Chapter 16 – Downtime
Three weeks had passed since the war's end and the spirit of celebration was prevalent in Ylisse. Once news spread of the Exalt's daring rescue along with the death of Gangrel and consequent surrender of the Plegian army, the people of Ylisse let off a collective sigh of relief. Not wasting any time, the healing of the country had begun in earnest.
The dead were mourned and buried. Buildings were restored. People were throwing themselves into any activity in order to overcome the grief and fear that the war left in its wake, but the fact that victory had been achieved with much fewer losses than the past war made it easier. With the Plegians pushed back and no longer harassing Ylisse's roads, the food and relief caravans could finally cross the country without issue, reducing the pressure on Ylisstol's supplies, which had been starting to run low. This news alone had been a cause for celebration for many.
It wasn't all good news, though. Much of Ylisse's already small military and a large number of civilians were killed during the war, with many more injured. Though the Shepherds were lucky to not suffer any fatalities, they had still received plenty of injuries and had yet to recover.
Robin had woken after two weeks of being unconscious, much to the relief of his comrades. However, he still wasn't allowed to leave his bed for a few more days, at least until the healers could verify he hadn't sustained any lasting damage.
Part of him still wanted to remain in a coma, though.
A victory ball had been announced for all the nobility and war heroes in two weeks' time, with multiple celebrations scheduled across the capital and other cities to renew the spirit of the people now that the war was over.
Of course, the Slayer of Gangrel was invited as the guest of honor. Such status in this class of events, though, meant that he was required to bring a partner for the opening dance.
Which led to his current predicament.
"Look, my friend. We're war heroes! You're the Slayer of Gangrel! You need -no-, deserve to go with a beautiful lady to that ball. As your friend, it is my duty to make sure you do just that."
"I don't need your help getting a date, Gaius."
"C'mon, Bubbles" Gaius smirked. "I can smell purity a mile away. Believe me, you reek of awkwardness and virginity. " The thief sniffed. "Only if I could smell candy instead," he muttered.
Robin wanted to refute the accusation, if for no other reason than to save his pride but found that he couldn't find the words. He honestly didn't know if Gaius was right. Past relationships were something he had managed to push out his mind during the war, but he didn't truly know if he had had a wife or girlfriend somewhere.
However, now that he was a hero, he couldn't trust anyone claiming to know him to be sincere. Word had already spread among the ranks about how the tactician had been found on a field with amnesia. It would come as no surprise if anyone tried to take advantage of that information to advance themselves.
"...There is no proof that I have no experience, as I don't have my old memories," the tactician mustered in his defense, pushing those thoughts aside. "And I haven't had the time to even try dating, so maybe I am quite the ladies man."
Once Gaius was done laughing at him, the thief spared a solemn look at the glaring tactician. "Look, Bubbles. I like you. You saved my hide plenty of times, but I'll be honest with you: you can't talk to girls to save your own life."
"C-can too!" he replied, completely aware of how childish he sounded.
"Really?" The thief challenged. "When was the last time you talked to a member of the fairer sex about something that's not related to those strategy books of yours?"
"I... asked Miriel for that magical theory book?" The tactician didn't like how insecure that answer sounded.
Gaius certainly didn't look impressed.
"Ehhh… AHA! I asked Cordelia what was for lunch the other day. We even spoke about…" the Plegian trailed off, losing the wind on his sails. "Lunch..."
The thief just raised an eyebrow.
Robin remained silent a little longer before dropping his head on the table. "Do I really need a date? I don't think I even know how to dance. Maybe I can skip this whole thing to save us from public humiliation?"
"Oh, don't let Twinkles hear you say that or she'll whip you into shape," Gaius warned, making the tactician straighten up. "Maybe you could ask Lon'qu's gal if she can help you."
"That is if she doesn't pass out when I ask her," the tactician muttered with a shake of his head. "How Lon'qu, of all people, managed to marry her is a mystery to me."
"Got me there," the thief conceded. Gaius then pondered their options for a minute. "Okay so… Let's see… we need a woman for you to practice small talk. Someone you feel comfortable with… Hmm… Maybe Lissa? No, no, bad idea… Twinkles? Worse. Thar–"
"No," Robin cut him off with more conviction than he had when he faced Gangrel. The tactician definitely didn't check his surroundings to make sure a certain stalking sorceress wasn't around.
"Fine, fine. Don't know why you'd turn away a woman with such a body away."
Robin didn't feel the need to mention finding her going through his laundry. He also suspected she was behind the uneven haircut he had when he woke up the other day but he had no proof.
"Let's see, Sully? No, we need you with all your limbs intact... Nowi? Ha! Now that would be fun..." Gaius laughed. "Hmm... Cordelia?"
Robin just stared at him like he was an idiot.
"...Fair enough," the thief conceded.
"Even if she didn't have that crush, she's with the Pegasus Knights all the time. I would like my pride to survive and not get rejected in front of her entire wing, thanks."
"Anna would probably scam you out of your gold before you got a normal conversation out of her," the thief mused while rubbing his chin. "Or maybe we can just skip and ask one of the girls without a date directly… Now, who can we ask…?" Gaius trailed off until he saw someone sitting on another table, reading a book. "... Perfect ."
Robin glanced at where Gaius was walking towards and almost fainted.
"Hey, Snowflake! You're a girl, right?"
"Think through your next words very carefully."
Ignoring the drop in temperature, that literally froze his juice, Gaius powered through her withering glare with all his might. It seemed the war had tempered his nerves, as the last time her glare had been enough to make him back away.
