick. "Regardless, Frederick… thank you for your prudence, as always," she said, a twinkle in her eye as she eyed her two younger siblings. "Chrom and Lissa are truly blessed to have so tireless a guardian. I do hope they remember to mention that from time to time…"
"They occasionally express something akin to gratitude, Your Grace," the knight replied, a slight smile crossing his lips as Emmeryn turned a pointed look on her sheepish siblings. However, he quickly turned serious once more and addressed his counterpart standing at Emmeryn's shoulder. "Phila, I assume you've heard about the deathly creatures we've encountered."
Phila nodded gravely. "Yes, milord," she replied. "My knights have reported sightings all across Ylisse."
"We are about to hold council to determine how best to address these threats," Emmeryn added. "It would be a great boon if you were to join us, Chrom."
"Of course, sister."
Lissa moved over to Robin's side. "Well! I think that's our cue, Robin!" she chirped as she hooked an arm through the newly-christened tactician's own and began to pull him along.
"Wait, what? What cue?" the snow-haired man said, stumbling over his words and his own feet as Lissa pulled him towards the audience chamber's exit.
Lissa grinned, still tugging him along. "We shouldn't get in the way of the council, silly!" she said. "Besides, someone has to give you the grand tour of the palace!"
Looking back as he continued to be dragged towards the doors, Robin sent a silent plea for help. Much to his chagrin, the Exalt wouldn't be much help to him. Emmeryn's shoulders shook silently as a delicate hand came up to her mouth, clearly trying to stifle her poorly-concealed laughter at what was undoubtedly a pathetic expression on his face. Chrom had a grin on his face, the man also enjoying the scene playing out before him even as Frederick scowled in obvious displeasure.
Robin shot Chrom a betrayed look, the man offering a slight wave as the doors closed. He turned to Lissa as the younger princess released his arm and let out a relieved sigh.
"Oh, thank Naga you were around, Robin," she said. "I hate it when councils are in session!"
The newly-christened tactician frowned in thought. "As a member of royalty, though, shouldn't you be in there?"
Lissa pouted. "Don't even start, Robin. I get enough of that from Frederick," she said, eliciting a chuckle from the snow-haired man.
"Alright, alright," he said, still grinning. "So… where are we off to?"
Several minutes later, Robin found himself still following Lissa as they walked through an open hallway that ran along one side of the palace's main courtyard. They were now on the way to their last stop, the palace garrison wing, which also served as the home base for Chrom's Shepherds. As their newest member, Lissa had told him that there were introductions to be made in order to start integrating him within the troop as quickly as possible.
The snow-haired man had to admit that – in spite of her carefree nature – Lissa was actually quite the effective and knowledgeable tour guide. She'd given him an extensive tour of the entire palace that took him to every single nook and cranny from the grand ballroom to the royal dining hall, all the while giving him a wealth of information about each venue. The only areas he hadn't been allowed entry into were the royal apartments where the Exalt and her family lived, as well as a few other places of sensitive nature such as the treasury and the royal vault. Lissa had apologized, saying that there would have been a few problems if she'd done so, but Robin had reassured her that it hadn't bothered him.
Nonetheless, the tactician had taken in everything he had been shown and told, absorbing information like a sponge and committing the palace layout to memory as he was led from area to area and floor to floor.
Still, Robin couldn't help but flush lightly in embarrassment as he recalled when Lissa had giggled at the wide-eyed look of wonder that had settled upon his features upon stepping into the palace library. It was a large, two-story chamber that was lit – much like many of the palace's chambers and halls – by several well-placed windows, giving it a cozy atmosphere in spite of its size.
What had really caught Robin's attention, though, was the library's absolutely massive book collection. It was pretty much like unearthing a gold mine, as far as he was concerned. Both levels of the chamber were lined with rows upon rows of high shelves packed to the brim with books of all kinds and about all manner of topics, while several reading areas with well-furnished tables, couches, and chairs were interspersed amongst the various sections of literature, providing visitors a comfortable place to sit down and read. It was almost like heaven on earth, and Robin had pretty much decided right then and there what his favorite place in the palace would be. He was sure he could spend entire weeks reading and still not run out of new books to peruse.
"Here we are! The Shepherds' garrison!" Lissa suddenly announced, jolting Robin out of his thoughts. Looking around, he found himself in the outer bailey of what he quickly recognized as one of the palace's forts. A modest two-story garrison stood before him as the fort's inner bailey while a stable occupied its own side of the enclosure, leaving a generous amount of space for what the tactician assumed was an open training area.
Lissa nudged Robin forward. "Come on, let me show you around so you can feel a little bit more at home!" she said cheerily. The pair trotted forward, receiving a yelled greeting and an uncharacteristically girlish wave from Sully, who was tending to her steed in the stable. Lissa waved back while Robin simply raised a hand in greeting before they continued on.
