Chapter 3

Palace Ylisstol: Shepherd's barracks

"Is he going to be alright...?" asked the worried voice of Lissa. She and her brother were worried had been deeply concerned for the safety of their friend since the battle at the Ylisse/Plegia border. Most of the Shepherds, depiste their injuries were more or less alright and back on their feet. Robin however, never having fought a battle before joining up with the Shepherds, was still a bit lacking in bodily endurance. After his collapse, he had to be carried back to the Palace, being taken care of by Maribelle of all people along the way. She didn't tell anyone, but the truth was she felt terribly guilty at what had happened. Ever since her rescue and subsequent return to Ylisse, she secretly wondered if he would have put himself in such danger if she hadn't associated herself with him in the first place.

At the very least, with the help of her Mend Staff, the noblewoman was able to treat his wounds easily before he was in any life-threatening danger. For now, he only needed rest to recover. Chrom had no objections on the matter. He was well aware that he had been pushing Robin as of late. Sometimes he had to step back and remind himself that even if he was an excellent strategist, he was still a person just like everyone else. More importantly though, he was a friend he could rely on, as evidenced by their teamwork in their last battle. Fortunately since then, Plegia had not been showing any activity in the country for a while, so the prince would just let his friend rest easy for the time being.

The noblewoman placed her right hand over the sleeping tactician's forehead. His tempurature had risen properly; He was no longer cold from suffering anemia, and his breathing seemed to return to normal. She breathed easy, taking solace in the knowledge that Robin's selflessness hadn't cost him his life, yet she was still jarred by the very thought of him nearly getting killed for her sake. Her opinion of him had changed drastically over the past few days. From just brushing him off to barely a casual conversation, she now couldn't help but feel grateful to him. Not simply for rescuing her but also for keeping the Shepherds on a path to steady victory against their neighboring rivals. In light of this, she forced herself to look passed his commoner visage and focus more on the person he was inside. Perhaps they may one day become friends. After all, this was how Lissa became acquainted with her in their childhood, and she had become a lifelong friend for her ability to look past her status and reach out to the person inside. She was also tying to break her old noble habits of associating with commoners anyway. The Shepherds were all equal to each other, and it would ill behoove her to hold onto her pride if she would serve in their name.

After some silence on Maribelle's part, she turned to her friends and only spared them a simple nod. The siblings looked at each other, not sure how to take the nonchalant answer, but if a woman who was as skilled as her in healing said someone was going to be okay, it wasn't in their station to argue. Even so, they opted to stay and keep an eye on him, just to make sure he would have a friendly face to greet when he recovered. However, Maribelle was against this decision for now, "I understand how you two must feel, but know that he needs rest, and I cannot say for how long. I'll stay and accompany him through his recovery. You two have more important things to discuss in the meantime."

Chrom curled his lips inward as he thought about Maribelle' response. Robin was alright in her hands, and he did have to do some contemplation on what will happen between Ylisse and Plegia going forward. "You're right. In that case, I'm trusting you to keep a good eye on him. And please have him report back to me when he wakes up. I want to speak with him about our current situation."

"I'll see to it, milord. Now please, go and tend to your important business."

The prince and noble bowed respectfully to one another and Chrom left his friend in the care of Maribelle. Lissa briefly thought about staying to help, but decided against it and followed Chrom. She was a royal too, and being a part of the Shepherds, she had to know about what was going to happen as early as possible. Maribelle turned her attention back to the resting tactician and waited patiently for him to awaken.

Later That Evening

The halls of the palace had grown quiet and only the sound of crickets chirping in the night could be heard. Everyone had all dispersed into different areas of the palace, but true to her word, Maribelle stayed right where she was, watching over Robin. With nothing much else to do, she turned to the bookshelf for entertainment. She rose from her seat next to Robin and quietly walked over to the bookshelf. The selection of literature paled in comparison to what the library in the palace had to offer, but some books spread throughout the paltry collection were enough to indulge her for an hour or so. Anything to keep her from falling asleep. She went for the book that dealt with political intrigue the impact it has on the classes of society. Needless to say, it was quite the complicated read, one that would have any other person raise an eyebrow on what a sort of book like that was even doing in someplace such as an army's barracks.

Regardless of the odd convenience, Maribelle gladly walked back to her seat and unfurled the pages of the book. She spent the better part of a half-hour skimming through the pages. Not fully reading it, but rather taking a paragraph or so. When she had a more comfortable spot to read, she would probably read it properly. She wanted to obtain as much knowledge as she could on the subject, as she aspired to one day be a magistrate and help in the influence the law has on separate social statuses of society.

