"Robin!" Chrom felt his heart stop the moment he saw her fall. He rushed forward with speed he didn't know he was capable of. She crumpled into his outstretched arms fitting perfectly against him. She was small, delicate, and fragile in this state, and oh Naga how could he have ever not thought her a lady? If anything happened...He shook his head. Now was not the time. Now was the time to save his beloved tactician, because something was ailing her and he'd be damned if he let her fall to it.

The blood that trickled from her mouth instilled intense dread into the prince. He took her into a princess carry and sprinted out of the tent.

He passed by Stahl, Sumia, and Lon'qu, all on night duty, and they all followed him, abandoning their posts. This was much more important to them, despite the status of their relationships with Robin.

"What happened!"
"What's going on!"

The cries were deaf to his ears; he didn't know anything but the woman nestled into his arms. Her face was still, and yet he could see that something was plaguing her mind. Whatever she's gone through...it did not bode well.

There was blood on his fingers and an unconscious tactician in his arms. He looked like his beloved died. The night guard was on an uproar. They had eyes, they could see the danger too.

He said nothing, and only rushed into the medic's tent, where thankfully Maribelle was on duty, if nodding off while immersed in a book of poetry. "Milord," she stood up immediately and tried to help Chrom as he lay an unconscious Robin onto the light cot, reserved for those injured or ill. His face was grave, and it took all he had to reply to Maribelle's relentless inquiries as to what's wrong.

"I...I don't know," he said, his fingers gently wiping Robin's mouth. His voice was pained and shaking, and he felt someone supporting him. The hand on his shoulder belonged to Gaius. He looked exhausted as if he'd recently exerted himself, in the dead of night. Strange that he was out so late, but it was a matter for another time.

"You came out of the kitchen right?" Gaius inquired, a tone of urgency in his voice. He hadn't followed the prince; he'd done a quick round of investigation, and he did not like the results. How he'd convey all this without raising suspicion, he did not know, but diverting distrust was not priority right then.

Chrom's voice was stuck in his throat, and Gaius barked out his question once more. His tone had the healer wince as she went over Robin's vitals, but her rebuke remained inside of her.

"Y-yes," Chrom nodded, and Gaius bit his lip. He pulled out a bunch of grapes from his pocket, and confused everyone in the tent.

"Uh, is this the time to be eating?" Stahl piped up, and the thief glared him back into silence.

"Sure, Stahl. If you wanna to be poisoned."

Poisoned? The word sent a murmur throughout the people waiting outside; there was a larger gathering now. Sumia had gone to wake everyone up, and little Lissa pushed her way into the tent. She barreled her way to Robin, but was held back by her brother.

"Easy, sister," he said, even as he looked distraught himself. The young princess started to sniffle. Her crying lead way to more chaos, and Maribelle had to raise her voice to shoo everyone away.

"I'm working with a patient! If you've not anything constructive to do, then OUT!" the woman was formidable and everyone slowly filed their way back outside, waiting with bated breath.

"I've dealt with this kind of poison before," Gaius said, once the tent was cleared out, save for the two healers, Chrom, and Stahl. The man shifted uncomfortably as he admitted the fact. "Smelled the grapes, and I could tell."

"Smelled the grapes...and you could tell," Chrom flatly repeated the words as he started to approach the ginger. He bared his teeth and almost growled at him as he threw out an accusation. Of course you did. How do I know that you're behind this?" He grabbed Gaius by the collar and dragged him to him, his face contorted with unreasonable anger. "How do I know you're simply trying to act innocent? What did you do to her? Speak!" He sounded like he was about to cry ,and his worries were exacerbated by a raspy,pained breath from Robin.

"Blue. Let. Me. Go," Gaius said, with gritted teeth as he struggled to pry off Chrom's hands off of his neck.

