Chrom followed Emm down the hallway not liking anything that she was saying. While she understood why they had to go to class... she definitely didn't want to. "Aren't you the Exalt though? Can't you just say no class and then there's no class?" Her sister was quick to look over her shoulder. Those ever calm eyes were kinda irksome in times like these. The older girl shook her head.
"I'm afraid not, Chrom. It would look really bad on us if I called off our first lesson with our new tutor," Emm replied and the younger sister groaned. The blue haired girl knew her complaints were pointless. Once her sister settled on something, she wasn't an easy one to budge. Emm quietly took her hand with a small giggle. "Come on, Chrom. Classes aren't so bad. Robin is very old and wise. The dragon will surely be able to teach us how to be good rulers given everything he's seen."
The younger princess had been less than interested in what the other was saying until she tuned in to a single word. "Dragon? Our tutor is a dragon?" Chrom couldn't help but be caught off guard by that. Why hadn't Emm said something sooner? A dragon for a teacher sounded amazing.
Emm giggled again and nodded. But before she could say anything more, the youngest of the three spoke up. "Does he have wings and breathe fire?" Lissa asked, holding her doll close. She didn't seem afraid, but more so protective if her words were the case. Chrom doubted that this dragon was scary but... if he was that would be so awesome. Emm shook her head.
"I haven't yet seen what he looks like as a dragon. He looks like a very kind man though," she explained much to Chrom's bewilderment. A man? She thought he was a dragon. The princess was about to ask for clarification when a deep voice behind them cleared his throat. Looking back, Chrom was met with the young but stern face of their retainer. The three looked up sheepishly as they'd stopped in the middle of the hallway to talk.
"I don't wish to rush you, miladies, but you must hurry if you wish to make it on time to your lesson," Frederick admonished respectfully. Chrom stuck her tongue out at the man playfully, earning a sigh from her sister. Frederick's stoic face would crack eventually. The middle princess had made it a challenge of sorts to get him to do more than frown.
Emm led them quickly down the hall now, entering the room they normally used for studies. Chrom was used to learning so many boring things in this room, she was honestly already preparing for a nap... That was until she noticed all the desks were gone. Looking around, there was not a single desk in place for students or teachers alike. All that rested in the room was a small, round table, big enough for the four chairs around it to sit comfortably. At the front of this table was a young man. He had bright white hair and a cheery expression, which contrasted deeply with his dark cloak littered with purple eyes.
Now, Chrom wasn't the smartest kid, even she knew it. But nothing in her mind stopped her from saying rather loudly, "I thought you said he was old?" Emm squeezed her hand and that's how the princess knew she'd messed up. Somehow. Frederick closed the door behind them as the man at the table chuckled. Lissa, upon realizing their tutor was not a scary, fire breathing dragon, scurried up to the table and sat next to the man.
"Hello! I am Lissa," her sister announced as she stretched out her free hand for the man to shake.
"Hello there Lissa. It's a pleasure to meet you," the man said with a smile as he shook her hand gently. Chrom and Emm made their way over to the table, the elder giving the younger a pointed look that Chrom wished she understood the meaning of. What had she done wrong? Oh well. The blue haired girl sat down and looked up to find the man looking at her. Those brown eyes... they were very deep and piercing, almost like he was looking into her mind. Searching for something buried deep within. It was almost unsettling and the princess looked away awkwardly. She'd never been good with new people. "And hello to you too. I assume you're Chrom?"
His question was answered with the smallest of nods. She was honestly kind of intimidated by the man for some reason. Chrom squirmed in her seat before looking over to her sisters. Both were expecting her to say something it seemed and the princess swallowed. "Y-Yes... And what's your name?" The words came out a little more accusative than she'd meant them to but thankfully the man just chuckled.
He laced his fingers together and smiled at them all. "My name is Robin. Your sister went to great lengths to have me be your tutor. I do hope not to let her down," he answered, nodding to Emm with a knowing smile. Her sister beamed at his words and Chrom dared to look back up at the man. Chrom couldn't help but be skeptical of the supposed dragon.
"How are you gonna teach us without desks?" Emm nudged her under the table then, and when she met the other girl's eyes, she was giving her the look. The please-be-polite-Chrom-I'm-begging-you look but just like usual, she wasn't sure what she did to earn it. "What?" she asked in response, Emm silently sighing as she looked back up to Robin.