She was slowly becoming obsored in the texts that she read, until she noticed the sound of stirring fabric. She raised her head from her book and saw Robin slowly rising up from his short-lived comatose state. A meager smile curled at her lips when she saw him alive and well. Just seeing him awaken completely safe put her heart at rest from the heavy pangs of guilt she had been speared with ever since his injury. Closing the book and resting it on her lap, she waited for Robin to gather his senses.

The revived strategist placed his hand over his forehead that throbbed a bit. He winced at the aching he had in his stomach. His eyes slowly opened, made easier by the fact that it was night time, so the rays of the sun would not have bled through the open windows. Blinking his blurred vision back into clarity, Robin looked around and was immediately familiar with his location, though he was quite confused as to HOW it was he got here. His eyes scanned around for anyone nearby. At first, he saw no one, but after inspected the corner of the room, he noticed Maribelle was there. The only one there, actually. She sat calmly, almost as if she expected him to wake up in here. Robin couldn't help but think if she had been watching after him the whole time. He expected someone of the likes of Lissa to be the first to greet him. But, princess or not, he was glad that Maribelle was indeed safe from the horrible ordeal she endured. Never mind his own grievous would that rendered him unconscious, just as long as she made it out alive.

"Well, you certainly took your sweet time regaining consciousness, didn't you?" Maribelle said, sarcastically. Robin absently ran a hand through his silvery-white hair and flopped back down on the bed of crates he had been resting on the entire time, and sighed deeply. "I could swear I was all but gone from this world after collapsing... Honestly, I never expected such a small wound to be a large problem." he said. He reached for the area where his wound was and it still did hurt. He reached under his shirt to feel for himself and his hand rubbed against soft bandages expertly wrapped around his torso.

Maribelle once again rose from her seat and walked over to Robin. She gently removed his hand from his wound and placed it at his side. "You really shouldn't aggravate that nasty cut. There is only so much a staff can do, so I had to dress what remained with some bandages. You should be fully healed within the week, provided you don't do anything strenuous." she said softly. Robin was very surprised at Maribelle's new approach to him. She was much calmer than when they met, and the way she gently held his hand showed no negativity. It seems she was grateful indeed for his assistance. But, above all that, what really surprised him was that from the way she spoke, it sounded like she was the one who aided him in his time of need.

"I was watching from the mountain side when Sumia rescued me and young Ricken. I saw you fighting with Lord Chrom quite bravely... even when you were injured..." she said, her voice trailing off. "I suspect that the wound began as a mere scratch, but it opened even wider do to your fighting. The blood loss caused you to collapse and Lissa and I feared the worst..." The tactician looked into her eyes and saw how she seemed quite sullen when she spoke. Her grip seemed to tighten a little around his hand; she must have feared for his life when he passed out. "Well, thank you ver much Maribelle. I'm sorry if I worried you so. But, if I may ask, why do you look as if you hold responsibility for my injury?" Robin asked.

"Because I... I felt guilty at having been the reason those Plegian scoundrels attacked you all... I was captured by them and put you all in danger." she responded. "I'm sorry."

Robin sat up straight and stood up from his 'bed'. He straightened his coat out and addressed the noblewoman. "You don't have to apologize for anything, Maribelle. Those Plegians were the ones who caused this wound, not you. Please, don't dwell on this any longer, no one harbors any negative feelings for you. Least of all me."

Maribelle looked into Robin's eyes. He seemed quite honest with her. She was thankful that he would not hold this incident against her. She had been mentally chastised herself enough that she didn't need anyone else telling her it was her own fault their new tactician was killed. "Do you really mean that, Robin? You're not upset with me?" she asked.

"Of course not." he responded with a gentle smile. "In fact, I owe you my life for helping me recover. I can't be mad at someone like that." Maribelle returned his smile. She felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was worried that if she said how she felt, Robin would probably think she was right and refuse to speak with her. It was odd though, why did she even care about why he would or wouldn't speak with her anyway? She never expected him to speak with her when they met and could care less. Yet, for some reason, it was nice knowing that he would still view her as a good person. She couldn't help but feel flattered and blushed at the way he said his last sentence. It was funny how forgiving he was to someone he barely even knew. She almost wanted to laugh a bit from her relief, but she remembered she had a message to deliver.