"So, anyway," the thief continued, stabbing the frozen liquid and taking a bite of his improvised dessert while ignoring the unamused glare of the mercenary. "I was wondering if you had a date for the ball?"
Rose froze, staring at the ginger-head with disbelieving eyes. "Are you–" Her mouth tried to form the words she couldn't believe. "Are you asking me out?" she asked, making sure she heard right.
Gaius almost choked on the frozen juice. "Oh gods, no! No offense, gorgeous, but we both know you would kill me by the end of the night."
The mercenary tactician breathed in relief. "Most likely scenario." She had been a little… harsh with Gaius. She knew he was a… good man –if she discounted his counterpart–, but gods if he couldn't be annoying. "Why, then, are you asking?"
"Curiosity. To be honest, I didn't think this kind of parties were to your liking anyway. I know I'm only going for the free food" Gaius pressed, eating the rest of his frozen juice. "So, you are going?"
"...Yes, I am," Rose answered cautiously.
"And do you have a date?"
"Despite my better judgment telling me not to continue this conversation, no, I don't have a date."
"Perfect!" Gaius said, smirking. "I happen to know that a certain tactician acquaintance of ours is in need of a partner for the ball and I think you would be perfect for it."
Taking her brother as her date? Talk about awkward. She was not that pathetic yet.
Close, but not yet.
Finally noticing her brother's presence in the room, Rose decided to humor Gaius with an explanation. "While that would solve both of our pairing issues, it could give the wrong impression to the fickle nobility. The two Plegian tacticians who joined the Shepherds in such a short time, coming together? They would scream conspiracy. More than they must already be doing."
"I hadn't considered that," Gaius grumbled. "Tsk, nobles."
"Additionally, I am not required to have a date."
That got a reaction out of her brother. "WHAT?!"
"Yeah. Lady Emmeryn was most understanding that, well, I don't feel comfortable with the idea. Phila is not bringing a date either, last I heard."
"But you rescued her! And lead the defense during the siege!" Robin said, taking a seat on her table.
"Oh, I managed to sell that it was all your idea since you were the one who cast the Relay spell and convinced Chrom to put me in charge." She flashed him a smile. "Enjoy the spotlight, war hero."
"...That's cheating," mumbled Robin. "...Do you think that may–"
"I'm pretty sure Chrom and Lissa have already convinced her that you have a date," she interrupted. She then glanced towards a whistling Gaius, "I'm sure they had some outside pressure, though."
While the amnesiac grumbled about 'abuse of power' and 'royal tricksters', something popped into Rose's mind, causing a devious smile to spread across her face.
Tiki felt a shiver go down her spine, despite the good weather.
"What did she do this time?"
"You know…" Rose said in a tone that promised nothing good. "I have a friend that could be your date for the night. I was going to ask her if she wanted to come with me–"
"Ooh, steamy" the orange-haired pervert interrupted with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
"As a friend. Get your mind out of the gutter," she growled at the thief. "Anyways, I think I can convince her to be your date."
"I can get my own date," retorted the amnesiac.
"No, you can't," the thief and mercenary agreed.
"I can!"
"Ok prove it," Rose said with barely contained mirth. "Seduce me."
Robin almost choked on his own spit. "WHAT!?"
Rose burst into laughter. "Naga's tits, I'm joking. Just show me how you would invite a girl to the dance."
"Ok, sure. Um… Ok, so… Hi, I'm Robin," he said with what would pass for a confident smile in a fourteen-year-old, not a war hero.
Rose definitely did not give what many would qualify as a snort.
The amnesiac's face clearly showed he had no idea on how to proceed. "So, hey, I couldn't help but notice that you… were a woman and I'm a man," Robin said, making Rose cringe. "I was wondering if you, maybe..."
"Gods, this is painful..." said Gaius, dropping his head on his hands.
"Ok, stop," Rose said with finality. "You need more than tips on interacting with girls, that much is obvious. Hmmm," she pondered her options for a moment. "Ok, I think I know where to start…"
In another part of the world, a certain philandering dancer felt he was missing something important.
Robin wasn't sure how the conversation got to this topic.
He was also not sure when did so many people gathered around the table.
He knew the reason, though, since he had been listening for close to two hours already.
"Then you pull until you hear a pop," Rose said, popping the p loudly and making a few men jump. "And that's the Plegian Tickler."
They might have gotten slightly off-topic.
The tactician had dabbled a little into some of the more… steamy romantic tales during his few downtimes –for educational purposes, of course– but even those legendary stories were not this graphic.
He was sure a leather belt wasn't meant to be used that way.
The amnesiac glanced to his left to see a blushing Olivia take the hand of a frozen Lon'qu and rush to their quarters. He didn't need any more information for the situation was already uncomfortable enough. It was amusing to see Gaius open-mouthed and wide-eyed, his lollipop forgotten on the floor, though.
Maybe someone should make sure Donnel hadn't hit his head after he passed out.
"Well, now, for the Valmese Twist. You ne–"
That was his signal. "Ahem! I-I think we had enough to think about today," a flustered Robin said, taking her arm and dragging her away from her frozen audience. At least his mercenary counterpart didn't put any resistance.
"Tsk, alright, fun-burglar," Rose mumbled. "Aren't you the one always telling me to be more social with the other Shepherds?"
"Y-Yeah, but that's not what I meant!" Robins stuttered.
Rose rolled her eyes. "Naga's tits, you're a prude… You really need my help, it seems."
"I d–"
"It's decided. Meet me tomorrow near the central commons. Leave your coat behind and get some nice and comfortable clothes. We are fixing this problem," the mercenary ordered. "Don't make me come looking for you."
