I was not happy with the last chapter, so bonus! Thank you for your reviews, I really appreciate it guys!

They had gathered a rag tag team of Shepherds to go retrieve the cure for Robin's ailment. It was decided on a purely voluntary basis as the task itself was considerably risky. One half would actually procure the plant, while the other stay behind for protection, which was agreed as necessary when they realized the source and purpose of the fruit.

Chrom had remembered that it was he himself that had put those grapes in the kitchen. He had found them in his tent, with a note that told him to enjoy, but he'd feel bad if he'd had them alone. So he went and deposited the gift in the kitchen. Someone had called his name, and he'd been distracted before he could eat any. This did not sit well with Frederick at all.

"Milord, are you meaning to tell me that you were about to eat grapes from an anonymous person? You, being the prince of Ylisse did not even think that it could be poisoned? How careless can one man be!" His face was turning to an unbecoming shade of puce as he yelled Chrom down. Yes, the man was irresponsible but now this recklessness had someone hurt! And he told Chrom just that.

"I-I know."

"And you think that you're fit to be by her side? That you won't accept any stranger's help, desperate just to save her?" Frederick was toe to toe now, gripping Chrom's shoulders like he'd never have dared to before.

"I-"

"You're too trusting milord, and I must question your judgment at times like these."

They glared at each other in silence, and for once on truly equal footing. Whatever they felt, there was something they held for Robin. And that made them the same.

Before anyone started pulling punches, Maribelle broke it up with a few words. "Oh please, as though I would allow him to do such. Just, hurry up will you?" They were gathered outside the tent, but hearing this exchange drew her out. It's not as if there was any time to waste. She could see Robin's veins at this point, the skin was s translucent. Breathing was getting shallow, and not promising. "It's not looking good."

"Don't say that!" Chrom interjected. He couldn't bear the thought of her...not being there anymore. "Don't."

"Then do what you must, and I will try to save her," Maribelle said solemnly and ducked back into the tent. She was exhausting her supplies just keeping Robin going. She'd sent Cordelia, Lissa, and a formidable group to replenish the stores. She just prayed that it would be enough. If you asked her if she truly cared, she'd answer no in a heartbeat.

But truth be told, more cared for the tactician than she thought.

When Gaius asked around who would be accompanying them, more hands flew up than they had steeds to provide for.

"She's a very considerate woman," Stahl had said. "It would be an honor."

"I respect her," was Lon'qu's reason.

"She's always helping me...I wanted to share my books with her too," Sumia fidgeted, and for her to be on this expedition took a lot of begging on her part. The expertise with pegasi was what got her her spot in this crew. Gaius blamed himself for this, for the lack of foresight. It was unreasonable to feel guilt, but that did not stop him. The most surprising person joining this mission was Frederick, who they'd appointed leader. He said nothing but that he was to go.

"I leave her in your care," Frederick finally said. He looked reluctant but time was ticking. They really had no time to waste.

He'd hoped that his lord would think with his head, for once.

"I don't have a map with an x on it!" Gaius yelped as Frederick slammed him against a rocky wall. They'd arrived at the mountain that supposedly has what they need, only for Gaius to admit he doesn't know where exactly it could be. "I'm sure it's here! At least..."

Frederick narrowed his eyes. "You're sure? Your lanky body is flying off of this mountain if you're wrong." Gaius nodded meekly, more terrified of this man than he was of Chrom. Strange, considering social rank and all that, but Frederick was more likely to make good on his promise.

"Then let's split up," Frederick commanded everyone. "Lon'qu and Stahl can take the other side, while this one comes with me. Sumia can fly and patrol."

"I-is that safe for everyone?" Sumia asked feeling timid after seeing Frederick's intimidation. "Just pairs? I'm not concerned for myself, I know she'll keep me safe but the path looks dangerous."

"Sumia," Frederick said kindly. "I know this. But anyone averse to this is more than welcome to go home. Understood?" He looked around the group, but they all looked back with determination (although Gaius was still more than a little cowed).

"How can we call ourselves Robin's friends, if we can't even do this much for her?" Stahl said with furrowed brows, a stark contrast to his usual genial demeanor.

Friends.

Frederick remembered the assignment that he gave the very lonely Robin.

"You want something more to do?" he had asked doubtfully. She looked like she was about to heave from exhaustion, and yet there was still fierceness present in her sweaty, haggard face.

"I want to improve myself even when we're not working together," Robin said, eager to be the best she could.

He mulled over this for a while. If he gave her some task that would have the young princess and prince coming after her, then that would be a nuisance. What's something easy..."Then...make a friend."

"A friend?"

"Do you have any? Besides Lissa and Chrom?" I am not one was a sentence unspoken, but clearly understood.

"...No...I tried but I'm a little awkward," Robin laughed uneasily and twirled a lock of hair around her finger, a nervous tick.

"Then it will do good to better yourself. As tactician you should know how important it is to strengthen bonds...You went on about that a while ago." He was tiring of the conversation already, having worked out himself. "Don't argue," he had said and left her with that.