Walking through the main door, Robin found himself mildly surprised. It lacked the extravagance of the rest of the royal palace, but it was cozy and well-furnished while still maintaining the functionality required of any military building. The entrance opened up into a modest foyer, with a staircase leading up to the living quarters that took up the second floor. A door at the back of the first floor opened up into a hallway that led into the kitchen and mess hall, the garrison's armory and supply room, and a common room that Robin surmised probably served as an off-duty gathering place.
It was there that Robin found Virion and three people doing something or other to pass the time.
Virion sat alone at a low table, a tea set made of fine porcelain laid out before him as he lazed casually with one leg crossed over the other. He was still dressed as he had been earlier – complete with ruffles and all – but whether it was the exact same outfit or merely an identical set of his absurdly fine wear, Robin couldn't tell.
The self-proclaimed 'archest of archers' offered up a nod and a smile in greeting as Robin and Lissa entered, raising his teacup to them in a salute before bringing it to his lips.
"Hi, everyone! We're back!" Lissa called out cheerfully.
One of the others in the room, a blonde girl who'd been burying her nose in a thick, heavy tome, suddenly perked up at the sound of Lissa's voice. Her hair was styled into several curled tails that were held in place by two large ribbons, while she was dressed in frilly, high-quality riding clothes that complemented her fair complexion and lent her an impression of upper-class femininity. However, like the flirtatious archer, the blonde girl also managed to maintain some form of practicality, if her brown leather riding boots and hip armor were anything to go by.
The girl turned to look, and her expression instantly brightened as she caught sight of Lissa. Before Robin could realize what had happened, she'd bolted out of her chair and rushed at them, bodily barging Robin out of the way as she barrelled into Lissa and enfolded her in a tight hug.
"Lissa, my treasure!" the smiling girl said in a refined, well-modulated voice that all but screamed at Robin she was indeed of the nobility. "Are you alright? I've been on pins and needles this whole time! Ooh… when your supposed arrival time came and went without any word from you, I was completely overcome with worry!"
"Oh, hey, Marribelle!" Lissa said, returning the other girl's affection.
The blonde girl – Maribelle – released Lissa and pouted at the princess, glaring in mock anger. "'Oh, hey' yourself!" she replied. "I've sprouted fourteen grey hairs fretting over you!" She immediately sifted delicate gloved fingers through strands of blonde hair, pulling out a few follicles that had indeed begun to go grey at the roots.
"Aw, you worry too much! I'm fine; I can handle a battle or two!" Lissa replied, offering up a smile and doing as good a job as any of hiding her exhaustion from Maribelle. However, she paused, and the smile quickly turned into a grimace. "… Although I could have done without the bugs and the bear barbecue…"
Robin turned as a muscular man stood from his seat and approached the three. His wild, unkempt blonde hair was pulled back by a headband, and provided a strange contrast to his suntanned skin that was likely the result of his choice of clothing – or lack thereof. He wore no shirt, leaving the chiselled muscles of his upper body bare save for the steel brace that protected his neck and lower abdomen and the leather arm guard that covered his left arm from hand to shoulder.
"Hey there, squirt!" he called out to Lissa, making Maribelle instantly wrinkle her nose in disgust. "Where's Chrom? I bet he had a rough time without good ol' Teach and his trusty axe there to bail him out!"
Maribelle simply rolled her eyes at the man's blatant ego, while Lissa on the other hand snickered in a decidedly devious manner.
"Oh, so you're 'Teach' now, Vaike?" she asked, giggling at the opportunity presented for some ribbing. "And here I thought people were just born lacking wits. It can be taught?"
Vaike puffed his chest out with pride. "Ha! Never doubt the Vaike!" he said, before something occurred to him and he spluttered. "Hey… wait, was that an insult?!"
Before Lissa could continue to tease Vaike, the third person – a slight, brunette woman – stepped forward from where she'd been perusing a bookshelf at the back. Her general posture, and the way she held her hands together in front of her told Robin she was a shy and timid sort who lacked the experience that the others seemed to have… but her bronze-colored light armor, short purple dress, and thigh-high riding boots were still characteristic of pegasus knights based on what he'd seen earlier from Emmeryn's honor guard and Wing Commander Phila, so Robin would withhold his judgement until he saw her in action.
"B-beg pardon, but when might we see the captain…?" she asked shakily, her voice quivering with her nervousness.
Again, Maribelle rolled her eyes, and Robin slowly began to find himself disliking the noble girl's haughty demeanor.
