Robin wandered along the edge of the ballroom floor. The party was in full swing now, the music playing loudly and the dancers swaying to it's sound. It was a livelier song, and Robin could see nothing but happy faces as people talked amicably. Beautiful gowns and sharp suits. Good food and plenty of rum. It was truly what any human would call paradise.

The dragon was bored.

With a sigh, Robin resigned himself to sitting in a corner somewhere and waiting until an appropriate time to leave. He hadn't wanted to offend the young Exalt when she'd invited him to this ball. A man could only refuse so many invites in a row before it came off as rude. In the two years he'd been at the castle, the dragon had been able to avoid 14 galas. But that had only been because they were all written invitations. When Emmeryn herself had asked him to come... Robin found himself unable to say no.

So here he was, bored just like he always was at such things. He could remember a time when he was young, long before this kingdom was ever founded. Back when such parties were a thrill. So many people to meet and music to dance to. His first party like this... It was actually the first time he'd ever heard music and learned what dancing was. The dragon could still remember his first dance with Queen Celica, a big smile on his face.

But there was no smile now. Any awe he'd once had for these kinds of festivities was gone. They all seemed to blur together. And the fewer he attended, the fewer people he knew to socialize with. As it stood, he knew most of the guards on castle grounds but none of them would be allowed in as guests. They'd be too busy securing the walls on such a busy night. He of course knew the Exalt but the poor girl was getting dragged all around the room, talking to one noble and then the next. Bless her, Robin wasn't sure how she did it.

He was broken from his quiet musings when he spotted another royal child. Chrom sat down at a table all by herself. She had an adorable little blue dress on, the fabric overly fluffy from the waist down and little flowers sewn in all over it. Her hair was actually combed and a little headband with a big flower on it laced through the locks. Cute white gloves and shoes, all pulled together with sparkly make up around the girl's eyes and brand.

The girl looked bored.

Robin came up beside the girl and sat down quietly. She didn't seem to notice him at first, too busy swinging her feet lazily and staring longingly out into the crowd of people. After a moment, he tapped on the girl's shoulder with a small hello. Chrom's face immediately lit up as she noticed him, turning in her seat to face him. It actually brought a smile to the dragon's own face to see her so genuinely happy to see him.

"Hi Robin!" she said, surprising Robin with a small hug. She wasn't normally so affectionate to him, but her grasp seemed desperate so he could only assume she was equally desperate for someone to interact with. "I didn't know you were coming to this party. I've never seen you at any of the others."

Chuckling, the dragon took a sip of his drink. "I hadn't planned on coming to any of them. But it's hard to say no to your sister. I'm sure you know that well." Chrom nodded to that with exasperation, clearly understanding what he was saying and making Robin chuckle more. "So here I am. Rather bored but it can't be helped. At least I found someone I can chat with for a bit." The girl smiled up at him.

"I'm so bored too! I really hate these parties. They happen all the time and I always have to wear the silliest stuff. Like this." She gestured down at her dress then, looking at it like it had insulted her by being on her body. "It's always scratchy and uncomfortable. And it's always too hot in here. And everyone always wants to say stuff about my dress or make up, or tell me to go dance but I don't want to." Robin couldn't help but blink at her sudden rant. He hadn't realized she detested the galas so much.

He supposed it made sense, but there was one thing that confused him. "You don't like dancing? I used to love dancing when I was little. How come you don't like it?" the dragon asked curiously. At first Chrom didn't answer, just stared down at the ground with something close to embarrassment. "What's the matter?" he pressed when her silence pressed on. Eventually she sighed dramatically and leaned on the table in front of her.

"I'm no good at it..." Chrom replied quietly. Robin tensed up. He knew the girl well enough to know what that tone in her voice meant. Whenever other's said or did things that made her feel dumb, she would get upset like this. It always broke his heart to see such a curious mind so down. Out of his three students, this princess always asked the most questions. Emmeryn for the most part had few questions as she agreed with and understood all that he taught. Lissa so far had mostly just nodded along to their discussions. It was Chrom that always went out of her way to learn something new each time he saw her. Hell, the girl would sometimes look for him outside of class, just to talk further. "I'm sure you aren't that bad at it," he tried to assure her but was quickly met with a shake of her head.

"Everyone always says I have two left feet because I always step on theirs," she explained, laying her head down on the table and being anything but ladylike. Not that Robin minded, he rather liked her lack of desire to conform with standards in that regard. "And... last year I tried dancing with a boy and I tripped on his foot and fell down. Everyone was looking at me..." A frown marred the man's face at that. To see the girl so embarrassed about something so small... it made him reach out and try to comfort her.

