Morning how are we all, I have a we Proposition for you all, would you mind awfully reading the chapter and enjoying it, please

Also can you review that would be much appreciated. Give feed back and request pairings two I have decided on, guess the less obvious one in your review.

Chapter Two

"There are those who learn from their mistakes and those who only live off of past successes. I believe you to be the latter." Zhuge Liang

Cloud stood now as the left the capital of Ylisse, he had literally been forced into his new job by the Exalt.

Due to the fact that she had held on to him, the Shepherds as they are called had been making jokes about him as they had been preparing to leave.

"Why would when war is on our doorstep would the Exalt want Strife?"

Cloud did not really care, he was not interested in what they said most of the time.

Besides he had heard worse jokes before though he could not remember who it was who said them.

"Sephiroth's only joy in life, is causing Cloud strife."

Yep that one was

Compared to that one, these were rather tame, at the moment he was doing fine on his own until a little girl by the name of Lissa came up to speak with him.

Cloud noticed her approach and closed his eyes praying that she was going to go to someone beside or ahead of him.

But no, he knew with that look in her eyes, he was her target.

Clearing her throat and trying to be as polite as she could be she asked "Um, Cloud can I call you that?"

To this Cloud just gave a shrug, "I'd rather you call me it than Strife."

At the last word she gave a slight giggle and said "Well you do have a sense of humour now don't ya."

To respond to this Cloud said "That does not sound very noble of you, not that I care."

At that she made a small pouting face and said "Hey not all of us have your not interested attitude."

To this Cloud said "I am like this for a reason, was there more that you wished to say?"

To this she gave a nod and said "I heard that you do job here and there and deliver stuff, is that true?"

To this Cloud gave her a nod and said "Yes that is true, you want something delivered?"

To this she gave him a nod and said "I want you to deliver my sister Emm, to safety no matter what happens!"

Cloud looked at her and then said "I'm not sure you understand what I do, I move a certain object or person from location to location, safety term not a location."

She shook her head and said "Hey I am willing to pay you for it!"

Cloud looked at her and sighed then said "The life of one's family and friends cannot be measured."

Cloud believed that would be the end of it and was about to turn away when Lissa said "Hey, were not done yet!"

Cloud turned back to face her and said "What else did you want."

She now put her hands on her hips and said "If you won't deliver Emm to safety then teach me how to."

Cloud looked down at her gave a sigh and as he walked away said "I am not the way I am because I trained to be this way."

Lissa being young and simple minded she asked "Wait you don't train then how are you so strong?"

To this Cloud said "I am a monster, that is why."

But even that was not going to cut it with the stubborn little princess.

"Wait what do you mean by that, you don't look like a monster?"

To this Cloud replied "Most do, but the truly powerful ones do not, a true monster does not need to look intimidating to be it."

Cloud closed his mako enhanced eyes and said "If I say that I will look out for your sister will you let me be?"

This was what the small blonde had wanted to hear for the entire time and "Sure, I just want her to be safe, she is a very kind person you know."

Cloud gave her a nod and then said so none could hear "Kindness like that, can be a weakness in times as these."

None did hear him say this, the only exception to this was Robin, who had been keeping close tabs on Cloud, it was clear that the white haired man did not trust Cloud.

After all with strength like his the bright blue eyed man was by far the biggest threat here.

Robin could not help but feel suspicious of him, it was nothing that Cloud did, it was just a feeling.

Like there was an evil creature that was deep inside the blonde haired man.

The historic tomes he had read had all pointed to the fact that evil cannot be seen.

Due to this, Robin made sure that he was watching all of Cloud's movements.

He was not the only one to do so, a certain knight who was titled the wary, was keeping tabs on him.

Frederick was not one to trust others so easily, it was his duty to keep the royal family of Ylisse safe.

The journey had been hard, now the sun was close to setting and after all that walking the company was exhausted.

All of them were, though some of them refused to show it.

It was at this point that they set up camp, the next day they would cross the mountain side, it would be a difficult trip and they would need much of their strength.