"But I–"
"Perfect! See you tomorrow at the around five," Rose said, ending the conversation and leaving the amnesiac standing dumbfounded.
Robin blinked. "What just happened?"
"Come on, Sumia. Just one step after the other," Lissa encouraged.
Sumia gritted her teeth and took the step, holding the railing in a crushing grip.
Angela stood at her side, offering her support. "That's it, girl. You can do it," the combat medic said with a soothing voice.
'One.'
Her legs were swollen with blood.
'Two.'
Taking a single step felt like walking on broken glass.
'Thr–'
The brunette's feet gave under the weight of her own body, sending her to the floor in pained tears.
"Sumia! Are you ok?" the princess asked, rushing to her side in concern.
"Heh… At least now I have an excuse for tripping, right?" Sumia said with a strained smile and tears in her eyes.
"Oh, honey. You will recover. Sure, the damage done to your legs is extensive, but with the therapy, you will walk and ride again in no time," Angela said while hugging the crying brunette. "Just don't give up, ok?"
Sumia nodded numbly. She knew she should be thankful. Normally, this kind of damage would have been too extensive to heal. It had only been Angela's intervention and medical skills that had given her a chance to walk again.
Many others injured weren't as lucky.
"I… I think I want to stop for today," Sumia said in a voice above a whisper, not wanting to see her friends' pitying expression.
"Of course. We will continue tomorrow," Angela soothed as she helped the brunette towards her wheelchair. "Do you want me to take you through the gardens? I can't stay out too long, but we can have some fun in the meantime." the medic encouraged.
"I can take care of that, doc," a roguish voice said from behind them.
The women turned to see a certain ginger-haired thief leaning against the wall.
"Oh, Gaius. Thanks for the offer!" said Lissa from the side. "We appreciate it."
"It's no problem, princess. Come on, Sumia. Let's go get some fresh air," Gaius offered, taking hold of her wheelchair. "Hopefully, we don't run into any beehives this time. I still have the stings from our last outing."
"...Why are you doing this?"
Gaius hummed, "Who knows? Maybe I just don't want to see a pretty girl all sad," he added with a roguish grin. "Cheer up, Sumia."
"You're not going to call me 'Stumbles'?" Sumia inquired.
Facing away from him as she was, she couldn't see the thief's frown. "I'm not that heartless, sweetheart," Gaius said with unusual seriousness. He then added more playfully, "I'll call you that again once you recover, or when I can think of a better nickname."
Sumia slowly turned to look at the thief, gauging his sincerity. Finally, she gave him a small smile.
The first one she had in weeks.
"Thank you."
Cordelia stepped out from the corner and looked as Gaius took Sumia away. "She's doing better."
Angela nodded with a concerned frown. "The damage the fall did to her legs was more than what a staff can heal, especially in the middle of a battlefield. We were lucky her spine was undamaged."
The red-haired captain understood. A healing staff might speed up the process, healing regular broken bones and muscle, but damage to joints and nerves was much harder to fix. "Will she truly recover?"
The blonde medic nodded, giving a small smile. "She will heal if she continues the therapy," she said but frowned after a moment. "Although, I fear she might fall into depression and give up. We can't let that happen."
That made Cordelia scowl. There were plenty of injured soldiers, like Stahl or… that tall knight she couldn't remember the name of that was being taken care of by Sully. She had seen Ferox warriors lose limbs, or worse, but Sumia's case had hit much closer to home. The brunette was her best friend and to see her struggle that much just to take a single step broke her heart.
Curse that harlot Aversa for hurting Sumia.
Cordelia would do whatever she could to help her friend.
"Do we have any final numbers on the remaining squadrons?" Angela asked, interrupting her musings.
"We lost too many," said the captain, recalling her last count. "About half of our pre-war members survived the war, but only two-thirds of them remain fit for duty." Cordelia crossed her arms and shook her head. "We are stretched thin already patrolling our territory, even if we are at peace."
"I guess it was to be expected," the medic said with a sigh. Angela then smiled at the redhead. "You did a good job keeping your squad alive, Cordelia. You've certainly earned your rank as captain."
"Please, you're too kind, Angela. I didn't do anything special."
"You really did, Cordelia. There is no need to be modest. Your squad owes you their lives."
"She's right."
Hearing that voice, Cordelia whirled around, glaring at the injured man at the door. "Stahl! You should be in bed!" the redhead scolded, annoyed that he would disobey the cleric's orders. "Your ribs need time to heal, they were already fragile from the siege and getting hit again did nothing good for them!"
"Sorry, Cordy. I got hungry and couldn't stop myself from listening in," Stahl answered sheepishly, rubbing a bandaged arm through his messy hair.
"Gods, you're impossible," Cordelia grumbled with a sigh. She then pointed her finger towards the barracks. "Get back to bed. I will prepare something to eat."
That brightened the cavalier's mood, "Really?"
"How about some lamb stew?" the redhead asked.
"With potatoes?"
"And carrots, just like your mom prepares it. I remember," Cordelia said with a small smile. "Now, shoo! Before I change my mind."
"Yes, ma'am!" Stahl said with a cheeky salute.
"My apologies, Angela. I think we need to reschedule my own evaluation."
The medic waved her off. "Go on. Your ribs are healing fine so the treatment is minimal as long as you don't exert yourself."
"Thank you, I will make note of that. I will contact you later."
"By Naga, she is blind," Angela muttered with a shake of her head, watching the redhead walk towards the kitchens.
Lissa finished putting away the unused staves and stepped to her fellow blonde's side. "Right? I know she has a crush on my brother, but come on. How can she not see what's right in front of her?"