"Poor Sumia," the girl said, her voice laced with a mix of exasperation, a surprising amount of sympathy… and just that slight hint of mischief. "She's simply been beside herself with concern… Her eyes were scanning the horizon all day during training as she held her breath and waited for her beloved to reappear… I fear she might have actually earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded."
The timid pegasus knight's cheeks dusted dark pink at Maribelle's statement.
"Aw, Sumia, that's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom!" Lissa cooed, smiling deviously.
Sumia's blush darkened to a shade of red. "W-worry? Well, I… h-he's our captain, so… um… a-and he's also the prince! O-of course I'd worry!" she stammered out, clearly flustered by the two girls' insinuations.
'Huh… interesting, looks like Chrom has a not-so-secret admirer. I should probably take note of this. Something good might come out of it.'
Robin attempted to stifle his laughter as Lissa and Maribelle giggled, obviously pleased by how easily the pegasus knight had worked herself into a blushing, stammering wreck.
"So, who's the stranger?" Vaike suddenly asked, noticing Robin for the first time. "A new guy?"
"Oh!" Lissa exclaimed, quickly shooting Robin an apologetic look with her wide eyes as the rest of the group suddenly turned their attention to the unfamiliar newcomer.
"First off, no one's stranger than you, Vaike," she said, giving the man a cheeky grin before pulling Robin forward. "But allow me to introduce Robin! He's just joined the Shepherds, and Chrom's decided to make him our new tactician. You should see all the tricks he has up his sleeve!"
Vaike barked out a laugh. "Hah! Oh yeah? But can he do this?" he said, pounding a fist against his chest and producing a hearty belch.
From his table, Virion scoffed at the display. "How repulsive," he muttered, taking another sip from his tea.
"That's Vaike for you…" Lissa snickered, trying to hide her laughter lest she be on the receiving end of Maribelle's ire, the other blonde girl already glaring at the shirtless man.
Robin, on the other hand, blinked for a moment before barking out a quick laugh. 'Oh, man, this guy is a riot!'
"I'm sure I have much to learn from you in the belching arts, O great and illustrious Teach," he said dryly, still chuckling as he took an exaggerated bow. "In any case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances."
"Ugh, Vaike, that was abhorrent! Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery?!" Maribelle shouted before turning her attention to the newly-introduced tactician. "And you! Robin! Do not encourage his deplorable behavior by laughing at such a vulgar display! With such a station as yours needing someone well-educated, I'd have hoped you would be cut from finer cloth than this!"
Robin frowned as Maribelle let out a quick 'hmph', turning up her nose and storming off without another word. '… Yeah, nice to meet you, too…' he thought, wondering how things had gone south that quickly within just a few minutes of meeting his new companions.
Sumia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't take her words to heart, Robin," she said soothingly as she led him over to a table. "Maribelle… warms to people slowly."
"Or burns too quickly," Lissa quipped jokingly, giggling to herself as she sat down. "But yeah… just give her some time. She'll come around."
Robin nodded. "I see… I certainly hope so…" he murmured.
"Heh. Here the Vaike thought she was just a prissy little snob," Vaike added in a low tone, making Robin smile lightly.
'At least he had the tact to not let anyone else hear that,' he thought to himself as the rest began to chat amicably.
Joining the conversation, Robin quickly found himself warming up to Sumia, Vaike, and Virion as they spoke at length about a great many topics. He and Lissa took turns explaining yesterday's events to the rest: Robin's situation, the bandit attack at Southtown, and the midnight forest fire and encounter with the strange monsters. Virion stepped in every now and then to add his own facts and points which – contrary to Robin's expectations – were actually quite accurate and detailed. Robin would have been surprised by how observant Virion actually was, but the man was an archer – the 'archest of archers', as he was prone to remind everyone within earshot. Observation skills and a keen eye were part of the skill set one would normally expect from someone of his profession.
On the other hand, Sumia explained as much as she could about the Shepherds, although Lissa took over for her when the pegasus knight stood, saying she just needed to get something from the kitchen. Robin listened as the two filled him in and answered his questions on the Shepherds' role in Ylisse's military, their numbers and composition, their skills, and everything else in between that he might need to know about who he would be working with. Apparently, he hadn't met all the Shepherds, as quite a few of them were part-time members who usually worked in other roles and jobs throughout the royal palace or the military and only joined up when the group was set to undertake a mission.
'They're… definitely not bad people,' Robin thought, although he wished he'd gotten off to a better start with Maribelle. Speaking of the girl, he noticed that she'd stepped back into the room, though only to pick up the book she'd left on the table before offering a quick farewell to Lissa. She gave Robin a critical eye, but then turned away as she left once more. He sighed, and Lissa gave him a reassuring pat.
