All this time, Chrom thought that didn't know what to feel towards her. No, he did. He had been feeling this since the beginning, since he first saw her, but it had only been recently since he recognized it. It had only been recently since he admitted it to himself. But why couldn't he admit it to her?

Looking at his tactician, who was standing beside him, he knew that his feelings were clear and sure. He loved her. Everything about her. So why was he so reluctant to admit it? Shaking his head, he turned to face her.

"I—" his sudden call caused Robin to turn to him, eyes as calculating as ever, although she seemed much more distant from him. It couldn't be helped; after all, it was him who had been distancing himself from her first. She raised an eyebrow at him, signaling him to continue as they stepped into the Outrealm gate.

"You know, Robin I—" he stopped, how would he say it? "I-" he was about to say it. But it was just bad timing on his part, before he could continue; a white light engulfed them, blinding him and shielding Robin from his sight as the gate brought them to a different world.

Despite how many times he'd gone through the Outrealm gate, he still couldn't get used to the feeling. It was strange and he just couldn't welcome it at all.

Adjusting his eyes, Chrom expected himself to be in some field, greeted by another merchant Anna, with Robin beside him and his army just behind him. However, what greeted him were blue skies and white clouds drifting above him. Beneath him, he could feel the blades of grass and the blowing of peaceful winds. He didn't want to sit up just yet, despite the confusion he was starting to feel. He knew he was… strangely alone.

"Milord?" there was that familiar voice he remembers so much. Tilting his head up, his eyes found a familiar face, the lovely Robin, towering above him. "Excuse me, milord, but there are better places to take a nap than on the ground." She smiled kindly walking closer to him and kneeling just beside him. He sat up as soon a she did, to face her.

Robin seemed different. It seemed as if she was… even more distant than before. She smiled at him and tried to talk, but he could feel how she was keeping her distance, how she was putting up a wall between them. Not only that, she really looked different. Instead of her usual dark cloak, she wore a dress similar to what the maids back at the castle wore. A simple creamy white dress that stopped just below the knees with three-fourth sleeves, a blue vest, black stockings and boots that reached a few inches further up her ankles. Her long, snow white hair, which was usually tied in twin tails were kept in a bun, before being concealed in a piece of cloth, which he presumed, is to keep dirt away, he wasn't so sure.

"Robin?" he called.

"Y-Yes milord?" she squeaked, obviously flustered and strangely surprised when he called.

"Why are you dressed like that? And didn't I tell you before to drop the formalities? Just Chrom is fine." He said, not making any move to get up. Robin backed away slightly as if uncomfortable. She looked around before bowing her head meekly. "B-But, milord, this is what all maids in the palace wear during work a-and someone like me is not worthy enough to call you by name." she murmured.

Now he was puzzled. Robin, a maid? He would have shaken her gently if he didn't remember that he was in the Outrealms at once.

"A-Ah… yes. But all the same, call me Chrom. I insist of it."

"A-As you wish milo—Chrom"

As Robin uttered his name, he saw her tense visibly, blush red and shake her head. "U-Um… C-Chrom, your sister, lady Emmeryn has wished for your presence at once. T-That would be all… milord!" she all but nearly screamed before standing up and running away.

That was strange. Robin was strange. It was all strange. For starters, Robin was a maid, not a tactician. Second, she had lost all the confidence that Chrom found charming in her. Third, and although it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, Emmeryn was alive. Other than that, it was all the same; maybe it was the 'different circumstances' that Anna had mentioned. Still, it was weird how he didn't see any of his friends. There was Robin, but she seemed different and she didn't seem to be the same Robin he knew on top of everything else. He was beginning to wonder where everyone else went.

Thinking of nothing else but that, everything passed by like a blur. He spoke with Emmeryn and with the Ylissean council, met with the Lords and ladies of the court, spoke with Frederick (who didn't seem to remember or bring up any topic about stepping into the Outrealm gate) and he was starting to think that he must have ended up in a different world than the others. Yet, he could not find it in him to panic.

Nothing was amiss, except for his older sister being alive and Robin being a simple maid instead of a glorified grand tactician. Thinking back to the tactician, he had not since her since the morning. He was just about to go ask for her when he heard Lissa's voice echo from out of nowhere. Following it lead him to one of the rooms near to where he was originally standing. Looking inside, he saw his sister talking animatedly with a maid, who, upon closer inspection, turned out to be the said, snow-haired tactician.