The knight gave an uncharacteristic snort, "I can't answer that. We have a pool going to see when she will finally realize Stahl's feelings for her. Another for when she will finally realize she doesn't really love your brother."
"When?"
"When," Angela assured. "She's practically married to the numbskull already. It just that she's such a dramatic romantic that she doesn't realize it. She's worse than Sumia in that regard. "
Lissa hummed in thought, imagining the scenario. "I like Cordelia, but you are right. I don't see her and my brother together. I think she is just mistaking admiration for love."
"Yes, well. I hope she grows out of it soon. It's not healthy to pine for someone in such a way," Angela said, turning to smile at the princess. "You've improved a lot, Lady Lissa. Your healing is much faster and more precise now."
Though happy at the praise, Lissa couldn't stop the frown from appearing on her face. "Sadly, it's because I got plenty of practice. Hopefully, I won't have to treat anything bigger than a cut in a long time."
"That's all we can ask. Now, if you have the time I could use the help with other patients."
"No need to ask twice!"
A night's sleep hadn't helped, nor did the attempt to distract himself with work. Robin had spent his morning going through paperwork and helping the advisors on dealing with the reconstruction, so it was not a total loss. Although he lacked experience in those areas, they still appreciated his input. In addition, he was learning quickly.
Hopefully, he could apply that kind of skill to whatever the white-haired woman had planned for him.
"You can stop laughing anytime…" grumbled Robin, while he walked towards the town with the prince in tow.
Maybe he was a sponge for knowledge like Rose said.
Chrom didn't. At least not for a little while. "Hah...Sorry, haha, it's just that… pfft aha haha! I can't! Just the idea of her giving you flirting advice it's hilarious!"
"Oh yeah, because you're so much better Sir 'I-didn't-know-you-were-naked.' "
"Hey! That was an accident..." Chrom retorted weakly.
Robin snorted, shaking his head. "Sure, sure."
"And I will let you know that I can talk with girls with no issues." Chrom declared. After a pause, he conceded, "With proper preparation."
"Noble girls don't count," the tactician said unimpressed.
"Why not? They always seem eager to engage in casual talks," Chrom insisted.
Robin rolled his eyes. "Please. You know those noble girls are just trying to marry into the Royal Family."
Chrom frowned. "What are you talking about? All the noble girls I have talked with seem like proper ladies. I've never got the feeling they were after power."
Robin just looked at him like he was a moron. "I– Just– Never mind," the tactician said followed by a sigh. "I already have enough with getting a date to worry about yours..."
"Oh, I don't need a date."
Robin almost got whiplash from how fast he turned his head. "WHAT?!" he screeched in an unmanly high pitch voice.
Chrom looked with amusement at his friend. "As royalty, we only bring a date if we are in a serious relationship. Otherwise, it could give the wrong ideas to the nobles and the public."
"But then, you and the other Shepherds aren't… Am I the only one required to bring a date?!"
"Yeah, pretty much," the prince replied, enjoying leaving the tactician speechless. "I will dance with a couple of ladies as it's required by etiquette to keep good relations. Mainly the daughters of nobles and rich merchants, but that's about it. The same for Lissa." The bluenette gave an uncaring shrug. "It's politics."
Chrom had a chance to appreciate the extensive and explicit vocabulary available to someone as well-read as Robin.
He learned plenty of new words that day.
"Shouldn't be that hard to get a date, though. You get along with all the female Shepherds and the Pegasus knights respect you. You could invite one of them," Chrom offered.
Robin finally composed himself and sighed. "Not sure that's a good idea. Feels kinda… awkward. I don't want to ruin friendships by giving the wrong impressions. It's not like I have many… or any friends outside the army."
Chrom felt guilty about that. Though his help had been priceless, the tactician had to give up looking for his past life to help his kingdom. Robin didn't even have the time to make his own life outside the military and that made Chrom feel responsible.
He will help him with that. He owed Robin that and much more.
"Well then, there's Rose's friend, no? Or maybe one of the other girls has a friend that can go with you," Chrom offered. "Just don't beat yourself over it. It's not as serious as the war and you still have plenty of time to get a date. Maybe just go incognito and try to talk with some merchant girl? It's only one dance and it would certainly be a night to remember for them."
"I suppose I could give it a go…" Robin conceded, checking the position of the sun to tell the time. "Hmm. Well, it's almost time to meet with Rose. I will catch you later."
"Good luck, my friend."
After Robin left, Chrom couldn't help but think about his own attempts at small talk with members of the fairer sex. They tended to be very formal with the noble ladies or very battle related to the Shepherds. Not to say he didn't chat with his friends but it was always casual, never like flirting.
Rose's incident didn't count.
'I'm not that bad… am I?'
A while later saw Rose take her brother through the street of Ylisstol with practiced ease. Both were not wearing their coats if only to not sour the good mood of the Ylissean populace by seeing Plegia's colors. They weren't ashamed of them, despite the actions of their countrymen, but that didn't mean they were about to create unnecessary trouble when they were alone.
Well, unplanned unnecessary trouble.
Luckily, the few times she stopped in Ylisstol to scout the area and get jobs as a mercenary had required her to move without her coat, so she would be recognized where they are going.
"So where are we going?"
"We're killing two birds with one spell. I have a couple of errands to run here and meanwhile, you get some help with your… social skills."
"You're not dropping me in a brothel, right?"
"Nah, that would be cheating. We are going to a tavern, so relax. We're almost there."
Robin released a sigh worthy of Cordelia. "Very well, I trust you."