Before Emm could say the words on her tongue (most likely apologizing for whatever Chrom had done) the man raised his hand to stop her. "It's alright. It is a valid question."
"It is?" Chrom was... a little shocked. Most adults referred to her questions as silly or sighed before answering. Even Emm had started to do the latter a lot recently. To have this man say such a thing boosted up her confidence a bit. She looked back to Emm triumphantly before gazing up at Robin once more.
"It is. I know that this is not how most teach but it is something I wanted to try," Robin explained, "You see, I was once friends with a wise king. And it was he who taught me that everyone is equal. No matter a person's strength or age or intelligence or riches, everyone is the same and should be treated the way you'd hope to be treated. As such, I thought it best to seat us in a circle. That way everyone feels equal here."
Chrom listened carefully to the man's words. Everyone is equal, even teachers and students? Even commoners and royals like them? Robin was definitely challenging a thought she hadn't even consciously thought about. But the more he spoke the more it made sense. Emm seemed to like the idea and Lissa nodded along but she wasn't so sure the youngest actually understood. She was only six after all.
"There is an air I wish to promote here," Robin continued, "I wish for you all to be open to discussion. I want you to feel like you can approach me with any question, and feel like your question will be taken seriously. I want you to trust in me and each other. No kingdom can be run by a single person. Working together, I'm sure you all can lead it successfully." The more the man spoke, the more Chrom found herself liking him. No adult had ever said such things to them. It was something the girl hadn't realized she wanted until she had it.
The princess smiled now, much more interested in the lesson coming their way. She raised her hand, the first time she'd ever done so to ask something other than if she could go to the restroom. Robin smiled and nodded to her, encouraging her to speak freely. Putting her hand in her lap, she asked, "We can ask anything right?" The man nodded, bemusement in his eyes. Chrom smiled big. "Are you really a dragon? Because you really don't look like one." She could practically feel Emm looking at her but she ignored it. Robin said they could ask anything right?
Robin chuckled before nodding his head. "Yes. I am a dragon. I have two forms. My true form and this one. I use this one when around humans though. I found that they're less afraid of me when I'm like this. I was getting tired of dodging arrows." Chrom giggled to the dragon's joke. So he was a real dragon. That was so awesome!
"Will we get to see you in your true form? Please?" the princess begged and Lissa joined in. Emm remained quiet, just shaking her head at them, though her gaze was good natured. Robin laughed at their begging before raising a hand to calm them. He was barely able to nod yes before Chrom was punching the air. "Yes! When?"
"In time," Robin chuckled, "Perhaps one day after class I could show you out in the courtyard. I can tell that seeing a dragon is a desire of yours. Perhaps I should make it a goal for you." While a bit deflated, Chrom was still eager. She'd do whatever it took to see. Didn't matter the homework or long speeches she had to listen to. Her tutor must have recognized the look in her eye as he nodded to his own idea. "As long you all participate in class everyday for the next month, I will allow you to see my true form."
"You got a deal," Chrom immediately replied, holding out her hand to the man. Robin chuckled and shook it in return. Their lesson continued from there, and the princess made sure to ask lots of questions. Each one was answered calmly, and the dragon never looked at Chrom like she was dumb. By the time class was over, she hardly wanted to leave. She lingered behind as Lissa and Emm hovered by the door, Lissa talking Frederick's ear off about what they'd learned. "Robin?" she asked looking up at the man.
The dragon looked back down at her curiously. "Yes, Chrom?"
"Umm..." Chrom paused, not entirely sure of what she wanted to say. All she knew is that she didn't really want to go. "I don't normally like class. Class always makes me feel dumb." Robin frowned at that, getting down on his knee so he could look her in the eye.
"Do I make you feel dumb?" he asked gently, obviously concerned. The princess shook her head.
"No. That's why I liked class today. A lot. So... thank you." Robin smiled at that and put a hand on her shoulder. He looked into her eyes, and suddenly Chrom could feel the man's age. Those eyes bore into her but unlike before, she didn't feel afraid. This time, she looked right back into them, trying to find the bottom of his endless gaze.
"I promise, Chrom. I will do my best to keep it that way. Everyone has their strengths. Together, we'll find yours." The princess smiled, actually feeling inspired by her teacher for once. Before she could reply though, Emm called out to her. The blue haired girl looked between the two for a moment. "Go ahead. I've held you here long enough." Chrom nodded and ran over to her sister, only looking back just as Frederick was closing the door.