"Guys! Can you like, not with the sausage fest right now?" A pair of small hands pried apart the two men. Lissa stood between them, and puffed out her cheeks. "Now, Gaius, hurry up tell us so we can help Robin." Her tone was imperative and suddenly the girl really did seem like a princess.

"Right..." Gaius was cleared hiss throat speaking. "You see, this is a specific poison from these parts. Slow acting, but I guess Bubbles is too sensitive to it. I think there's an antidote 'round the area..."

Chrom glared at him. "You think?" A look from his sister cowed him back into clamping his lips shut.

"I...give me an hour to find things out."

"And give you time to run away? Not likely. How do I even know that this exists?"

At this, the cavalier finally piped up. "Excuse me, Commander, but I believe he might be right. Thanks to my brother, I know that this region has plenty to fill an apothecary's dream."

"And if you don't believe me, I'll take someone with me...Grumpy! You there?"

A gruff voice answered. "I have a name."
"Great, I'll take Lon'qu. Any reservations, your lordship?" It was clear that Gaius was bitter. His temper was quick to flare, but the man had more tact than Chrom. Chrom shook his head, and Gaius took that as a dismissal. He went over to Robin's sickbed, and was momentarily pulled back by the still suspicious prince, before being allowed to go to her.

"W-we'll fix you right up, Bubbles," Gaius said to an unconscious Robin. HIs own voice quivered, and anyone could see that even Gaius was genuinely worried for her welfare. He'd spend a lot of his free time following after this one. It kind of hurt him to see this one in danger. Seeing her like this, without a hint of her usual fire stung like he couldn't believe. He brushed away some hair from her face, and gently kissed her forehead. "Take care. I'll give ya candy if ya wake up fast."

And with that, he left.

Chrom witnessed the exchange with a surprised look; he didn't think those two got along so well. All he could do then, was wait. He sat by Robin and helped Maribelle administer countless remedies to keep her going. He held her hand and prayed, prayed that a miracle would come. He had too many things he never got to do, never got to say. And he wanted her to live a life to remember.

"Why was I not informed?" The great knight was out clearing firewood to clear his mind from the...confrontation earlier, only to return to a camp in panic. He dropped everything he had (a hazard that a clear minded Frederick would never have created) and sprinted to the medic's tent. To his horror, the majority of the rumors were true (a small faction had proclaimed Robin to be dead; he'd nearly taken out one soldier's eye). He know stares at the scene in the tent in horror. Chrom's head is on the bed, as he grasps Robin's hand with his, while he strokes her face with his other.

"Inform you?" Chrom lifts up his head and looks at Frederick. "Why? What are you to her? You've held nothing but contempt for her, since she's stepped into our lives!"

"I-"

"You're nothing to her, and she is nothing to you. You're good at helping right?" Chrom seemed angry. Perhaps rightfully so. With the way Frederick was going, he wouldn't put it past him to accuse Robin of poisoning herself. But his words always contradicted his actions. Chrom saw him carrying her, looking after her, training her day after day. And now he was here, looking as though someone died. If he looked close enough, he could even see the knight trembling. It made no sense and he didn't wish to think about it. Thankfully Gaius had returned with findings just then.

And Frederick...What could he have argued back anyways? Every damn word was true, and he deserved no less. But he couldn't quell the anxiety in his heart, and the feeling of doom that he couldn't get rid of. He just wanted to see her open her eyes, to do anything, to yell at him, ignore him, hit him...Why?

"I could cut this tension with a knife," Gaius let out a low whistle, as though he wasn't scruffed by Chrom just earlier on. "Right, I met up hungry on the way back, and we've got a game plan." He was met with scowls, but did not falter.

"Here's your chance," Chrom said. "I'm not leaving her side...I can't leave her with anybody else..." He raised her fingers to his lips and pressed gentle kisses, a tenderness that he didn't seem capable of. "But you, if you care at all, then..."

"Say no more, milord. Now you," Frederick directed his attention to Gaius and a sullen Lon'qu. "Speak."