"By drawing in the ambient energies that permeate the air, we gain their strength. Therein lies the origin of a fighter's ability and the determinant to how far they'll go. So, if the breath is the source of all strength, what ought a warrior to do?"

I panted as I looked up to see my mentor far and above surpassing me.

I wasn't going to sugar coat it ladies and gents. This trail was kicking my cute butt.

I sat down and drank some water as I heard Priam stop and take a break as well. For today's training he had dragged me up this mountain side. It didn't help that he was built like a god while I had about as much endurance as a bag of Gaius' sweets.

"Um... Seek out the purest air possible?" I heaved out in one breath. He had been chattering the whole time during this exorcise to my astonishment. It was surprising how much of a chatterbox he was when I wasn't verbally able to cut him off.

No really he was worse than me I think.

"Indeed! Air quality is of critical importance when training. This is why warriors have labored in deep woods and waterfalls for ages." He proudly exclaimed.

I took another deep breath as I gave him a small cheer.

Well I was laboring all right.

"Shall we continue?" I nodded and heaved my huge pack the man actually looked a little excited as we neared our mystery location. I was truly curious as well since I had cleared two whole days for this little field trip.

"Man this is an intense climb!" I shouted forward to him as he was practically jogging compared to my pace.

I'm a book worm not a marathoner.

"You want intense? Let's talk about my first training expedition into the woods." I heard him shout back. "I was but a boy, 11 or 12 perhaps, and I was attacked by a ferocious bear."

Bear meat sounded dang good right now.

"A bear attacked you when you were 12?!" I shouted climbing over a small cliff as he helped me up his face open and non-guarded.

"It did." His eyes held a twinkle of mischief as his stoic voice replied.

I gasped as I eagerly asked. "So...did you defeat it?"

"How else would I be telling you this blistering tale if I hadn't?" He chuckled slightly as I froze dead on the spot and felt a blush travel up to my face.

Could I die now? I think a part of my lung was already on the trail all I had to do was exhale the other part and I was good.

"...Oh. Um, right."

Oh God strike me with lightning please.

"I owe my victory to the crisp mountain air. With every breath, I drew into me the very spirit of the woods. The sighs of the trees of ages old whorled about me just waited to be utilized! And as I breathed deep, I began to refine that energy. To temper it..." I heard his sentence fall as he became silent. I looked up wanting to know what got him to shut up and stood in wonder at the sight I was seeing.

It was a secluded natural spring. With a roaring beautiful waterfall that fell into a pool before going to travel in a river that cut through the land nearby the camp. I stared awed at how beautiful this place looked.

It was stunning. He grabbed my hand and led me down the rock cliff to get to the pool. I smiled as he took a deep breath of fresh air and let out a huge sigh. His eyes were so vibrant and alive. It was a slight to behold. The usually guarded and stoic man that I had first met was now relaxed and just purely content. His deep eyes met mine. I blushed as I realized I had been staring.

I put the heavy pack down as I looked into the clear beautiful water. I smiled as I could see little silver fish dart around in the water.

I felt a strong hand shove me. I squeaked as I fell flat into the pool getting myself completely drenched. I looked to shore and saw the huge navy haired man bellowing with laughter his deep laugh rolling over me like waves. I instantly loved the sound of it.

I felt my jaw start to chatter at the cold water as I smiled and yelled. "Oh you are asking for it buster!" I laughed as I started splashing water at my mentor, who in turn jumped in with me.

I laughed as the two of us splashed at the other. The man at one point grabbing me by the waist and throwing me into the deep end of the pool.

The rest of the day consisted of attempts at meditation, swordplay on rocky terrain, a lunch I had packed for the two of us, and a lot of me goofing off. Priam got firewood as I was able to get a few fish from the stream. We both cooked the fish and gladly ate until we were stuffed.

I looked up at the sky noticing the stars showing up now.

I sat by the fire in one of my most comfy outfits warming my hands against the fire. I had just gotten done fixing my tent up and I was completely content.

I looked over to see that Priam was polishing and sharpening the usual blade he had with him, Ragnell.

I gave a relaxed sigh as I stated out loud.

"Could I just stay here?" I looked up at the stars and continued.

"Away from war meetings and oily armor, from battle." I stated to the cold air and the night sky.

I looked over the fire at Priam who held a wise and knowing look as he smirked and stated. "It's easy to be enchanted by this place isn't it?" I nodded and looked further into the sky trying to find constellations that I had read about.

"Yeah it is. How did you find this place?"

The man continued sharpening his lade as he answered "I was bear hunting."

The man effortlessly handled the blade like it was an extension of his own self. I watched amazed. He had taken off his usual head band and stripped to his regular clothes his armor sitting in the tent that he had also put up. I had never seen him this relaxed in all the time I had known him. I couldn't help but think it was extremely attractive. Especially since the fire gave a perfect chance for me to look at him. Priam had been the source of many rumors in the camp. Many over exaggerated his stories while it irked others that he was so anti-social for apparently being the head of a miniature army before Chrom and I recruited him. Not to mention he could easily beat any number of our troops that went up against him. Each one afterwards demanding and asking to have him take them up as apprentices.

Many of the women especially were taken by him, many came up to me and would ask for any kind of gossip about him. To their dismay I was a horrid gossiper and they usually left with no new information to the reclusive hero.

I blushed a little as I thought of another question for my mentor.

I looked back up at the stars. It was a harmless question…

I cleared my throat and felt red tinge my face as I tried to nonchalantly ask.