Before Robin could do or say anything else, he suddenly tensed up, feeling as if he was being watched from somewhere. He discretely took a look around the room, trying to find anything out of the ordinary. The tactician did a double-take when he thought he saw a large man in heavy armor waving at him from another table, but his second look showed an empty table, making him wonder whether he'd just been imagining things.
He shook his head. 'Either this building is haunted, or I'm hallucinating,' he thought to himself, wondering whether amnesia really was his only mental problem.
However, Robin was distracted from his thoughts when a plate of freshly-made sandwiches was placed in front of him.
'… Or maybe I'm just hungry,' the tactician thought as his mouth nearly watered at the sight. He looked up at his benefactor, finding a smiling Sumia looking down at him.
"You and Lissa look tired," she replied, nodding towards where Lissa had begun to attack her own plate. "… I imagine things can't have been easy for you yesterday, either."
Robin was about to say something, but he was cut off by his stomach grumbling in protest as it chose that moment to remind him that his last meal was the leftover bear meat he'd had the previous evening – they hadn't had much chance to catch anything else in their rush to return to the capital.
Sumia giggled as she offered the snow-haired man a knowing smile. "See? Go on, now, tuck in."
Blushing lightly in embarrassment, Robin settled for a simple "Thank you" before digging in gratefully.
Virion chuckled. "At least someone here had a decent upbringing," he said, glancing at Vaike meaningfully out of the corner of his eye. Lissa and Sumia snickered, letting the archer know he'd been overheard.
His actual target, however, seemed to have missed it entirely. "What was that, Ruffles?" Vaike asked, making Lissa laugh even harder even as Virion shot the other man a displeased look.
"Excuse me? 'Ruffles'? My name is Virion, you uneducated buffoon," he replied, frowning at the shirtless fighter over the rim of his teacup. "Surely even a dimwit like you could remember that much."
Vaike simply rolled his eyes, something which the archer did not miss, if his withering glare was anything to go by, although he dropped the glare when Sully walked in, still in her riding clothes but no longer wearing her red armor plates. Predictably, the fiery cavalier took a seat as far away from the nobleman as physically possible, setting down the tankard of ale which she'd retrieved from the bar area and which was almost overflowing with foam.
"Vaike? He's pretty dim, alright," the boisterous cavalier said, letting out a hearty laugh as she slapped Robin over the back, knocking the breath out of him for a brief moment.
'Gods damn it, Sully, you hit hard!' Robin thought as he gasped for breath.
Vaike scoffed. "Hah! If ol' Teach had been there, we'd have sent 'em all packing in no time!"
There was a brief moment of silence, before Sully roared with laughter.
"Yeah, right!" she said. "If Robin hadn't been around to help us out, we might have all been roasted by now!"
"Indeed," Virion hummed appreciatively before taking another sip of tea.
Lissa nodded enthusiastically. "And Southtown might have been in a lot more trouble!" she chimed in, shooting Robin a big smile.
"M-me?" Robin said, blushing lightly. "I didn't really do much except nearly get killed."
Virion shook his head. "Nonsense, my friend, you were splendid," he said. "I'm sure I speak for all when I say that, as much as we appreciate your modesty, you should take the credit you deserve. Your tactical advice was sound. I fear we would not have made it out as well as we did were you not there to aid us."
The group grew silent upon hearing the front door open and close, and they turned to look as a visibly worn-out Chrom walked in from the main hallway. Both Lissa and Sumia were instantly on their feet, with Robin getting up a moment later. Vaike, on the other hand, simply swung around to lean on the back of his chair so he could tilt his head back and look at Chrom.
"Ah! C-Captain! You've returned!" Sumia exclaimed, unable to mask her excitement and relief as she rushed forward. "I was – I mean, we were so –!"
However, in her haste, Sumia's boot caught on a slightly-raised stone in the floor, causing her to trip and face-plant with a thud that Robin found distinctively cringe-worthy. She picked herself up quickly enough, a blush quickly forming on her face as she dusted herself off.
"Sumia! Are you alright?" Chrom asked in alarm as he rushed over to check on her.
The embarrassed pegasus knight nodded, fidgeting with the hem of her dress as she looked down.
"Is it those boots of yours again?" Chrom continued, gently tilting Sumia's face up to look at him as he leaned this way and that to make sure she really was uninjured.
Robin forced a smile down. 'Ah… so the care and concern is mutual… very interesting, indeed,' he thought, biting down a chuckle at the knowing smiles – or not-so-subtle kissing motions, in Vaike's case – some of the Shepherds were shooting at the two.
Sumia's face reddened further at the intimate gesture. "N-no! I-I mean, yes! I mean…" the flustered knight stammered out, before she gave up trying to save face and simply sighed.
It took Chrom a moment before he suddenly remembered just where he was. Cheeks heating up, the prince let go of Sumia and took a step back, looking away awkwardly as he cleared his throat.