"Oh, Robin, I nearly forgot!" she said. "Chrom asked you to see him so you two can discuss matters about the future regarding Plegia. I believe he is in the courtyard, last I heard. You'd best be off now." shewalked behind him and gave him a gentle nudge to the exit of the barracks, a gesture that Robin took nicely and let out a small chuckle at her sudden change of attitude. Thanking her for relaying Chrom's message, he headed out of the Shepherds garrison to meet with his captain. Just as he walked out, Maribelle called to him, "Oh! And remember: Don't do anything strenuous for a while!"

Palace Interior 45 minutes Later.

What began as a quiet and peaceful night soon erupted into a full-fledged brawl within the halls and courtyards of Palace Yllistol. From what was heard by many Shepherds, and Robin himself, this was some sort of an assassination mission to eliminate the Exalt. The attackers did not wear any armor or used weapons that the Plegian army normally had on their units, but this could very easily have been a group hired for the act. Indeed, Plegia was not a stranger when it came to instigating war, so this seemed quite plausable.

The surprise attack was not the only shocking even to happen this evening: Chrom and Robin were witnesses to know that the young man, Marth, that they met in the woods after finding Robin was actually a woman in disguise. Chrom was quite surprised at the revelation, however, Robin remained unfazed by this, as he had paid close attention to her since they met in the woods, to the battle at Arena Ferox, to when she showed up in the courtyard. Subtle hints like her feminine voice, or the way she walked were dead giveaways. He even shared her sentiment when she said how she was surprised Chrom didn't figure it out until her mask was cut off by a rogue assassin.

Since Marth's reappearance, she claimed to be able to tell that Emmeryn would be killed tonight by a band of rogues, and as her word would have it, she was right. Ever since she protected Chrom, she had been assisting the Shepherds as well. Along with the help of another person by the name of Panne, and a turncoat thief named Gaius, the army was fighting back this mysterious force. While the brunt of the Shepherd's forces took on the oposing army, Marth stayed behind to guard Emmeryn.

Robin fought fiercely alongside his comrades and directed them effortlessly while pushing back the opposition. Eventually, he was able to make his way outside of the palace walls and into the courtyard, where the commander of these fiends stood. The man had an aura of forboding about him, just being near him, Robin felt uneasy, but he stood his ground alone. Chrom was not with him and the others were still taking care of the stragglers inside. Once the tactician came face-to-face with the man, his expression confused Robin. He was smiling. A devilish, evil smile that made his blood chill at the sight of it. He dared not speak to him, only to rid his presence, yet the man spoke anyway.

"Fortune smiles upon me tonight, indeed!" the man hissed. "I've been searching far and wide to find you, boy. Once the Emblem and Exalt's life both belong to me, I'll have all that I need!" His nonsense concerned Robin quite a lot: He seems to know who he was... Could he possibly know his past as well? Even if he wanted to ask, the man quickly held a dark tome and readied an attack. Acting quickly, Robin revealed a tome of his own, and a battle of spells between the two soon ensued.

Within the palace walls, the fighting had all but been resolved. Blood stained the walls and floors of the interior and everyone was fatigued from the constant action. Not only had they fought a battle earlier today, and had to trek back home, but also fought yet another battle, all without rest. Chrom was set to thank Marth for her assistance, but noticed that one person was still missing.

"Has anyone seen Robin around? I was sure he was with us during the battle." the prince spoke. Everyone looked from one side to the other to find their lost strategist, but none could see where he was. Chrom grew increasingly worried over his welfare. He really shouldn't have been fighting right now, yet he insisted on staying. Even Maribelle had told him to back down this time, yet he was stubborn and took up arms just like everyone else. He feared that if Robin was alone out there with such injuries still healing, the worse may come to pass. While everyone continued looking for him inside the palace, Chrom took the opposite direction and went to look outside. Just as he was leaving, he heard the hurried steps of another behind him. Turning around to see who it was, it just so happened to be Maribelle. "Maribelle, you should stay inside with the others, if Robin is still out there, then enemies may still be lurking."

"And if he is indeed out there, milord, then he may very well be hurt. Even moreso than he is now. I'll not have his blood on my hands for letting him go out there in battle so easily! Please, allow me to accompany you, if nothing else, then to calm my own anxiety." she insisted. Chrom could tell that she was dead set on joining him. She was about as stubborn as his friend, and if worse did come to worse, she did have a staff that she could use again just in case. "Alright. But stay behind me." he said.

