A/N: I've been silent as to what I'm going to do with this story, but that's mostly because I don't want to spoil anything. In short, this is going to be an expansion on the relationship between Robin and Tharja. This includes a lot of stuff. I guess I'm being vague because this story is still in it's early stages, and I'm sort of still trying to portray Tharja as a sympathetic character while keeping her in-character (not that easy). I will say this, the children will be very important.

I'm nowhere near that phase, though.

Chapter 4

She cringed every time Robin was pushed back, and that happened a lot since Chrom was the better swordsman. Tharja respected Chrom's leadership skills; she even wished her own monarch possessed half of his character. But she hated how often Chrom picked Robin as a sparring partner. Stahl and Frederick weren't busy and were duty-bound to follow Chrom's orders. Yet he was hell-bent on pushing her precious Robin around, which made her blood boil in anger. Anyone else would've received a rock in the face. For Chrom, she hesitated. However, Tharja gripped a rough stone in her hand, just in case her patience ran out.

Just seeing the difference between the constitutions of both men was enough to rile her up. Chrom was bulky and strong, while Robin very skinny. Some of their comrades said he was Plegian thin, which was something she recently understood. Most of these Ylisseans and Feroxi soldiers were muscle monsters, a noticeable contrast to the slender Plegians. He does share a couple of features with us, she thought in realization, but his mannerism and speech are not from home. For the moment,she shook away those musings when she noticed Robin had distanced himself from Chrom.

Chrom scowled. "Are you sure you can't use magic when we train? I feel like I'm only fighting half of you."

Robin snorted in amusement. "Trust me, Chrom, it's my better half," he said. "Besides, there are no practice tomes I can use – it's too dangerous." To emphasize his point, Robin waved his wooden sword. The tool was nearly identical to the one Chrom wielded.

"If you say so."

The Plegian mage thought it was madness for them to go on, especially with all the snow around them. For her, both men had crossed the line that separated tough from stupid. It also didn't help how almost a dozen of the Shepherds stood around both of them as spectators that encouraged all of this nonsense.

To Tharja's surprise, Robin spread his legs and pointed his mock-weapon at Chrom. It was an offensive pose, which was odd because Robin was always on the defensive during these matches. Robin only struck Chrom when the Prince made small mistakes or fell for one of the tactician's clever traps of misdirection. Robin looked very bold despite the evident exhaustion in his uneven breathing. Tharja found him… oddly endearing in that position.

Tharja thought it was a ruse on Robin part to throw Chrom off until he could catch his breath, but she was proven wrong when the tactician charged at the Prince of Ylisse. Chrom parried the first three precise attacks. The fourth was an arched swing. Chrom evaded it by leaping backwards, because it had been delivered with immense force. A small part of Tharja celebrated Robin's momentum, which he continued by adopting a different stance and attacking with swifter but weaker strokes.

Tharja grinned when she understood what was happening. Robin had picked up some tricks from Lon'qu, and was using a rougher version of the Feroxi swordsman's style to attack Chrom. Although the Prince parried every single blow, it was clear he was having trouble adjusting to the sudden switch. This was the first time Tharja saw Chrom on the defensive ever since she began watching the two men train together. She felt like cheering for Robin with all she had, but she knew it would be incredibly awkward if she did something so unlike her. Robin also didn't need the distraction of the loving screams of a dark mage.

Robin paused momentarily to focus his strength. To the tactician's advantage, Chrom didn't retaliate. The leader of the Shepherds looked like he was trying to figure out the best option to respond to Robin's improved swordplay, but he took too long. Robin's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, and he leapt high in the air. The combination of Robin's might and gravity was enough to knock Chrom's sword out of his hands after they clashed. For a moment, the Prince looked like he was going to trip. When he regained his balance, Chrom rammed Robin into the ground.

Tharja became rigid when she saw Chrom pick up his sword. By the time Robin got up, Chrom was upon him. Before the tactician could resume his strategy, Chrom's years of experience and superior training kicked in. It didn't take long for the usual routine to start up again. The Prince's thrusts and swings eventually overpowered the tired tactician. With one hand, Chrom swung his sword in a downward arch. Robin barely blocked it. Chrom then landed a light punch, with his free hand, on Robin's chest. The force of the blow had not been great enough to injure Robin, but it did knock him back into the ground.

"Tie!" the downed tactician declared.

Chrom laughed. "Really?" He pointed his sword at Robin's exposed neck. "Tell me, my brilliant military advisor, how is this a tie?"

Robin hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "I'll get back to you on that one; after I recover from the head trauma."

"What head trauma? You landed on snow," Chrom pointed out.

"It's harder than it looks," Robin bluffed.

"I'll admit, you surprised me with that trick you pulled," Chrom said as he helped Robin up. "Keep it up, my friend."

Robin chuckled before coughing a bit. "I'm going to be sore all day." Part of Tharja felt like throwing the rock she had been holding, so she dropped it to avoid any complications. It was over and Robin was alright. Besides, she had better ways to get back at anyone who angered her.