"W-well… ah, at least you're unhurt," he murmured bashfully, eliciting some snickers from Lissa and Sully which only served to further embarrass the pair further.
Sumia nodded in mortified silence, her face completely red with embarrassment as she refused to meet Chrom's eyes.
The pair simply stood around in awkward silence for a few moments, before Virion coughed into his fist. "Any news, Captain?" he asked drolly before taking another sip of his tea.
The question seemed to shake Chrom out of his daze, the prince quickly recomposing himself. "Ah, yes… thank you, Virion," he said, the other man merely raising his cup in acknowledgement.
Chrom straightened up to his full height. "All right, everyone, listen up," he said, all trace of embarrassment wiped from his face for the time being. "At first light tomorrow, we'll be marching for Regna Ferox to petition their Khan for military aid."
Robin tilted his head questioningly. "Regna Ferox?" he asked, his mind once again drawing blanks.
"Regna Ferox is a unified kingdom to the north of Ylisse," Sumia replied, having calmed down enough to speak normally. "It's inhabited by barbarian tribes, or so they say, but… well, don't ever believe the stories until you see it for yourself, or so the saying goes. Regardless of the stories, Ylisse does have an alliance with them."
Robin had instantly taken a liking to Sumia. While timid and shy, she was also very kind and thoughtful, and had not hesitated to accept his story and situation. She'd taken it upon herself to explain the history and significance of any topics they'd been talking about, something which he was very grateful for as it allowed him to at least keep up with the conversations.
It was… refreshing, the tactician had to admit. After being harassed by the ever-suspicious Frederick – 'Vigilant, my arse,' he thought – for the entirety of the last two days and most of this morning, he'd been worried that more of the same behavior awaited him with the rest of the Shepherds. However, aside from a few incredibly rude questions that Vaike had asked him – surprise, surprise – they'd all easily accepted him and his story, Sully even coming to his aid by rapping her knuckles rather hard on the top of Vaike's head. Apparently, Lissa's good word meant a lot in the unit, and hopefully would mean the same throughout the rest of the palace and the army, if it came to that.
"Warriors are definitely what they are, and we'll need to add their strength to ours in order to quell this new menace," Chrom added. "Given the nature of what we're asking, the Exalt would normally have to go and make the request in person. However, given recent events and the current situation with Plegia… well, the people might worry should my sister suddenly leave the capital for any period of time. Thus, the council has – by recommendation of the Exalt herself – seen fit to pass the task on to us."
Chrom turned to face the entirety of the Shepherds present. "Now, this mission is strictly voluntary, and no one will be forced to go. So, if for any–!"
Lissa jumped up and instantly raised a hand. "I volunteer!" Lissa called out, smiling cheekily at her older brother.
"Me too!" Vaike called out. "You'll be needin' ol' Teach along for such a delicate mission!"
"Just try and leave me behind," Sully said, grinning as she cracked her knuckles.
Virion set down his teacup and saucer. "I suppose it would be wise if I were to accompany you," he said. "The gods forbid us not having least some modicum of refinement and nobility."
"I'll go as well," a voice said from behind Robin, making the tactician jump. He turned around, and for a moment he thought he saw the same heavily-armored man from earlier standing near the back. "… What? I've been here the whole time!"
Robin shook his head. 'Now I'm really imagining things…' he thought, before a horrifying thought crossed his mind. 'Wait, wait a minute… Am I one of those people who have imaginary friends?'
The tactician suddenly realized that Chrom had turned his attention to him, and was now looking at him with an expectant expression on his face.
Robin sighed lightly. "Well, I don't think I'd be a very good tactician if I let you run off without me, will I?" he said, smiling wryly.
Chrom's expression lit up as he broke into a boyish grin. "So you accept?" he asked, his expression more than a little hopeful.
"As long as you explain everything later, Chrom," Robin replied, mirroring the prince's smile. "Besides, I don't think you gave me a choice. You asked me in front of the Exalt herself."
The prince of Ylisse chuckled as he clasped Robin's shoulder. "Well, I needed some insurance."
"I… I, um…" Sumia mumbled, wringing her hands nervously.
Chrom turned to face the pegasus knight. "Yes, Sumia?" he prompted gently.
"I… I want to come, too," she said. "It's just that… I mean, I'm not sure if I'm… if I'm quite ready for a proper mission just yet… I'd probably just get in the way."
Chrom hummed in thought for a moment. "Well, you could stay behind the main group and, if a battle is met, just watch and learn from there?" he suggested. "It's your choice, Sumia. However, there will come a time when you'll need to be ready to fight, and there are some lessons you can only learn on the battlefield."
"W-well, if you think it wise, Captain…" the brunette replied, clutching her hands together tightly.