With the sun low in the sky, Chrom called for the Shepherds to make the camp ready and collect provisions.

Gaius the only one familiar with Cloud had been tasked with foraging alone with the bunny lady called Panne.

Cloud had not been asked to to anything, so instead he had taken his leave of the camp to go and maintain his Fusions Swords.

Emmeryn had seen him leave camp, though she only did because of a certain man named Kellam informing her of it.

With the Knight who seemed to be very stealthy even though he was in such huge armour she followed Cloud.

She found that Cloud was in the middle of taking apart his word.

She was shocked as she saw crouched behind a bush that his sword came apart into many.

She would have counted if not for the fact that Cloud looked up and called to them.

"You can come out or leave, I can hear you over there, both of you."

No the Exalt knew it could be her fault that they were both discovered.

But Kellam was in shock at the fact that the guy had notice him.

"Kellam, I believe your name was, why are you hiding, you kind of stick out."

Now Kellam was a little shocked and by a little his was very shocked that some one would notice him.

"I, it is just that I can stand in front of others for hours they won't see me, how do you?"

Kellam gave a nod to the Exalt at this point, telling her to leave. He hoped that she saw it, or at least saw him.

She had when and she was just about to leave when she heard footsteps of others.

Now they were not far from camp, but the footsteps she heard were not coming from the camp.

She looked but could not see the Knight who had been with her.

Suddenly arrows flew through the air towards her, she bent down to take cover but surprisingly she heard the clan of metal.

She looked up to see the Knight had shielded, his back to her. He had shielded her, when only a second ago she had lost sight of him.

Now she saw who they were, Pelgian archers about ten of them.

In an instant Cloud was beside her and said "Stay here behind him, I'll close the distance and finish them off."

She turned to look at his face but he was already gone.

Kellam then said "Stay behind me your grace, I won't let you down."

He might have been a bit afraid but his voice did not betray any sign of fear from him.

The next thing she heard was him gasping in either awe or pain, she hoped it was awe and no arrow at felled him.

It proved to be awe when he said "Cloud Strife, thank the divine dragon that he is on our side."

She now peered out from behind his armoured form and saw that Cloud had dispatched all of the archers that were there.

"To take them all out in such a short space of time, he really is a monster as he told my sister."

She shook her head and then thought "No he agreed to help us and saved my life twice now, no he is not a bad person."

It was at this moment that a hidden archer from another position fired at her.

Kellam saw the enemy and tried to move the Exalt out of the way, but he was not fast enough.

He could only hope that his arm would take the hit instead of the Exalt.

What happened next was blur to both Emmeryn and Kellam.

For a moment it seemed as if the arrow was going to hit the exalt. But then it was gone as if it hadn't been there at all.

Kellam noticed it before the exalt, the arrow was not gone, no it had just been redirected.

How they two of them did not know.

What they did know was that Cloud was now standing over the assassin with his complete fusion sword sticking through it's chest.

He now turned to them, his eyes glowing brightly in the shadow of the trees.

"You two, should return to camp, I'll clean up here."

Emmeryn and Kellam both gave the Blonde man a nod and left returning to camp to warn the others.

With Robin, Before Emmeryn's return

Robin had finished his portion of setting up the came, he took note that the Exalt and Cloud were not around.

He was a little worried about this, but he also noticed that the ghost man also known as Kellam was actually gone.

"The three of them might be gone together or the Exalt must have seen Cloud leave and followed him, Kellam must have left to protect her."

Despite this he thought that he should go and tell Chrom of this development.

"I don't trust Cloud, but I I get the feeling that he can't hurt a hair on Emmeryn's head, if he could he would have back at the palace."

Though the thought was slightly comforting he knew he still had to report this to Chrom or at least inform the Prince that his elder sister, also known as the Exalt and ruler of Ylisse had left camp.

He now made his way Chrom's tent was insight. As he approached it he approached it, he did not know why, but he felt that something was a little off.