"You won't regret it!" "I know a couple of people that can help you with a little crash course. Soon, you will be all ready to get a date. Then you will be ready for all future boring-ass events filled with prissy nobles." She didn't mention that she pictured Maribelle when she was talking about them. "Talking to girls and dancing could be a good way of not dying of boredom in that snore-fest."
"...You know, with the enthusiastic way you describe these events, I would've thought you would find a way not to assist," Robin commented.
She could see where he was coming from. "Normally you would be right, but…"
"You must assist! You are a guest of honor!" Phila insisted.
"Well, here is my counter-argument. I don't wanna," Rose retorted. "These parties are awfully boring. I have better ways to spend my afternoon than watching a bunch of nobles looking for the favor of the crown."
"You talk like you've assisted Royal Balls before," the knight noted.
The mercenary tactician shrugged, "I have had an interesting life."
"I've noticed," Phila said with a roll of her eyes. "I didn't want to resort to doing this but…" The knight sighed in a way that made the tactician realize where Cordelia learned the skill. "I am authorized to offer you a twenty percent bonus to the amount Prince Chrom agreed to pay you if you agreed to come."
"...Phila was very convincing."
"Huh, alright." He seemed satisfied with that, strangely enough. "So… why do you want to help me with this?"
"Well, I feel like it's my responsibility. After all… I already kinda see you like a little brother so I feel responsible for it."
"I... Um, thanks."
"Heh, well you certainly are an improvement over my bitch of a sister."
"You got a sister?" Robin asked in surprise.
"Yeah… I got an adoptive sister, thanks to the gods. Just thinking about sharing blood with that skank sends shivers down my spine."
"She can't be that bad..."
"… Imagine having Aversa as a sister and that will give you a general idea of how much of a strumpet she is."
"...Wow. Heh, I guess my amnesia has an upside. I would have to know I have a sister like that."
Rose almost had to use her dragon magic to hold her laughter.
"Oh look we are here."
The pair stopped in front of a nice looking building. The establishment had been spared damage during the siege it seemed, though it was way out of the main streets.
"'Sealed Verses'?"
"Yep. Come in," the mercenary said, nodding that the guard at the door who returned the gesture. "Oh, and don't tell anyone about this place. It's my little hangout spot and I don't want it all crowded."
The inside of the building was very nice, if simple. Clean and well lit, the tavern was certainly a few steps above the holes in the wall the male Shepherds tended to frequent.
"Good afternoon, Devola! Popola!" Rose greeted with more cheer than Robin had expected.
"Rose, always a pleasure," the woman at the counter greeted. Robin looked at her and could see she was very beautiful. Long, straight red hair adorned with a white flower framed a delicate face with vibrant emerald eyes.
"Please, do try not to break anything, Sustrai!" a voice said from inside the kitchen.
"It was an accident..." Rose mumbled under her breath.
The redhead in front of them shook her head in amusement. "Hey, Rose, who is this?"
"Ah! This is Robin, my apprentice and recently adopted honorary little brother slash experiment for the afternoon."
"Yeah I– Wait, what?!"
"Oh!" Popola exclaimed, clapping her hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Rose never brings anyone when she comes for jobs. I was beginning to think she had no friends."
"Honestly, I can see where she was coming from," Robin said with an amount of sass that made his sister proud.
"...Yeah, ok, let's not talk about that. Robin, go sit down and order something to drink. I need to discuss something with Popola in private."
Robin looked unimpressed at her 'suggestion'. "How is this supposed to help me?"
"Don't worry, this is part of it," she reassured him. "Soon, Devola will come to take your order. Talk with her. That's step one."
Robin looked at her with a dubious expression. "Alright..."
"That's the spirit!" She said, patting him on the back and sending him on his way. "Hey Popola, please handle this note to Devola before she takes his order. Call it a favor."
"Oh?" Popola said, taking the note and give it a read. "Oh, this will be fun," she added, sending the note to the kitchen.
'Some help this is,' Robin grumbled internally, as he sat on a stool at the other end of the bar, looking at the selection of drinks on the menu. He was so focused on this situation that he didn't hear the sound of footsteps stopping in front of him. It was a well-manicured hand rested in front of him, tapping the wood that finally got his attention.
"What can I get you, handsome?" a sultry voice asked him.
Raising his head, Robin met a pair of mirthful green eyes. The wild, red hair adorned with a white flower and the smirk on her face gave her look that made Robin's knees weak. Luckily, he was already sitting down.
His mind pushed past the block and he spoke. "Hi, I– Wait, weren't you just ove–"
The woman gave a melodic laugh and looked at him, still smirking. "Ah, a first-timer. I knew I didn't recognize you. I'm Devola," she said, offering her hand to the tactician who politely shook it. "The one over there is my twin sister, Popola. I handle the bar while she handles the mission board."
"Oh, ok. That makes sense..."
"So, first time in our little establishment. You don't strike me as mercenary looking for work.
"Ah no. I'm just tagging along with her,"
"Ah. So Rose does have friends. Hopefully, you are less destructive than her"
"I sense there is a story there that I haven't heard before."
"How about you order something and I tell you while you drink?", she said, pointing at the selection of bottles. "Anything special strikes your fancy?"
"Uhh, not sure. What do you recommend?"
Devola looked at him like a predator about to pounce. "We got some Desert Rose ale in store, though it somewhat… strong."
Robin gulped.
"He seems nice," Popola said, watching her sister fluster the tactician.
"He is, if a little innocent when it comes to women," Rose commenting as Robin blundered through his order. "Please, make sure Devola doesn't break him. I kinda need him in one piece."
"You're the one that asked for her help with this 'socializing' business, but I will do my best," joked the redhead, as she pulled out a ledger from behind the counter. "Anyways, I supposed you came to check on the job?"