The dragon placed a hand on her back gently. He tried to get her to perk up some but she didn't seem to be taking in any of his words. Chrom remained unmoving as she stared down at the table. Robin hummed before he too laid his head down on the table so that their eyes were level. The girl's eyes immediately snapped to his in confusion. "That's better," he smiled, before trying again, "Sometimes people fail. Failure is just a way of life. It's whether or not we stand up again and try that we prove how strong we are."

Chrom seemed to consider his words for a moment. "I want to be strong but... It's just so hard when everyone is staring..." she whispered, and had Robin not been so close to the girl he might not have heard her, "So many people are expecting me to act a certain way. I know they all want me to be like Emm but I'm not Emm. I'm just me. Clumsy, dumb me..."

"Hey now," he replied back quietly, following her lead in an attempt to keep their conversation at least a little private, "Remember what I always say? That together-"

"-we'd find my strengths. I remember. And we've tried all kinds of things. I'm just not that good at stuff, and... I'm just kinda scared to try stuff again that I know I'm bad at." The defeat on her face and in her heart, it most certainly was not like her. Perhaps the atmosphere of the party had caused her to enter such a gloomy state. He couldn't entirely blame her. Robin too had been a bit down before he'd come over to her, thinking of old memories.

Thinking over her words, he nodded to her, his cheek pushing up against the table oddly. "I understand the fear of failing. But you know what can make that fear go away?" When Chrom answered him with nothing but a curious look, the dragon continued. "Trying those things with a friend. You said you're no good at dancing yes? What if you and I were to try? Together?" Her face lit up ever so slightly to the suggestion, but she still remained still.

"But you're really old. I'm sure you know how to dance already..." she muttered, though she didn't seem completely against the idea.

"Oh trust me, it's been a long time since I've danced. Probably... hmm..." Robin scrunched up his face in different ways as he continued to hum, making the princess giggle. "Yes... It's either been 300 or 500 years. Can't quite remember. Needless to say, I'm a little rusty and will likely have two bigger left feet than you." Chrom giggled louder at that before shaking her head. No easy feat while still laying it on the table.

"Nuh uh! Nothing can beat how bad I am." Her smile faded slightly as she spoke but Robin was having none of that.

"You want to bet?" the dragon replied cheekily, trying to appeal to that competitive nature of the girl's.

"Yeah! Because I know I'll win!" Chrom cried out, no doubt earning some looks from the people around them. Robin laughed at that. He was more than willing to prove the girl wrong. Anything to build up her confidence. The last thing he wanted was for her to give up after trying things a few times. His time with the princesses had left him feeling rather attached and responsible for them. Not that he was ready to admit that aloud but the thought had dashed across his mind numerous times now.

"Alright. If you mess up more than me then I'll finally let you ride on my back as I fly around the castle," he decided, the girl's face lighting up with excitement at his words, "But if I mess up more than you then you have you wear this adorable dress to class tomorrow." Chrom's cheeks puffed out at that but then came the look he'd been waiting for. That solid determination, the stubbornness to win and not give up. Robin smiled as the girl nodded her head.

Finally, the princess sat up in her seat. "Deal," she sternly replied, almost comical in the way she held out her hand to the other to a smirk, the dragon made a big show of unsticking his face to the table, almost breaking the serious look Chrom wore. Gently, Robin shook the girl's hand. "Deal," he agreed as he stood from his seat.

Together they approached the dance floor, but the closer they got, the more hesitant Chrom became. By the time they'd made it to the designated circle, the princess was clinging to him for dear life. After a few words of encouragement, he managed to get her into the right position. Or at least what he thought was the right position. The more he struggled the more the girl seemed to relax. Eventually she was the one telling him what to do and he made sure to thank her each and every time. And then they tried to dance...

It didn't go very well. As it turned out they both had two left feet. But every time Robin fell down or tripped he would laugh it off and try again. Who knew a few centuries would cause so much muscle memory to go? But his actions had the desired effect. Every time Chrom messed up, she would laugh and not let it stop her. It was a bit of a sting to his pride to know that he was truly trying but the girl was still doing better than him. But he didn't allow it to stop him. He wanted the princess to take comfort in her failures and to keep going without giving up.

They continued on like that until finally it got too late to continue. They tallied up their mistakes and Chrom was surprised to see how much better she'd done. That look in her eyes as her confidence grew was just as sweet as the look that followed it, when she realized what she had to wear the next day. The princess tried to talk her way out of it but a quick lesson in keeping one's promises was enough to silent her protests.

And despite all that she had said the previous night, she strode into the classroom the next day with pride in her eyes and the dress she hated worn across her back like a cape. All Robin could do was laugh.