"Why do I get the feeling that I will regret what I see in here."

He dismissed this from his mind and continued, the tenet was not open, but it was not fully closed.

Robin was about to open the tent fully when he saw a sight that he did regret.

Chrom was very much there, but he was not alone.

No he was defiantly not alone, in his arms was Sumia.

They both looked tired, he also notice that they were asleep and completely naked.

Now no one could see Robin doing this, so keeping his composure he turned around and left Chrom's tent.

He returned to his own, with his usually face on and threw a smile at the Shepherds who he was more friendly with as he passed them.

None could tell that under her smiles and his calm face he was almost weeping.

He spoke to no one and had to think to himself "I guess it's true, silence is a much more effect way to scream."

The Exalt would have to be safe, he was unable to tell Chrom a thing then it hit him.

"Wait were the two them at it, while the rest of us were setting up."

He dismissed this, he was just a bit bitter that Sumia had chosen Chrom over him.

But he was a tactician, it made sense that she would, he was just a man who appeared from nowhere and has some talent.

Chrom was a prince a man who she has been pinning after her whole life.

"Guess some of us are not that good that we can beat a prince."

He closed his eyes and gave a small smile, "Well at least they are happy."

He knew that he was just trying to fool himself, more like he was trying to make himself believe that he was happy for them.

In truth, he was human and he did indeed feel jealous of the two of them.

"It would seem, that even I am not immune to the irrational feelings of love."

He said this though softly, he knew he had to say it at some point, better to have it out than it.

It was at this point that Robin took a look at a book in his chest. It was a tome from the ancient days, one of Marth's time.

"I see no harm, perhaps it will take my mind of things for now."

And thus Robin slowly began to read the story of Prince Marth.

He was a quick reader but he had only got into the first chapter when he heard a ruckus in the camp.

"Well I guess I have to go see what it is, after all Chrom is sound asleep, typical lazy prince."

He wondered now if his eyes had turned green with jealousy as well as his mind.

He shook it off "Matters of the heart have no place in war, I will go and see what it is that has caused the ruckus out there."

Now standing up and putting the book down he moved outside to see what it was that people were making a noise over.

With Emmeryn

Emmeryn and Kellam had just returned to camp, any who saw her could see that she had been in some kind of struggle.

She had been taken by Frederick to her tent along with Robin who were now asking her what had happened, on a side note neither of them noticed Kellam.

"Your Grace, what happened to you, what were you doing out of the camp without your guards?"

Frederick was taking a very direct approach with this and it did come out as kind of harsh.

Robin on the other hand spoke a little more softly and gently, but his tone was no less firm.

She explained to them that she had gone into the woods with Kellam, she also told them of who she had seen.

They were a little surprised that the enemy had found them here. From the Exalts tale it was impossible for Cloud to have been the one to tip them off.

They had followed him into the woods and seen his every move.

Robin came to the only explanation there was "There is one among us who is allied with the enemy, they must know of our distrust of Cloud and wished to use him."

Frederick looked at Robin and said "Are you sure of this Robin?"

To this Robin gave a grim nod and said "Yes, I am sure, there is no other way, I don't trust Cloud, but I don't believe he would have done this."

Frederick looked at Robin then asked "Why do you believe that?"

Robin "From what her Grace has said, he saved her, with the skills and strength he posses, he could have killed her and there was nothing we could do about it."

Robin shook his head then said "I do not trust him, but he is not a coward, he faces his problems, alone."

Frederick gave Robin a nod to tell him he agreed with him.

"Well then if it is not Cloud then who is it?"

To this Robin held his chin and said "The only logical conclusion is that one of us did betray our location, but the one who did so would be a coward."

He looked at Frederick and gave him a nod, Frederick knew of what he spoke of.

"The one behind this, he would not risk his life in combat."

Robin gave the Great Knight a nod and then said "That is true".

He now turned to the exit of the tent and said "There is only one person who I have seen who is not a combatant."

Frederick gave a grim nod and said "He was meant to be a loyal and long friend of Exalts family, he even helped her when she ascended the throne."