Rose nodded. "Do you have any news?"
"Yes. Rylock and his gang of misfits took the offer," Popola said, offering her a signed contract. "They completed it without any incidents. As per the contract, they will remain vigilant for the next four weeks."
That certainly pleased the mercenary. "Great. It's nice that one of my plans proceeds without any complications," Rose said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a coin purse. "Here is the second part of the payment."
"Much obliged!" the bartender said, taking the money and counting it. "Yep, this is the right amount."
"And for the other errand?"
"All taken care of," Popola said proudly, reaching under her desk to pull a manila folder. Opening it, the redhead pulled a set of legal papers. "Here is the deed for your new property. Congratulations," she added with a wink.
"Perfect. I knew it was a good idea to have you handle this," Rose said, eagerly taken the papers. "Everything seems in order. You're amazing as always, Popola."
"I aim to please," Popola added with a small bow.
"And pleased I am," Rose said, dropping another coin purse on the table. "Here, a bonus for you help in such short notice."
"Oh, thank you!" the twin replied with a smile. Popola looked at Rose with a moment of hesitation. "Hey, about that first job...Any chance you tell me why you needed them to protect this location?"
"It's of personal value for me," she said, stealing a quick glance at her brother. "Hopefully, it will pay off."
"I see. I still don't know how you knew of such a specific attack, but it certainly would've been worse had they succeeded." Popola said while counting the money. She then stopped and looked at Rose intently, humming slightly.
The mercenary noticed this and raised an eyebrow in question. "Something wrong?"
"You seem… happier. Usually, you are more sullen and withdrawn. In fact, I've never seen you with a friend of such. It's quite the change. I quite like this new you."
"You're not the first person to tell me that," Rose admitted. She had noticed her change in behavior more after speaking with Tiki. "I think I'm finally moving on from my past."
"I've known you for a year already, but you never talk about your past. You only come for business, like those strange requests to look for those teenagers or the rare spell books."
"Maybe I will tell you more, later. Maybe I can come back and talk over a drink."
"I… didn't expect that much," Popola responded in surprise. "But it certainly would be nice to get to know more about one of our best clients."
"You would have more clientele if you weren't so… exclusive."
"Sure, but then we would have all the rabble in here. We prefer quality over quantity. We need to keep a good standard on completed jobs if we want to keep getting good requests."
"I can understand that," Rose said in agreement. "Hey is everything ok with the business? Today and last time I've seen fewer patrons than before."
"Oh quite well actually. The war caused a lot of damage and that created plenty of requests for quality mercenaries. A tragic situation, but I can't deny the commissions are nice."
"I can agree with that." The mercenary stood and stretched. "Well, I'm going. Put his drinks on my tab," she said offering her hand to the tavern owner.
Popola shook it with a smile. "Will do! Don't be a stranger."
Her brother snapped out of his stunned state, waiting for Devola to come back with his order when he noticed Rose leaving past him.
"Wait, where are you going?" he hissed at her, pointing at the kitchen door. "You can't just leave me here! What do I do?!"
Rose put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "I need to check on some things, and you need to practice casual conversations, so stay here and do your best. Devola and Popola are very nice, so just be yourself."
"B-But… I've no idea how to proceed?"
"Look. You're a grown man. You can talk to a girl. Don't worry yourself about flirting back, just keep calm and this will help you," Rose said, looking at him straight in the eyes. "You can do this. Most girls like confidence, so give it a go. Just don't try acting like Virion or something stupid like that and everything will be fine."
"I… Fine," her brother said in resignation. "I can do this."
"Just another battle," Rose reassured him.
"Just another battle..." he repeated.
As she walked away, Rose turned around and saw Robin nervously scratch his arm in anxiety. He looked like a lost puppy. It was hard to believe this was the man that lead the Ylissean's victory and bashed Gangrel's skull open.
'Hmm, maybe he could use a little boost.'
Normally she wouldn't use this but it couldn't hurt to cast a little confidence hex on him. Nothing drastic, but enough to give that much-needed push. Gathering a smidge of her draconic magic to replace the components of the hex, she whispered an old incantation. A small, dark spark flew from her hand and into Robin's back, sending a shiver down his spine.
Satisfied with her job, Rose left to check her new house.
As if a river washed all of his worries away, Robin suddenly felt silly about being nervous talking to a girl. It's not like he was going to ask these sisters out or anything. It was a just casual conversation. His courage raised just in time for Devola's return.
The bartender set a tall glass with a red liquid in it. "This is a special brew we make here. We call it 'Desert Rose Ale'," Devola explained, pushing the glass towards him. "Take a shot and tell me what you think."
Taking a sip, the tactician felt fire rush through his throat, but it was not at all unpleasant. It had a slightly sweet flavor, but it was still plenty strong. "Wow, it's delicious."
"And with quite the kick. It's pretty popular with our clientele. Normally it's pretty expensive but Rose is paying so enjoy yourself," she said with a wink.
'Ok, Robin. You can do this,' the tactician told himself as he gave his most charming smile. "Gotta say, that must be the second reason people come to the establishment"
Devola's eyebrow rose in amusement. "Oh? And what would be the first?"
"I think the company speaks for itself," he said in a playful tone. A part of him was screaming that it was too corny, sounding too much like something Virion would say.
Even so, it earned a little laugh from the redhead. "A charmer after just a sip, I see. Were all those nerves a show to lower my guard?"
Robin took another sip and felt his confidence rise, "I'm just speaking the truth," he said with an air of certainty, keeping his expression soft while enjoying his drink. "I happen to enjoy the company and the alcohol this place has to offer. Can't help but offer some words of appreciation."