The noble and prince then exited the palace and ran to the courtyards. They entered the training grounds, where the rogues were supposedly spotted coming in from. Once they reached their destination, they did indeed find what they were looking for, but were horrified at what they saw: Robin was severely wounded, and on his knees, sword in the dirt and tome tossed to the side. The sorcerer that stood before him cackled as he beheld his victory. "Fool! Challenging me while sustaining injuries like that. You couldn't hope to possibly win, not against your own-"

"Step away from him, and leave, or I swear I will cut you down where you stand!" Chrom interrupted, holding Falchion offensively at the man that stood before him. His opponent forced Chrom's hand by moving even closer to Robin, and clutching him by his neck. "Begone, prince. I have no business with you... but I will take the boy and Emblem and leave, if you so wish me gone." he chuckled.

Chrom quickly charged at him, an act that caught the sorcerer off guard. He had hoped taking the prince's friend hostage would give him the upper hand. With one swift strike, Chrom slashed at him, and knocked him away from Robin. The wound he inflicted was fatal, and would all but insure death. As he lay on the grass, choking on his own blood, he looked to the full-moon and reached up, as if he meant to take hold of it. "B-But... this is all... wrong..." he muttered before dying seconds later.

Maribelle and Chrom then came to Robin's aid. He was injured quite badly from the previous battle. His injuries appeared as small cuts across his body. Not enough to warrant bleeding, but certainly painful enough to incapacitate him. As Maribelle prepared her staff, Chrom aided the tactician to his feet. "What happened here, Robin? Why didn't you seek assistance before fighting someone like that alone?" he asked. His tone was concered, but also scolding.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to finish off the rest of the enemy while you all secured Emmeryn. It was foolish of me to go it alone, especially with this wound..." Robin responded.

After Maribelle used her staff to heal most of his wounds, she gave him a swat with the end of it on his head. "I should say so! You nearly made my heart stop, you brute!" she yelled. "I hope you don't intend to do something so foolish this frequently! If so, you must be daft if you think I'm going to be around every corner waiting to stitch you back together at beck and call!"

Robin's already bruised body sank even lower at his equally bruised ego. But she was right; As the team's tactician, he couldn't afford to make mistakes like this. For now, he was lucky. Had Chrom and Maribelle not been there to rescue him, then it could have turned out much worse than simple cuts and bruises. "I understand..." he said. "I'll be careful, I promise. And, I'll be sure to have a partner in battle whenever possible."

"That's right." Chrom chimed in. "Keep in mind that you may be our tactician, but you're also a valuable friend. War is a terrible thing, Robin, and the last thing we'd ever want is to lose our loved ones."

Robin looked up to Chrom and smiled, thankful for the kind words, but also glad to hear that Chrom didn't treat him like a pawn, but a genuine friend. "I will be more careful from now on. I swear it. And thank you both for helping me."

"There's no need for thanks, as a true friend, I'll always be there to help you. Now, you should probably get your wounds checked and make sure they've healed properly."

Everyone had retired to the Shepherds' baracks for the night to have their equipment put away and to get some rest. Robin was back sitting on a crate, just as he was a while ago, with Maribelle redressing his wounds. She was a bit rough about it though, as if she were aggrivated by him somehow. Sensing his discomfort Maribelle slowed down and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry... As I said before, I can get emotional when I'm worried." she said. Robin turned his head to look at her. "Worried? You weren't worried about me, were you?" he asked.

"Why would you even need to ask such a question? Of course I was worried about you. I had no idea of you had died out there or..." Her voice trailed off. "Look, my point is, that I just don't want anything to happen to you. You understand, right?"

"Actually, I don't really understand why you're so concerned about my well being Maribelle... Lissa has seen me get hurt plenty of times, yet she doesn't become so emotional... but why you?"

Maribelle's face began to redden a bit at the question. "It's simply because you're a close friend to Lissa. As I've told you before,, Lissa is my dearest reasure, and I would do anything to keep her happy. So, if keeping you alive and well give Lissa joy, then so be it."

"I see." Robin was a bit confused. Was Maribelle really telling the truth about her motivations, or was she trying to use Lissa as a scapegoat for something else? Either way, he didn't want to pry on it. She was already upset with him as it was. Once she had applied the bandege and fastened it tightly, he rose fromhis seat and drapped his coat over his shoulders. "Thanks again, Maribelle. You really can be quite nice when you mean to be." he said, with a soft smile.

"Right, well, thank you for the compliment." she responded, clearing her throat a bit. "And once again, please be careful: If that wound opens up again, don't expect me to help you."

A/N: Quick question to anyone who played Fire Emblem Awakening, and watch the new My Litle Pony show. When you read Maribelle's lines, what does she sound like to you? In my head, she sounds like Rarity. :/

And now I bet you all are going to hear Rarity the next time you play the game! :D