Chrom put a hand on Sumia's shoulder. "Just stay by me and you'll be fine," he said, smiling reassuringly.
Sumia's pinks took on a rosy hue as her expression brightened. "Oh! Y-yes, of course!" she said happily. "I mean… yes, Captain! I'll do that!"
Robin fought the urge to groan. In a way, he could suddenly understand why Maribelle reacted the way she did when Sumia had asked about Chrom.
'… I wonder if they even realize how much they look and sound like a pair of love-sick teenagers…'
Later that evening, Robin sat alone in the common room, his tome open and on the table in front of him.
He'd excused himself from dinner earlier; much as everyone had tried their best to make him feel welcome, he wanted to take some time to himself in order to learn what he could about himself.
As he had flipped through his tome, Robin found that it contained dozens of pages of spells, each one with its own intricately drawn runes and magic symbols. While he couldn't quite remember what language the runes used to bind the spell were written in, comprehension for it came quickly and easily to him. It seemed to him that he'd been a fairly accomplished mage in the past, if the sheer number of spells and the fact that the tome also included some handwritten notes on magecraft that matched his own penmanship were any indication.
However, the snow-haired man quickly noticed that there was a section of his tome that was separate from the rest, with its own sub-binder and lock holding the pages closed as if it was its own tome. As he opened the lock on the small subsection and flipped through its pages, he quickly noticed that everything in it was obscured by an inky, swirling black fog, distorting the details of any and all spells and runes within it and preventing him from discerning what the contents of this tome were.
'But why, though…?' he thought, laying his right hand on the page and running his fingers over the warped, unrecognizable runes and symbols even as the mist coiled around his fingertips and filled him with a cold sense of dread.
However, as if responding to his touch, the runes suddenly began to pulse with an eerie purple light. A flare of pain shot through the back of the tactician's hand, making him recoil as a burning sensation crawled along his skin, leaving marks that slowly manifested into the same six-eyed symbol he'd seen yesterday. A block of ice solidified in his gut as it stared at him, pulsing with the same sinister energy coming from the tome.
With every pulse, he felt something tugging at his consciousness. Something was whispering to him… calling to him… the voice was growing louder and louder with every passing moment as his vision swam in and out of focus.
Darkness began to nibble at the corners of his vision, and, before he could truly comprehend what was happening, his world went black.
Death… he was surrounded by the feeling of death.
Robin opened his eyes slowly, but they quickly widened in shock as he was greeted by what could only have been a vision of Hell.
He was no longer in the Shepherds' garrison in Ylisstol. No… he was somewhere far, far different.
Looking around, he found that he was in a strange, circular chamber… almost like an arena, he figured, judging by its size and construction, but he couldn't really tell as his vision was obstructed by a strange mist. Rubble of different shapes and sizes littered the area while craters and jagged cracks marked the landscape, letting Robin know that this had been the scene of something very destructive. The fact that flames still licked at certain areas, it must have been fairly recent, as well.
The tactician took a step forward, his foot coming into contact with something soft. He looked down and visibly recoiled when he discovered that he'd nearly stepped on a corpse. The person on the ground was a girl that couldn't have been any older than eighteen, wearing a purple tunic with golden embroidery and the same six-eyed symbol on the back of his hand emblazoned on the garment's front…
She stared up at him with empty eyes, bleeding from several wounds on her chest, two of which still had blades stuck in them.
Genuinely disturbed, Robin took a step back, swallowing heavily as he tried to keep his dinner from coming back up the way it came. He averted his gaze from the sight – though he knew the image would be seared into his memory for a long while – and trudged forward warily.
As soon as Robin stepped into what he approximated to be center of the arena, a massive gust of wind filled the chamber, forcing the tactician to throw an arm up to protect his face. The force of the gale grew in intensity as it buffeted the snow-haired man, his coat flapping wildly with the rushing winds. He only managed to stay on his feet for a few moments before he was thrown to the ground and sent sliding back until a fallen pillar arrested his motion. Unable to fight the winds, Robin simply threw both arms up and tucked his head down as he waited for the gusts to weaken.
After a few tense seconds, the winds finally let up, allowing Robin a brief moment to collect himself. As the tactician stood up on shaky legs, he found that the wind had cleared the mist, allowing him an unobstructed view of the area for the first time.
The arena was covered in rubble, yes. However, Robin quickly turned pale as he realized that not all of the shapes that he'd seen through the fog were pieces of rubble.
Robin's stomach lurched violently as he began to recognize that he was actually surrounded by bodies. The girl he'd nearly stepped on was not alone in her fate, he realized with growing horror. Every way he turned revealed dozens of bodies that lay in drying pools of blood, the evidence of their deaths still in full display. Much like the girl he'd nearly stepped on earlier, they were all clad in purple garments of some kind which were all adorned in some way with the six-eyed symbol that still pulsed on the back of his hand.