Her lips twitched. "Well, keep sweet-talking and it might get you a free drink," Devola said, leaning on the counter and looking around. "Hmm looks like a slow evening for now. How about you tell me about yourself? How did you end up in the company of Rose's charming personality?"
"Well now, that's quite the story."
"You seem happy."
Rose didn't even blink at Tiki's voice, as she had been waiting for the manakete when she saw the prince. Turning, she saw her friend in a simple yellow sundress and a headscarf to hide her ears until they can find a better solution. The voice is carrying a bag with toiletries she purchased from the merchants. It seems like she was enjoying herself.
"I resent that implication."
Tiki gave a noncommittal hum.
"How was your little venture? Did you get what you needed?" Tiki asked.
Accepting the change of topic, Rose nodded. "Yep, a little side project was a success and I also managed to get the paperwork for the new house."
"I still don't understand why you denied Lady Emmeryn's help with that."
"She's busy enough and I had already seen a nice property around so I didn't want to waste her time," Rose answered. "Do you want to go there now?"
"Might as well. It would be nice to see where I will be staying in the near future."
"I know I recognized you!" Popola exclaimed, having joined the conversation after finished stashing away the money. "So you are that Robin? The one that slew Gangrel?"
Robin nodded with a smirk, cheek tinted with both embarrassment and alcohol. "Well, yes. I'm still surprised people call me that. I think Chrom should have gotten that honor, though. Felt like I took his victory from him."
"Oh, I don't know," Popola said with a slightly dreamy tone. "A prince defeating the evil king does have its allure, but it's kinda cliche. I like the idea of a man with a mysterious past helping liberate his corrupted homeland. Much more romantic. Like in 'On the Wyvern's Wings', or the 'Light Castle' series!"
"There she goes again..." Devola said with a roll of her eyes, still smirking.
"I take it you are into literature?"
"Absolutely. In fact, I was a librarian for a long while, but stopped to help Devola manage this place after she got it from the previous owner," Popola commented, starting to clean some of the glassware. "I always loved to read stories."
"Speaking of stories," Devola said with a glint in her eyes. "You must have some juicy stories from your time in the army. Maybe about the Royal family. Or even Rose!" the wild-haired sister exclaimed. "I can never get anything out of her."
Her twin slapped her on the shoulder. "Devola! Stop being such a gossip!" Popola chided her sister, which felt short when she turned towards Robin with her own expectant look.
Robin laughed and shook his head. "Well…. Ok, but don't let this story get out. I could cost me my job," he said jokingly. "Alright, so, we had just reached Ferox after saving the Exalt and Chrom was looking for Rose to thank her when..."
"Something wrong?" Tiki asked as her friend suddenly stopped walking.
"Suddenly got the need to punch my brother," Rose said out loud. "Oh well, must be nothing. Anyways, we are here!" the tactician announced, pointing at the building.
"Well, now. This is much more than I expected." Honestly, Tiki was expecting a small house, not this multi-floor building, with a garden and all. Not exactly a mansion but still pretty nice. "How did you manage to afford this?"
"Oh, it was a steal. Apparently, a family was killed by Plegians that managed to get this far during the siege. From what it says in the papers, it was quite a macabre sight, with the bodies impaled and sigils of Grima painted in blood on the walls. Rumors spread and it scared all prospective buyers away. The owners couldn't sell it even at a low price, so I got it super cheap," Rose said with a slight chuckle. "Hehe, suckers."
Tiki stared open-mouthed in horror.
"What?!"
"Shhh, relax! It didn't really happen," Rose amended.
"Oh, so it was a joke?" The Voice breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her temples.
"What? No, what I mean is that I was the one that spread those fake rumors."
"What."
"One of the jobs I had Devola put up after the war was to have someone break into the house the day before a sale and paint the symbol with some cattle blood and drop some evidence of the 'massacre'." Rose shrugged. "I mean, what other way could I get such a deal?"
"But that's horrible!"
"Don't get your panties in a twist," Rose said, opening another door. "It belonged to a weapons trafficker named Samuel. The piece of shit is a scumbag of the highest caliber, so don't need to waste tears."
"It doesn't make me feel any be– is that a room-wide bathtub?" Tiki asked, looking at the object in question.
"With enchanted heating crystals for perfectly warm water."
"...Do we need to buy furniture?" Tiki asked, looking at the marble floors of the room. An improvement over the ponds on top of the Mila Tree, that's for sure.
The tactician waved her concerns off with a smirk. "Nah, I purchased it with some basic furniture so we at least have a place to eat and rest. Should be here tomorrow afternoon."
"So what now?" Tiki asked, having finished checking the bathroom.
The tactician smiled. "Now we celebrate! I have plenty of gold remaining, so let's indulge ourselves!" Rose proclaimed, putting her hand over her friend's shoulder. "Come on Tiki, let's go for a drink!"
The disguised manakete mused for a moment. "I suppose… It's been a while since I partook in such activities. I would like to taste some Ylissean wine."
Rose grinned. "That's the spirit! I would normally recommend Sealed Verses but I don't want to get in Robin's way. Let's hit some other tavern."
'Hopefully, Robin's night is going well. Can't have all the fun tonight.'
Sealed Verses had attracted a small crowd that night. Turns out tonight was show night at the tavern. Once a week the establishment was less for mercenary work and more regular tavern activities like musical entertainment. Many of the regular patrons of the sisters came tonight after spending the day working on rebuilding or doing mercenary work.
Devola played her lute with surprising enthusiasm, with a small group of patrons joining in with their own instruments.