To this Robin gave him a nod and said "There is no worse a betrayal than that of an old friend, or so history tells us."

Emmeryn had no time to ask the two of them what they were going to do, but she knew it was not going to be pleasant.

They left her tent without a word, but not before Kellam had entered. "I will keep you safe your grace, none shall harm you as long as I stand."

She thanked him and said "Even if at time I can't see you, you're there, I am grateful, Kellam I believe your name was."

For once the largely armored man felt that he was notice and said "Thank you, your Grace."

With Cloud

Cloud had just finished killing off all the would be assassins in the woods, he was not pleased to find out that they had been tipped off.

"So there is one within the camp who wishes the Exalt dead, it's not my problem."

He was going to leave it at that when he heard a voice that sounded like Arieths calling "Cloud?"

He stopped and gave sigh, he knew that he had to make sure that the traitor in camp was not going to harm the Exalt.

He sighed again and began to walk back towards the camp, he knew that many of them would suspect him of what had happened.

With a sigh he made his way back to the camp, one his way there. He met Robin who seemed to be waiting for him.

Robin's eyes were cold and calculating, this really meant nothing to Cloud who at this point did not really care.

He had already used a limit break, finishing touchto mop up the area and now he was staring down a rather sullen looking ally.

"How many of them were there?"

Cloud could see that he was angry, though his anger was not directed at him.

To this he replied "I took down around about thirty of them, ten of them attack openly, the other twenty or so remained hidden."

Robin raised an eyebrow and asked "Oh really, how did you find them then?"

To this Cloud replied "If they need to breath, I can hear them."

Now the way he casually said this caused Robin to take a step back, a man with such talents was both valuable and dangerous.

"It would seem that they knew we we're here."

Cloud made sure that he was the one to say this, he'd rather not listen to Robin for too much longer.

"You're right, and we have apprehended the suspect."

Cloud gave him a look as if to ask "You haven't even tried to come close to me yet."

To this Robin shook his head and said "It's not you, the suspect confessed to it, you have my thanks for what it's worth keeping the Exalt safe."

To this Cloud shook his head and said "I was there, that is all, had I not been here I would not have known."

Robin gave him a nod and said "Your actions saved more than just the Exalt, we would have been caught unaware and some of us would have died."

For an instant Cloud remembered the burning of his home town and the death of his mother.

He did not show any sign of pain that the memory caused him as he said "I would not let that happen."

Robin thought he heard a small amount of regret in his voice but he was not going to ask.

Everyone had their off days, Robin knew this was one for him as well.

He looked to Cloud and said "You have my thanks for what you have done and my trust."

Cloud gave him a nod and said "You're a good tactician and a good person, don't change that.

The two of them now made their way back to camp to get on with the lives they currently lead.

Cloud went to the tent he was told to and lay down to sleep while Robin took to walk around camp to calm himself from the events of earlier.

Later in the evening

Robin had taken himself back to his tent and had sent back the books that Sumia had given him.

As of now he had no time for such dalliances. He had to live in the here and now and accept that war was on them.

He was looking over maps and calculating the most secure route to take when he heard Sully enter.

He only knew it was her from the way she stomped in.

"You Robin, Chrom want's you to get your ass out so he can talk to you."

To this Robin gave a sigh and said "I suppose I should leave my efforts to make a safe journey along the mountains, to what talk, I think not."

He was still a bit bitter at Chrom and Sumia, but he chose to not let things get in the way of his work.

After all his role was to plan ahead and control the flow of the battle.

Sully gave a sigh and then said "Fine, Fine you bastard, I'll tell him that you're busy and that he should come see you."

Robin now gave her a nod and she left.

He knew she meant nothing by her insults that was just the way she was.

"Now let me see, from here we could be attack from the front and both flanks if they have any air units."

The more he looked at the pass, the less he liked it, it was too dangerous, they needed an alternate route.

It was at this point that Chrom entered the tent "Robin what the hell has gotten into you, you seem very sullen and distant."