"So, tell me a little about your past. Like have you ever been in love?"

I watched as the grown man's hand slipped his hand nearly missing the blade as he made eye contact with me. "That's a very personal question."

I quickly back pedaled. "Sorry, it's just, I realize that we have been training for months now and I don't know the first thing about you!" I scratched my head trying to come off calm.

The grown man donned an interesting look as he sighed and answered. "The only love I have is for the blade. Many women have confessed to me over the year's but-."

His face went bright red. I sat up as I watched how his face was flushed up to his ears.

"Priam, are you blushing?" I nearly yelled.

He glared at me and toughly answered. "O-of course not! The fire is just making my face hot!" I rested my head in my hands as I giggled at his expression deciding to let the poor guy off the hook. I could always tease him later.

He shot me a gentle smile as he continued his work.

I glanced deep into the fire another question popping into my head.

"Priam."

"Yes."

"What were your parents like?" I looked across the small fire to him.

He donned a sad smile as he looked at me sympathy clear in his eyes. It had been a while ago that he had found out that I couldn't remember anything. I was having a rough day and I went out seek his council.

So I was curious to say the least what his past was like.

"Well, my mother was strong, she was a trained mercenary so she didn't have much time for chit chat. She was also one that followed the path of the sword. She was a breathtaking warrior." A light smile filled with pride shown.

I watched as that expression dimmed as he continued. "My father wasn't really involved in my life too much. He always seemed to be leaving all of us. Until one day he finally just never came back." His voice had grown cold compared to the way he talked about his mother. His expression was steeled off and emotionless.

"I'm so sorry." I gently placed my hand on his arm. He smiled slightly and moved away from my touch.

He gave me a shrug as he explained. "It made me get stronger, more quickly. Besides my mother was the one who taught me most of what I know. Every night she would read me the legends of Ike and my birthright. I take pride in my family's origins."

"Besides I never truly felt like I lacked a father figure though, I had the whole town I was living in to raise me so I was never lonely. I also had my uncle Soren who would always scold me about reading. I just enjoyed getting into trouble a little too much." He smiled a little his barriers completely falling I smiled at how clam he seemed. His eyes seemed to glow in the firelight.

"I am envious of you though,"

I felt my head snap up. Well that's absurd. I was about to argue as he continued.

"Reading comes so easily to you, and I have never seen such a fierce fighting style such as your own. It's truly inspiring to watch you." He continued sharpening his blade which I had learned was the famed Ragnell. The blade was said to be blessed by Ashura herself and given abilities that I would never understand.

"What do you mean reading comes easy to me? You speak so eloquently. I actually thought you were a bard by the way you spoke when we first met." I answered.

He chuckled and answered. "I haven't read a book in over seventeen years. But I found out that I could face stronger opponents in the arena when the game master thought you were of noble blood. So I traveled with some wealthy merchants for a while and picked up those words. Soon my course way of speaking was gone and I've never gotten out of the habit."

I stared at him in absolute shock. He had learned by listening just because he was so determined to fight stronger people.

We both sat quietly for a while as I placed more firewood in the fire. "So what problem do you have with reading?" My curiosity getting the best of me.

He gave me a shocked look and grudgingly admitted. "The words change."

I had read about that in my books somewhere, it was called dyslexia I think. "They change?" He gave a simple shrug as he took a stick nearby and wrote out a lowercase b and d.

I watched fully interested as he sighed and then wrote out a, e, and o. I saw how he had the look of someone who had given up a long time ago as he explained.

"Writing letters had never been a problem for me. It was reading then that always got me. Like for example."

He pointed to the b and the d. "When I read, I get these two letters mixed up, they always look the same to me so bed, turns into deb, dob, or dab when I read it. No matter how much I concentrate I cannot ever un-jumble them." he ran his hand through his hair as if getting a migraine just by looking at the letters.

"My mom gave up trying to have me read once I turned ten so everything has just been taught to me aloud or through example."

He threw the stick into the fire the man heaving a dep sigh as he laughed and stated. "I think I've managed pretty well to be honest."

I stared at him in wonder. He truly was a remarkable person. I thought for a moment the flames of the fire drawing my attention. I quickly got up and went into my tent.

"Robin?" I continued digging through my bag ignoring Priam.

"Gotcha!" I proudly held up the item I had been looking for. I smiled brightly as I rejoined the hero and sat next to him. He gave me a confused glance, a light dusting of blush covering his face. I flipped through a few pages trying to find a good story out of the book of short action scenes.

I finally found one and gave Priam a mischievous glance. I began reading the story out loud to the hero.

The man gave me a surprised look as I continued reading about a famed swordsman. The two of us sat there as I told tall tales about the samurai. Priam giving an impressed expression or chuckling at a few things. I smiled at the way he seemed to be enjoying my story telling even though I knew it wasn't as good as his.

I started to yawn as I reached an end to one of the battles my eyes dropping a little as they stung from reading.

He grabbed Ragnell and stated. "Get some sleep, you are probably exhausted. I'm going to practice a little more for old time's sake." I smiled at him and nodded as I yawned.

I had never gotten a better goodnights sleep.

indienote: Hey guys! Apparently the last file got corrupted! I'm so sorry for the inconvenience!

this chapter is honestly my second favorite one i've made. it's a little non-cannon on Priam's part but I had too much fun making a past for him that I simply couldn't help it!

Any who, I hope you enjoyed, leave a review if you want me to continue with more there is now slightly a plot to this I guess?

Have a good day my loves!