Popola gave a girlish laugh as the tactician twirled her in his arms, earning cheers from the crowd.
Turns out he knew how to dance, go figures.
In a tavern in the eastern district of Ylisstol, the Fell Dragon from another world was trying to convince the Voice of Naga to go with this realm's Grima as his partner to a royal dance.
"I think that defeats the entire purpose of me keeping a low profile, though it does explain the chill I felt earlier."
"Come on, it will be... fun," Rose slurred lamely, not entirely convinced.
I didn't help that both were slightly tipsy already.
"Isn't it awkward that you are asking me to be your brother's date?"
"I just think it would be a fun night for both of you. And you should get to know firsthand the person we are working so hard to prevent falling into darkness."
Tiki pursed her lips, cheeks already rosy, clearly not buying her reasons. "I feel like you're leading me into a trap."
"Don't be like that. I might not enjoy it but a woman of your ag–" Tiki glares. "class would certainly enjoy this kind of event."
"...I guess it wouldn't be so bad," Tiki mused. Taking a sip from her wine, she pondered for a minute and shrugged. "Oh, why not? Might as well have some fun before things get serious."
Rose gave a tipsy cheer in victory. "Fantastic! We can go looking for a dress for you later this week. Something to accentuate your hair."
"That would be nice."
The pair of women spent the evening talking about meaningless things, ignoring the dark cloud looming on the horizon. Even if the next wars were two years away, the players were already in motion. So there was no reason they couldn't take the time to enjoy themselves.
"Hey there, gorgeous gals. I can't help but see that you two are alone tonight. Maybe… my friends and I can help with that?" a drunk, smelly man said, placing his arm over Rose's shoulder. The man was sweaty, most likely from working all day, and was smearing the smell all over the plegian woman.
Now, that in on itself would normally not be a problem. The tactician could… convince him to remove his hand and there would be no need for violence.
As Rose opened her mouth to reply, Tiki's hopes for a peaceful evening were destroyed once the drunk man groped her friend's breast.
"Oh, mother..."
The wine was nice, though.
Robin grudgingly opened his eyes, feeling a slight hangover. Luckily it was still dark outside so he could go back to sleep. But something was different today.
Blinking away the sleep, the first thing he noticed was that he was not his room at the castle nor in the barracks.
The second thing that he noticed was that something was pressing at his sides.
The third and fourth things he noticed were the two redheads that were snuggling at his side.
For all his tactical prowess, his mind ground to a halt as it recalled what happened last night. Going with Rose to that bar. Her leaving him to practice talking to unknown women. Drinking some liquid courage. Pulling out some charm he didn't know he had and then...
"Hmm… Good morning, war hero," said Devola, planting a kiss on his blushing cheek.
"I gotta say, those long marches certainly build up some impressive stamina," Popola said, snuggling deeper into his arms. "It's been a while since we had such a workout."
"This is not how I expected our evening to go when you walked in with Rose, but damn if you are not a sweet talker."
'Keep your stupid mouth shut,' his male instinct told him. 'Don't fuck this up for us.'
He obeyed.
"I had heard of the Plegian Tickler, but...wow."
'Don't think about it. Just go with the flow.'
He could do that.
"It's still early. Think you got it in you for one more round?" The wild-haired sister whispered into his ear with a salacious smile.
He could definitely do that.
The grin on his face that seemed to amuse the girls. Before they could continue, something outside caught his eye, though.
'Is that smoke?'
'Breathe, Tiki. Breathe.'
"...I can pay for this," Rose said to the owner of the partially-burnt tavern.
'Count to ten.'
"In my defense," her headache-inducing friend continued. "I didn't know Uncut Feroxi Vodka was strong enough to ignite if you threw the bottle against a wall."
The hooded manakete was reluctant to mention that it had happened before. Even if Rose isn't aware of it, Tiki and Naga were keeping an eye on her.
Life on top of the Mila Tree tended to be pretty boring.
"I'm also not the one that started that brawl."
Tiki had a hard time agreeing with that. Fortunately for them, it was not that big of a brawl. She took a look at the pile of unconscious men outside the ruined building.
Less than two dozen.
A new record low. Rose was learning to hold back.
"And it was only one wall. I did manage to stop the fire before it spread," the tactician insisted, pointing at the block of ice that was holding the structure as proof of her innocence.
Though if she was so sure she was innocent, Rose shouldn't have offered to pay for the damages first. These were supposed to the be diplomatic skills of a former queen? It looked like the bulging veins in the neck of the owner were about to explode.
"You shouldn't serve such strong drinks if you don't want such things to happen when you have wooden walls, though."
May her Mother grant her patience.
"So, if you really think about it, this is kinda your fault."
'This is the hope of this world…'
Meanwhile, in the castle, Gaius woke up with a start. Sniffing the air, his eyes widened at the lack of a certain scent in the air.
"Bubbles?"
AN: Honestly, I named her Morrigan after the one from Dragon Age. Capcom's Morrigan is not someone I have knowledge off outside Marvel vs Capcom. There is a reason for the change of name. Should be explained in about...3-4 chapters?
And dammit if I'm not too deep to change it but it occurred to me that Stahl and Sumia would be a perfect couple, and Cynthia would fit perfectly as Stahl kid. Oh well. I mean, a family of clumsy dorks would be adorable.
I was gonna use Marjory Delaqua and Kasmeer Meade from GW2 for Robin's "training" but I decided these girls needed some love.
Next chapter is the ball and Rose's plans get an undesired turn.
PS. Devola and Popola did nothing wrong.
Thanks to Victory3114, Xbro Kong, and Shipping Rates Apply for fixing my atrocious writing once again.