With the match over, Tharja knew she could no longer hide in plain sight with the rest of the spectators. She stood up and hid behind a nearby tree without anyone noticing. The dark mage wanted to remain unseen because there was growing number of people who wanted her as a sparring partner, and they always asked after Chrom was finished. Just like Robin, Tharja didn't like the idea of using magic for training purposes. She casted spells at straw dummies if she wanted to sharpen her skills, but never on another person. On the other hand, curses were another story. Then again, giving someone a mild headache for being disrespectful was nothing compared to using a Shepherd as target practice.

Tharja saw Robin and Chrom converse about something. She couldn't overhear anything because of the additional distance between them and her. It seemed like Chrom was telling Robin to go somewhere else. She wasn't surprised, though. Robin never had the time to stay in one place for too long. He was always handling one or issue or another.

After both men shook hands, Robin headed towards camp. Tharja's mood soured when, out of nowhere, Lissa causally grabbed Robin's arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. The Plegian actually liked Lissa, though it was hard not to, but Tharja flared up every time the Princess got so familiar with her Robin. The reasoning part of her mind knew Lissa was just being her usual friendly self, and was probably just congratulating Robin on his improved swordsmanship, or perhaps aiding him in walking. However, Tharja was angrier at herself than at Lissa. The Princess could walk up to Robin and be the most affable person in the world, and he would respond kindly. Meanwhile, if Tharja attempted to be like Lissa, Robin would probably run for the hills.

The last thing Tharja wanted was to see Robin in the arms of another woman. I want him all to myself! She screamed in her head.

Robin smiled at Lissa and playfully patted her head. I want him to be like that around me…

Soon they were out of her sight. Tharja slowly slid into a sitting position and hugged her knees close to her face. For the first time since her obsession with Robin started, Tharja stopped to think on their relationship. She was very unsatisfied with it. They barely spoke, and he was a little nervous around her – everyone was.

The most frustrating part was that she didn't know what to do to get his attention. Her parents were going to marry her off to some powerful Grimleal acolyte or a rich scholar, so she didn't know a single thing about courtship, nor had she ever been interested in it. Now she regretted never studying the subject. Nevertheless, remaining idle was not an option. If he didn't fancy another woman, then some harpy would try to steal him away because he was close to the Prince of Ylisse.

He's also not bad to look at, she reluctantly admitted to herself, believing that her attraction to Robin was purely on a higher plane. What if there is something between Robin and Lissa? How am I supposed to compete with royalty? The answer to the latter question was obvious for her, but it was the wrong one. She would not hex Robin… again. Not that there was a love curse she could cast on him. Though, there were some that could tweak his perception of her. She knew of some hexes that could make him think of her, and only her. If she wanted, Tharja could fool Robin into loving her. The Plegian mage, however, would not do any of that. Perhaps a simple hex to compel him to go somewhere she was conveniently in, but nothing that altered him in any way. This love was a thing of greed and infuriation. She wanted Robin to reciprocate her feelings without the need of potions and spells.

It was maddening!

She had never hesitated to take what she wanted. The difference between a mage and a dark mage was power, and that entitled her to grab what she desired the most, even if it was by force. There were limitations, but she didn't want to be Empress of Valm, just the affections of one man. As insignificant as it may seem, Tharja couldn't bring herself to bewitch Robin… in that way. She felt it was necessary to earn her way into his heart.

Tharja pictured in her head a most terrifying image: Robin gazing lovingly at her with hollow, emotionless eyes. She hated when her parents looked at each other with that fake expression. They did that to themselves so that the union would be tolerable. She couldn't even imagine what sort of hell that was, nor would she impose it on Robin – someone she genuinely loved.

Then what are you going to do? She asked herself. Do you even know how to approach him like a normal person? Why do you stay away?

The answer was simple, yet a proud woman such as Tharja had trouble admitting it. She feared rejection, and was not sure if she was capable of handling it. Part of her wanted to keep her distance, to remain wondering on what could've been, even if it meant being alone for the rest of her days. However, she wasn't going to act on those feelings of cowardice. As bad as being turned down seemed, a lifetime of regret was unacceptable. She chose to keep her feelings for him, to let them grow, and so she was going to see this through to the end.

XXXX

Robin almost tripped when Lissa stopped walking all of a sudden. She was acting strange, almost as if she expected to see someone because she kept looking around as they walked. The tactician just wanted her to walk straight so he wouldn't fall. Although leaning on her for support was a little awkward due to the height difference, he was grateful she made his trip back to camp a little more bearable. He didn't know what made him sorer, the constant skirmishes or training with Chrom. He was leaning towards the latter every time he hissed in pain after each step.

Robin's patience wore off after Lissa refused to move. He desperately wanted as a chair. "Lissa? Can we get going?"

She looked up and grinned mischievously. "What's the hurry?"

"I don't want to be late for my date with the quartermaster," he replied sarcastically.

Lissa sighed. "You have it out for him, Robin. Besides, you should rest."

Robin shook his head. "Not yet. I at least have to tell Frederick of Chrom's marching orders." Some rest and relaxation sounded heavenly, but there was so much work that needed to be done. Being the Shepherds' tactician and staff officer of the joint Ylissean-Feroxi army were tiring jobs, especially with the large amount of duties that were delegated to him. He didn't complain, though. Frederick was just as busy, yet he always had energy to spare.