He looked around with wide, panicked eyes, wishing that this was all just a horrible nightmare he could wake up from even as he searched for a way out.
That was when he laid eyes on a figure that stood on top of a collapsed pillar. The person wore a familiar purple coat with three "eyes" decorating either sleeve, and in his shock it took him a moment to realize that the reason the coat was familiar was because it was the exact same coat as what he himself wore.
"W-wha… who are you…?" he whispered.
His assailant said nothing, merely drawing a sword from a sheath strapped to the back of their waist and falling into a stance.
Before Robin could realize what was happening, his assailant was already upon him, delivering a hard kick to his abdomen and sending him flying backwards into a large slab of stone. The hood had been thrown back by the speed of their charge, revealing the other figure to be a woman. She had long, lustrous white hair that was tied back into two tails that fell over her shoulders, leaving parted bangs that framed a delicate, pretty face and cold, hazel eyes.
He had only a single moment to recognize his own self in her features before she lunged at him, blade aiming directly for his heart…
Robin screamed in sheer terror as he sat up, cold sweat dripping down his face. He looked around wildly, panic coursing through his body as he tried to piece together his location and search for an enemy he could not see.
"Robin! What's wrong? Get a hold of yourself!" a voice said, snapping the snow-haired man back to reality as a hand shook him hard.
The tactician turned, shakily following the hand on his shoulder up until his eyes settled on the familiar visage of the Ylissean prince. The panic slowly began to dissipate, leaving a relieved sense of recognition.
"C-Chrom…" Robin croaked out.
"Don't worry, it's me," came Chrom's firm and gentle voice as he gave the visibly shaken tactician a reassuring smile. "You're in the Shepherds' garrison. You're safe. Nothing and no one's going to harm you."
Robin nodded, allowing the prince to help him up from the floor and into a seat. He swayed unsteadily even after being lowered into his seat, but Chrom kept a strong grip with both hands as he held onto Robin's left shoulder and right arm to keep him upright.
Looking at his tome, the tactician found that it was no longer glowing or pulsing. In fact, the separate section of the tome had been snapped shut and locked once more. Bringing his right hand up, the mark had once again disappeared from his skin, making him wonder whether he'd been hallucinating or not, but…
'No, that had definitely been real…' he thought, taking deep breaths as he struggled with his erratic thoughts and heartbeat.
Robin gave Chrom a meaningful glance. "I-I'm fine," he said, although whether he was trying to convince Chrom or himself he wasn't quite sure.
The prince's expression was still worried, but he chose to say nothing as he waited for the snow-haired man to recompose himself. When he was certain Robin was steady enough to sit up on his own, Chrom released his grip on the tactician, pulling back slowly in case the other man collapsed again.
Robin sighed. "Sorry you had to see that," he said, using his sleeve to wipe some of the perspiration from his brow and forehead. "How long was I out?"
Chrom frowned. I'm more curious about what that was," the prince replied. "I doubt you were out for very long. I was just on my way to see you when I heard a crash from the common room. I rushed in here, and there you were lying unconscious on the ground. The next thing I knew, you woke up screaming."
The tactician frowned. "Did you see anything out of the ordinary? Was my tome glowing or…?"
"I can't say I did…" Chrom replied thoughtfully. "Well, you were on the ground and a chair was knocked over, but there wasn't really anything I'd classify as out of the ordinary. Why do you ask?"
Robin frowned. 'It had stopped glowing? Was it some sort of reaction, then, that caused it to pulse and show me that nightmare? No matter how I look at it… I just can't help but feel there's something in that tome that somebody doesn't want me to find out about. So… was the vision a warning, or… something else?'
"Robin? Is something the matter?" Chrom asked, seeing how Robin was so deep in thought.
The other man shook his head. "No, it's nothing, Chrom. Don't worry about it," he replied, although he could tell Chrom remained unconvinced. He paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him. "Wait, you said you were on your way to see me. Did you need me for something?"
Chrom suddenly seemed to remember something. "Ah, right. Well, I did say I'd explain everything, so here I am," Chrom said. If the man noticed the attempt to deflect the topic of conversation, he was doing a fabulous job of ignoring it for what it was.
"Alright, I'm all ears," Robin replied as Chrom took a seat across from him.
Chrom let out a breath. "Right… well, I just want you to be able to understand the situation," he said. "See, Ylisse was once a much more militant state. The Plegian Crusades from fifteen years ago left both nations with scars that have never really healed, and it's because of those scars that the Exalt – Emm – chooses the path of peace. With respect to that, while Ylisse maintains a standing army, our numbers and armaments are much less than they were during the reign of our father. The problem with that is that tensions with Plegia are always high, and the Ylissean Army lacks the necessary manpower to police the homeland and watch our borders with them."