To this Robin countered by say," It is not that I feel sullen and distant, it is that I am rather distressed about what has been happening, not that you know."

Chrom did not know what Robin was talking about, but he got the feeling that it was more than one thing.

"What, what has happened."

To this Robin sighed and said "Our position has been betrayed, the traitor was the man named Hierarch, he confessed to Frederick and myself."

Chrom was in shock that a loyal member of Ylisse had betrayed them, "What why was I not informed of this?"

To this Robin gave a shrug and said "We could not find you around camp so we presumed that you had gone out to practice."

It was a sound excuse, not that Chrom could admit what it was that he was really doing.

The guilt on his face showed that he knew he should have been there.

"It was due to the combined efforts of Kellam and Cloud that the Exalt is still here with us."

Robin now turned away from his friend and said "Now if you excuse me, I have a battle to plan, I am sure that the entire force is waiting for us near the pass."

Chrom did not know why, but he got the feeling that Robin was being a little too brief with him.

He had no idea what he had done that had offended him.

He was about to ask when he notice that Robin had already gone back to his planning.

"What has gotten into him, perhaps he is just trying to do his best to bring us all out safe."

Chrom let that thought settle in his mind, before he left in Robin to his planning.

As he left though Robin had to think the bitter thought "What crap excuse for a commander he is, have sex when we are just about to go war."

He shook his head and got back to his work, there was a lot of it and many things that he predicted were not good in the least.

At Dinner

The one time that Robin did leave his planning was dinner, he knew that with the current plan he would need all his strength for tomorrow.

Most of the Shepherds had finished their meals and were cleaning up as well as going to sleep or talking around the fire.

To all of their surprise Cloud had volunteered to take the first watch for them.

Robin knew that Cloud could be trusted and that he was more effective at it than they were.

As he now ate his stew in silence he closed his eyes and was able to envision the battle that would take place tomorrow.

It was not a sight that he wished he would not have to see, but it was one that would happen none the less.

He knew that he had to ask Cloud to scout ahead, Cloud with his skills could find out where they were coming from, for the Shepherds it would be a defensive battle.

Robin felt a hand on his side and now looked to see Sumia who had a concerned look on her face.

"Robin is there something wrong, you look, I don't know um, sad like you lost something dear to you."

Robin mentally rolled his eyes and thought "Yes I did, go back to Chrom and continue where you left off, just leave me alone for like ever."

But knowing those words would lower morale he said "I am just a little focused on the task at hand."

She was not buying this at all, for a clumsy girl she was smart when she wished to be.

"Then why did you return all my story books, I thought you liked them."

To this Robin replied "Liked as in past tense, we are at war Sumia, I can either choose between reality and that which will never be."

He chose the last words on purpose, just to get it out of his system, only the really smart ones would know what he had just said.

Fortunately for him Miriel was out of earshot and was not going to explain to Sumia what that meant.

She looked a little confused then asked "Why are you so upset, with me."

To this Robin produced a very believable lie "It's not with you, I just have work to do, more work due to the betrayal that we suffered."

Robin left his stew half finished and got up to leave the table. Sumia at this moment said "I know what, you need a hug!"

With this words she tried to hug Robin, who skillfully stepped out of the way and let slip three words "Don't touch me."

This three words with the cold look in his eyes hit Sumia harder than any wound could.

She took a step back in disbelief, had a her friend Robin just told her not to touch him?

She did not understand why he was acting different towards her, he had always been so open and cheerful around her before today.

Now it seemed that he could not stand to be near here and yet she did not know why.

His words hurt they really did, she did not know why he had said them though in her heart she felt that somehow she deserved them.

Tears fell down her eyes though she did not know why this day she felt as if she had lost some one very dear to her.

And no matter who hard she tried she could never get him back.

She quickly followed him, she could not let this be, she needed to know what she had done, was there any way they could be friends again?

Even she was able to tell that the fact he had returned her books, meant that he did not wish to see her face.