"I can tell him," Lissa offered. "How hard can it be to tell Frederick what he has to do? Actually, I've been doing it for years, which makes me an expert." Just hearing those words made Robin feel grateful that he wasn't Frederick.

"I appreciate it, Lissa, but I also have to discuss strategy with him," he confessed. He kept silent about some other duties he had. Lissa was the closest thing he had to a personal physician, meaning she would scold him if she knew he was ignoring her recommendations.

"Fine, I'll take you to Frederick." She grunted in a very un-ladylike way. "Chrom has to go easier on you. The last thing we need is incapacitating our tactician in a training accident."

Robin smiled. "He has his reasons for not holding back."

Lissa gave him a look of disbelief. "Unless you're flirting with Sumia, then he has no reason to pick on you."

Robin didn't even dare to imagine what his friend would do to him if he said something romantic to Sumia. "I would not be breathing if that happened." His smile faded, and his eyes widened as a reaction to the frightening thought.

"What's the reason?" she persisted.

"He wants me to make up for all the time I don't train with the rest of the Shepherds," he explained.

Lissa's hand went straight to her forehead. "He expects you to keep up with the rest of us and do all your… um, everything else you do?" She pouted. "I'm going to give him an earful! It's not fair to you. He should at least work on some of the stuff you and Frederick do!"

Robin had to remind himself that Lissa was the youngest of three royal siblings, as well as the only one without the crushing pressure of leadership. The late Exalt led her people, while Chrom commanded what small armed forces Ylisse had. "Frederick and I only assume some of the weight of managing this army. I don't envy your brother's position," he calmly said. "Ultimately, your brother is responsible for everything Frederick and I do."

He knew his words sank in when Lissa looked down, though he hoped she hadn't taken it as a reprimand. "It's just… never mind."

They resumed walking in silence. Robin immediately felt bad about what he said. Knowing how insecure Lissa sometimes felt when it came to her elder sister and brother, Robin hoped she didn't take his comment as him criticizing her. However, Robin would not pursue the matter because it probably meant mentioning Emmeryn at some point, and he knew both of them were not emotionally ready to talk about her. He opted for simply changing the subject in an attempt to lift her spirits again.

"Are you expecting someone, Lissa?" he asked. "You keep looking around."

The look of mischief she had made him gulp. He silently prayed it wasn't another of her pranks, but at the same time, he was glad she got out of her stupor rather quickly. "I'm trying to spot your," she paused to think of the right word, "admirer."

"My what?" Robin asked in confusion.

"Drop the 'playing hard to get act', Robin. She's not here." She winked at him, thinking he knew what she was talking about.

"Some people have been impressed with my tactics, but I would hardly call any of them an admirer. And why would I 'play hard to get?'" He cocked his head. "I have an open door policy. I give advice to anyone who asks me for some."

Lissa was aghast. "You're kidding, right?"

Robin shook his head. "I have no idea about what you're talking about."

It started as giggling until it escalated into uncontrollable laughter. Her sudden shift from standing straight to crouching caused Robin to fall face-first into the ground. The snow didn't taste any better than the one from earlier. He was curious as to what she found so incredibly funny.

"I'm sorry," she said between breaths.

Robin managed to get up on his own, and Lissa did so as well after she stopped laughing. "Brilliant tactician, Robin, doesn't notice he's being stalked!" she said dramatically. "He can deduce what the enemy is thinking, but…"

"Please, just tell me," he interrupted.

"Tharja's being following you ever since she joined. For weeks she has been openly stalking you!" she exclaimed. "And you haven't noticed? The whole camp's talking about it."

He felt a strange combination of nervousness and embarrassment at the same time. "Surely what you've observed is a mere coincidence," he said to assure himself more than her.

"Whatever you say, Robin."

Robin paled when a realization hit him: Tharja always seemed to be at arm's length, in and out of battle. He doubted that she was interested in him in the way Lissa insinuated, but he didn't discard the possibility that she wanted something from him. That thought sent chills down his spine. He thought back on how viciously she could get as a mage, how she tore through their enemies with magical powers he could only dream of someday possessing. On top of that, Robin had recently gained a higher understanding on some of the other abilities she had – cursing and hexing.

"Gaius told me she tried to get him to get a lock of your hair," she informed him sweetly.

He ran his hands through his hair in panic. What does she want?!

"I think it's cute," she said.

"Cute!?" he nearly yelled. What did I do? Did I do something to upset her?

Robin feared Tharja had some nefarious plan, which included him. He knew her well enough to know that she wasn't some spy trying to sabotage them. Nevertheless, she toyed with powerful and dangerous forces, of which Robin wanted to stay away from. There was also her personality. She had plenty of that to make everyone around her shake in their boots. Robin made a mental note to confront Tharja… once he gathered the courage to approach her.

Maybe this is a huge misunderstanding. Perhaps she's not even following me. For the first time in his life, Robin had no idea what he was about to face.