Making friends...it was kind of sad that he had to assign her such a thing. It wasn't like she wanted to be alone...

And yet Robin hadn't realized that these people considered themselves her friend this entire time. He found the corner of his lip twitching. The girl was remarkable, he had to admit. These people were willing to go through great lengths for her. Even as they spoke, Cordelia, Lissa, and a great number of people were gathering medical supplies in the dead of night. Yet another team was investigating and guarding her. Robin's name was the only thing on their lips that night.

"Then let's get to it. If anything goes wrong, then let's have a signal." There was danger to this. After all, it was the dead of night, a dark mountain, and all they had were torches that were bound to die out soon. The night air was still, and the only sounds heard were by the hidden wildlife and them.

"One step ahead of you," Gaius said, and fished out some small pellets from his pockets. "Flashpowder. Anything goes awry, just smack 'em down hard enough."

"Good," Frederick said with approval as Gaius distributed them. "Now, to work!"

They all exchanged serious glances before returning to the task at hand. They could only pray to be quick enough.

How could Robin handle this all day? Gaius was complaining endlessly as they hiked up. It was too dangerous to take the horse up any further, and they have to trudge through greenery, rocks, mud, and gods knew what else. And it didn't make it any better that this man would not shut up, despite what threats he was receiving.

If it wasn't because the darkness cloaked their goal, it would be because Frederick would lose his mind to Gaius. They'd been at this for a couple of hours, and he wondered how the man could keep going. Of course, he now complained about being parched...Which was no one's fault but his. He spoke to keep the tension at a minimum, he knew, but it was still so damn-

"Hey!" Gaius increased his volume, so that Frederick couldn't even find refuge in his thoughts.

"What?" Frederick growled.

"There's a stream up ahead!" he hurried up and outpaced Frederick, for once, to greedily gulp down the liquid. "Mm, that hit the spot!"

"So you can keep annoying me...Great..." He complained, but he refilled his flask and quenched himself too.

This of course, caused them to take another break not too much later.

"Can you not-"

"No," Gaius whined and danced on his toes. Which would probably make the matter worse. "I'll be back!"

Frederick considered leaving him behind at this point. But now...It looked like he needed to relieve himself too. It was embarrassing to admit after making such a big fuss about the issue, but if he went quickly enough then no one would be the wiser.

"Ah..." Frederick had to admit there was nothing better than relieving one's bladder...He was just about to zip up his pants when he noticed a strange glowing from above. It was faint, very faint, and one with a less attentive state of mind would not notice it. But the color..it was a peculiar shade of purple and had to be what they were looking for. It was rather high up though...

"Sumia!" he was yelling her name as he ran forward. The night air reminded him that he needed to zip up his pants first though.

He'd flagged her down miraculously fast; she had been on this side, and spotted him frantically waving his arms. He was about to start a fire, or use one of those flash bombs, but that might have worried the other party. As he's climbed behind her onto her trusty steed, he'd remembered just why he'd never wanted a flying mount. He realized this as he saw just how...high they were...

"Are you alright, lieutenant?" Sumia asked him. Surprisingly she was more calm than he for once. She'd maneuvered them to where he saw the light and clucked her tongue.

"Just fine...What's the matter?" he asked. She seemed very unhappy.

"Well on the bright side, we've found it but-"

"But?" he pressed.

"It's not somewhere you can reach easily. You have to crawl in a little, and I don't believe you can reach from here."

The implications of what she said had his stomach reeling. He looked down...The way down was quite far from there...There was no way he could ask Sumia to get it. The damned crevice. It was shallower than Virion. "Alright. Sumia, do you think we can get a little closer so I can get in? "

"But Frederick you'll die!" Well, that vote of confidence was quite assuring.

"Well, I've had a good run," he said with a grimace, and after repressing the urge to hurl out his dinner, he slowly lowered himself into the hole. He shook as he grasped at edges to hold on to and his heart was pounding. Her nervousness was making him even more scared, and he was cursing himself out for the cowardice, but...could anyone blame him?

He didn't have to go in too far, because there was no where else to get to. His broad frame took up all of the space, and didn't even fit inside. But the plant was there as described.

"It glows, kinda looks phallic," Gaius had been describing to the group before they set out.

"Phallic?" Chrom had frowned.

"It means it looks like a dick. Wait no-" his throat was being choked by a few different people, none who wanted to believe that the cure was a glowing, phallic plant.

Frederick sighed as he wrenched the plant out. It was as if Naga was playing a very distasteful joke on them. It did appear to be rather...phallic. Good heavens, may this all be over with soon.

Just as he safely stowed the plant in his pockets, and gingerly tried to get back on to Sumia's mount he slipped. He'd stepped somewhere slick, and with nothing to grab on to in time, he tumbled down, the last thing he heard before he blacked out were people shrieking his name.

If they found his body, hopefully Robin could still be saved.

Ah, what a failure as a knight.