She arrived at his tent to see that he was already consumed in his tactics and planning.

She now entered and said "Robin, did I do something today, something that offended you?"

To this Robin casually looked up, there was no emotion in his eyes when he replied "Yes, yes you did."

This was a start for her, at least now she knew that she had done something wrong.

"Um what did I do wrong, what was it that made you like this."

To this Robin gave a sigh turned back to his map and said "I need not explain it to you, leave me alone."

She refused she wished to know why, he was like this, why he acted this way towards her.

"Robin I can't make amends if I don't know what I have done wrong?"

To this Robin sighed again and said "I asked that you leave me alone."

She refused "I don't want this to hurt our friendship Robin."

To this Robin replied coldly "It already has."

Robin now looked up at the roof of his tent and now looked back to his map.

He continued to plan of ways to counter the enemy, right in front of Sumia.

"Robin, I'm sorry, just please, don't be like this tell me what I did wrong, what did I screw up."

Robin gave another sigh and now looked at her "You have two minutes of my attention, what did you do wrong, it was not what you have done wrong."

He now looked at her and said "Thin your time started when I looked at you."

This did not help her, she could not imagine in the day what could have gone wrong, or right for him to be like this.

After about fifteen seconds she said "I don't know, I don't know Robin I'm sorry please tell me."

Her eyes were pleading, but they did not effect Robin, who was now closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"The truth is you're not sorry about it at all, I know that much."

One that note he turned back to his maps and resumed his planning while she thought about it.

She was not the brightest pebble on the beach, but she was completely stupid. He had all but said it in name for her now, while he glanced over the map it must have come to her.

He heard her sob as the tears now flowed all the more freely down her checks.

"Robin, I, I did not know that, Robin I."

Robin no looked to her, she was unable to meet his eyes and instead faced the ground.

"No you know and your time is up, leave now."

He sighed relieved that she had left, any love he could have felt for her was gone, gone the moment he had seen her with Chrom.

She had fled his tent, tears still in her eyes, no doubt Chrom would speak to him about this tomorrow, after all, she was Chrom's girl.

Sumia had fled out into the woods alone, she felt a huge amount of regret at what she had done.

She now knew that Robin truly cared for her, or at least he had.

She was so confused, she felt regret, pain and sorrow for a decision that had brought her much joy.

"Life is never simple is it."

She whirled around to see Cloud Strife, his eyes glowing in the darkness.

"If you stay out here for long, you will be missed by those in camp."

She did not know what to say to him.

She just turned her back on him and was going to walk off when Cloud called out to her "Hey, I can tell that you're confused, but out there is the enemy."

"Do you truly believe death will solve the problem."

She now turned back to him and said "What would you know about pain that I feel."

She said this rudely, but Cloud seemed to tolerate it. "I don't, hating yourself, I know about that."

She looked at him and asked "Wait, you hate yourself, why, you're strong smart and good at everything."

To this Cloud winced and looked away "My strength is not my own, it comes from a monster, the very same one that burnt down my home and murder my mother."

He mumbled the last part and now just silently slipped away into the shadows.

Sumia wanted to know what he meant, she had not heard the last bit, due to the fact that she was crying.

She had heard though that his strength came from a monster, but that was all.

The air suddenly got a lot colder and she decided to go back to her tent, she wondered though why Cloud's eyes seemed to glow?

What, Chrom and Sumia, well it is a male Robin so I go with Sumia as cannon, can any tell the next couple also leave who you want in your review as I said before this story was inspired by tan90's "Rising Again". So I do apologize if so elements are similar, but I really like what he did with Robin and Sumia, though I thought I would handle it a different way, No I am not copying his(or her) story, but read that story if you want to. All credit for the similarities in the story go to tan90, give credit where it is due.

Please review and let me know who you want to pair up and who the not so obvious pairing was, no I'll say it now, Kellam is not involved.

Feel free to check out some of my other stories on my profile (if you want to I can't force you)

Until next time later also, the Fire Emblem is Never Final!