"Lissa, Robin." Chrom called out suddenly. Both heads turned to look at the prince and quickly, Robin stood up and gave him a bow. "Good evening milord. Chrom. Milord Chrom." She stuttered, earning a high pitched laugh from Lissa. "Oh lighten up Robbie! It's just my brother!" she laughed, to which Robin gave her an exasperated look. Chrom was sure that she wanted to say otherwise, but thinking of her position as a maid prevented her from doing so.

"Milady, to me it's not just… 'Your brother'. To me, he is… p-prince Chrom." She stuttered nervously, playing with the sleeves of her dress.

"Riiiight. Prince Chrom." Lissa grinned at Robin before standing up and stretching. She hopped off her chair before turning to the prince and patting him on the shoulder, having to stand up on tip toes. "Well brother, it's getting late. I should be seeing you. G'night big bro! G'night Robin!" Lissa sang as she skipped away out of the room and into the hallway.

"W-Well milord, I must go as well. Good night to you." She smiled quite nervously, hurrying out before Chrom could catch her or even call out to her. The need of wanting to talk to her burned in his chest as he sat there alone. Especially seeing as how just a while ago, he was ready to tell her his feelings.

Robin woke up early the following morning. Because she was staying at the palace grounds, it was easy to get to work. Dressing up and taking a quick bite before working, her ever sharp and calculating mind drifted to yesterday's events. Prince Chrom had talked to her. He had really talked to her. Sure, she was close to his two sisters, to Frederick and the other Shepherds as well, but he never really talked to her. She would greet him sheepishly, he'd respond in kind, but that was all there is. She knew Chrom was friendly and a willing listener, but he was never the first one to initiate a conversation with her. But yesterday, he talked to her! Robin had a giddy feeling just thinking about it, her face felt hot, blood seeping into her cheeks, coloring them pink. Oh, how lucky for her, a mere maid, to talk to her prince, indeed. Still, she would never expect it to happen again. So, instead of merely daydreaming about an event passed, she grabbed readjusted her apron and her head piece and headed out to start the day, early and cool, a perfect time to sweep the courtyards.

Robin whistled contentedly at how the courtyards were empty early that morning. She liked it that way. Peaceful and quiet, and although she was grateful for the constant merry chatter, she would honestly prefer the melodic silence around her.

It had not been an hour since she started sweeping the courtyard that she felt a presence behind her. Turning around sharply, she almost crashed against another figure. Looking up, her dark eyes, met with tantalizing blue orbs. It didn't take long before her face flushed red in embarrassment, and she quickly backed away, tripping and falling back in the process.

"P-Prince Chrom! G-Good morning!" Robin cried, hurrying up to her feet just as Chrom was about to offer her his hand. Chrom, seeing her distress, offered her a warm smile instead, hoping to dismiss whatever anxiety she had. However, rather than relieve her, she tensed up even more and looked down on the ground, suddenly finding interest in her feet. Guilty sensations stabbed his heart, knowing that the Robin he knew well only did that when she was truly troubled, or close to having a breakdown, which was rare. As far as Chrom knew, Robin always held her head high, her eyes confident, with a knowing smile that could infect anyone who saw it. The Robin in front of him now was a nervous mess. It did not help that he seemed to be the constant reason for her anxiety.

A pregnant silence hovered above them as Chrom only stood there watching her squirm. He noticed how she would stiffen even more with every passing second and he momentarily panicked. "Yes! Good morning!" he all but shouted, finally realizing that he had been staring at the quivering girl for the past minute, offering no kind of reply at all. Robin flinched at his sudden reply, something which Chrom did not miss. He mentally skewered himself with an imaginary Falchion for surprising her.

Another silence followed after that. It seemed as if Robin was itching to get away, clutching her broom ferociously, the way she would clutch a sword. Her cheeks showed no signs of returning to their usual pale color and she wouldn't meet Chrom's eyes. Looking up for a minute to look somewhere else, a ghost of a smile formed on her face before she looked down again.

"U-Um milord… I should… go back to my chores now. A pleasant morning to you again." She said, speeding away to the direction where she looked at before. Following her with his eyes, he watched her run up a distance before stopping in front of Frederick, who was, strangely, in full armor early in the morning, to greet him. She was sporting her usual, happy smile as she talked to the knight, who seemed to be pleased at whatever she said. The two chatted even more before walking away, leaving Chrom to himself in the courtyards. He felt a pang of jealousy as he watched the two chat the way he and Robin used to.

I have no idea how Ylissean maids look so excuse my lack of imagination. Oh and Robin might be really OOC here but yeah that's purely intentional. So yah enjoy my messed up story telling

R&R please! love ya guys!