The prince sighed. "That's why I formed the Shepherds. I wanted to have a small force that could go where the regular army could not, and protect the people in their time of need. It's all strictly voluntary here – no Shepherd is ever forced to go on a mission they don't want to be a part of."
Robin frowned. "That sounds all well and good, but I still don't see how this relates to me."
Chrom chuckled at the other man's impatience. "I'm getting there, Robin. Trust me, you'll appreciate the ride," he said. "The Shepherds haven't had problems responding to bandit raids ever since our formation. However, with the recent rise in Plegian raids, both Emmeryn and I agree that war is starting to seem more and more like an inevitability as opposed to simply a possibility."
"Now… this is where you come in," Chrom continued, almost smiling as Robin perked up. "The Shepherds are… well, we're not exactly a normal unit of the Ylissean Army. You'll understand what I mean as you spend more time with them. Trying to integrate us into the rest of the military would be the same as mixing oil and water; it simply wouldn't work, and that would give our chief strategists and military commanders a lot of problems, so we're generally left to our own devices. Frederick and I have always led the Shepherds by committee, but we're not as well-versed in tactics as someone who's studied and trained specifically for planning. The Shepherds need someone with the ability to make quick judgements on the fly."
"In other words, you need someone who doesn't just plan beforehand, but can also adapt his plans when the situation changes."
Chrom nodded. "Quite right. That's why I wanted to ask you to do it."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "Beg pardon, Chrom, but you're the prince of the Halidom," he said. "You have all the commanders and strategists of the army at your beck and call. Can't you just have one reassigned? There should be absolutely no reason for you to ask an amnesiac with no past or identity to be your tactician when you have so many proven strategists."
"Ah… see, that's where things get a little… complicated," the blue-haired prince replied. "I mentioned we're not normal, and I don't mean that just in terms of the diversity of personality. We're always – and I mean always – on the move. All the strategists I know and have worked with in the past are career scholars. They're not suited to the missions or roles we take because they lack the physical conditioning required to stay mobile or direct battles from the front."
A spark triggered in Robin's mind. "But, you think I'm different," he said in realization. "You saw me fight on the front lines while calling out plans before and during combat situations."
Chrom grinned in satisfaction. "That's exactly right. I can't think of anyone more suited for this role than you are, Robin. You have a unique set of skills that - by themselves - are readily available, but it's a first that I've been able to find them all in one person." He chuckled. "That, and you're less of a pain in the rear than the rest of them. You have the enviable position of being able to judge things as you see them, without any bias."
Robin shook his head. "But… Chrom, how can you trust me so easily? How can you trust me with your life and the lives of all of your men? You know nothing about me!"
"I don't, you're right. But I believe," the prince replied easily. "I believe that you were sent to us for a reason, Robin – that our meeting was made not by chance. Besides, you've given us nothing but sound advice thus far, and Frederick and I are in agreement that you possess a breadth of knowledge that is uncommon even for the most gifted students of the art of war. Without you, I doubt we'd have fared as well as we did in the two battles we've fought together."
Robin sighed in disbelief. "You're far too trusting, Chrom…" he replied. "I only hope it doesn't come back to bite you later on. But, if I can save you from yourself… I guess it'll be a good way to repay my debt to you."
Chrom grinned. "Thank you, Robin," he said, gripping the other man's forearm. "I knew I could count on you."
The tactician barked out a laugh. "Hah, more like you could count on the pressure of having asked me about it in front of the Exalt."
The two men shared a good laugh for a long moment.
"Well, that's pretty much all I needed to tell you," Chrom said as their laughs died down. "I'll be heading off to get some sleep. And you?"
"I just have a few things to think about. I'll turn in soon enough," Robin replied as Chrom stood up from his seat.
"Alright. You should get some rest, my friend," the prince said. "It's been a tough couple of days for you, and we'll need to get an early start when we march for Regna Ferox tomorrow morning."
Robin nodded. "Don't worry, I will. Good night, Chrom."
After the prince had left him to his thoughts, Robin sighed tiredly. He'd tried not to think about it, but the nightmarish scenes he'd witnessed had simply sprung up unbidden now that he wasn't occupied by his discussion with Chrom. Just thinking about all those dead people chilled him to the bone, as did recollections about what was apparently a female version of him that had nearly cut him down without any hesitation or recognition. Somehow… he was sure that sleep would not be coming easily to him for a while.
Imagining that those had to be some sort of vision of the past, Robin suddenly wasn't quite sure he wanted to know of his origins, after all.
'What the hell was I…?'