Chapter 15

Early morning.

Yet another chilly Fall morning graced the capitol, as a thin layer of clouds shielded the sun from all in a blanket of grey and cold wind. The season was almost in full swing, and it was eager to let the world know.

Unlike most other nights prior, Robin had sat up through half the night wondering what in the world it was that he had to do. Having to speak with a very important nobleman about personal family matters regarding his own daughter? Yes, Maribelle was his good friend, and he clearly saw how distraught she was over this situation, but what in the world was she expecting him to do?

He spent a lot of time that morning pacing around his chambers, talking to himself, pretending to play the scenario out in his head. He had no idea what this man was like. He had not laid a single eye on him or read about his influences. Would he be some unreasonable tyrant that would sooner toss him out into the rosebushes than hear his counsel, or would he accept every single word and come to terms with his decisions?

There was little time to prepare for anything. The earliest carriage to Themis was going to depart within the next hour, and he was still at a loss for what to do. Robin absolutely hated that feeling of being unprepared for anything. Be it war tactics or simply speaking to people, he preferred to have an edge over everything. Perhaps boasting about his superior skills was not the best idea. Most likely this was Karma coming back to bite his rear for his hubris.

Regardless, he was not going to back away from this. Maribelle placed his trust in him, and the last thing he was going to do was fail her. Whatever it took, he needed to do this. For her. Possibly even for them.

'Okay. Focus. You're confident. You're articulate. You're going to march in there and tell that man straight and true that he needs to cease these unwanted suitors! ...And when he catches you trying to date her yourself, you'll be lynched in the town square..." The tactician tried his hardest to seem as if the situation would turn to his favor, but all he managed to do was undermine his own thinking with, ironically, thoughts of Maribelle herself.

He walked over to the curtains of his windows and peered outside. Though hard to see, the position of the sun meant that he didn't have much more time to think on the matter. With a defeated sigh, he resigned himself to having to do what would have any other strategist killed in action: Go with what would come his way and hope for the best, hoping this would be the first and last time he would ever resort to that. Turning to his bedside, he grabbed his neatly folded black coat and draped it over his shoulders, buttoning up the clasps for the cold weather.

Once he left the castle, the cool morning air brought a shiver to his back. It was colder than yesterday, it seems. As he walked down the castle path and into town, he observed his surroundings to see where Maribelle would be. A punctual woman like her would always seem to be early for anything. Most likely she was just as nervous as Robin and needed a few more minutes to get herself ready for finally returning home. She had been away for an entire week. Gods only know how her parents would react at her practically running away.

For the better part of the hour, Robin sat alone, waiting for the carriage to arrive. Was this some sort of cruel joke? Surely Maribelle wouldn't leave him here like some sort of poor sap while she watched from somewhere distant and laughing to herself. Robin quickly brushed those negative thoughts away, she wasn't that cruel after all.

The trotting of horses signaled the carriages incoming and Robin stood to his feet. Again, he looked around and finally saw Maribelle in the distance running to his current spot. She was wearing a coat of her own. Almost entirely pink save for the white, fluffy cuffs around the wrists and neck.

"For a while, I thought you weren't going to show." Robin chuckled in relief, glad to see she was here.

"I realize I'm late. Just another day with more back pain, and barely any time to sooth it." She rubbed her lower back and pressed her hands against it to straighten herself out.

The carriage finally arrived for them and Robin, being the well-trained gentleman that he was, assisted Maribelle into the coach first before taking his own seat. "Don't fret. If you want, I can give you another massage on the way to your home."

"Oh Gods, that sounds fantastic." she responded breathlessly.

"Ah, lady Maribelle. To Themis, I presume?" the coach-driver asked. His answer was a nod from the woman and a quick exchange of gold. Then with a tug of he reigns, the horses were off.

In the midst of the ride to town, Maribelle shifted in her seat and shed her coat. She then scooted just next to Robin and turned away from him. "How about that massage now, dear?" she asked expectantly.

Robin stowed his book away in his coat and turned to the noblewoman. It was fortunate the coachman wasn't facing them right now. Either that, or he simply pretended not to notice. "Same as usual?"

"Actually, it's more my back this time. I swear, these pains only get worse..."

Cracking his knuckles, Robin placed his hands to Maribelle's back and could feel the results immediately. "Wow, even your knots have knots. Have you never gotten a restful night's sleep?"

Maribelle huffed at his question, although she would be lying if she said she could recall the last time she had a full night's rest without tossing about... Actually, that wasn't entirely true. The last time she could remember such a peaceful night was with Robin on the castle terrace.

Despite the lack of an answer, Robin continued with his treatment. His mind wasn't completely on his work, however. He continued to think about the trial ahead involving her father, and as much as he really didn't want to bring up the subject, he needed to know who he was dealing with.

"Maribelle, tell me what your father is like." Straight and simple. He preferred to jump right into the subject, whereas ordinarily he would try to steer any conversation toward it.

Surprisingly, Maribelle did not react negatively. Robin half-expected her to have another bout of pain from the mere mention of the man. "My father is a very ambitious man. Very outspoken in his ideals and, despite the recent turn of events, he truly is a kind person." She turned towards Robin with a cautious gaze. "Please, do not get the wrong impression about him just because of the current situation. He is stubborn at times, but what father isn't when it comes to their only child?"

"I see." Robin nodded from her answer. He could tell she was not lying about him either. Had she tried to cover up the truth, the underlying stress would have caused her to hurt more. Just thinking of this made Robin chuckle as he realized he may know Maribelle a little better than she knows herself.

"I hope that laugh of yours means you have some sort of plan to speak with my father?"

"Actually, I don't."

Again, Maribelle turned to him with an incredulous look about her. "You have nothing prepared for what you are going to say?" Her widened eyes nearly brought another laugh from the allegedly 'superior tactician'.

"I have an idea. Just an idea that can't really be prepared for..." He smiled at her to try and show some confidence in himself, but she wasn't buying a single word.

For the rest of the long trip, the two said nothing more to each other. Once Maribelle was satisfied with her back pain, she simply sat quietly, pondering the possibility of Robin failing to persuade her father. Would she have to live with the fact that she would one day be forced to wed some stranger she knew nothing about simply because her father willed it? Or, would it get to a point that she may run away from her home again, probably once and for all? She was proud of her noble lineage, but if it was her very nobility that would ensure her an unwanted future, then damn it to all the Seven Hells.

As for Robin, he returned to his book. Try as he might, he barely got through a chapter of the tome. Most of the time, he simply read a line over and over while trying to come up with something, anything that would serve to dissuade a noble from whatever they had decided on. And this was no mere noble. More than the father of a friend, this was a duke; a person who presided over an entire town. That little fact alone was what was costing Robin his nerve than anything else.

"We've arrived at Themis, sir and madam." The coachman called. Robin instictively was the first out of the carriage and proceeded to, once again, showcase those 'gentleman lessons' by opening Maribellle's side of the coach and helping her down.

It was only a week since Maribelle left her home for sanctuary from her problems, but the familiar scents of her home made it feel as if she hadn't been gone for more than a day. She dreaded having to come back to face her parents, but with Robin by her side, she had the strength she needed to march back to her home.

Both of them walked, Maribelle's arms around Robin's as they made their way through the neatly paved streets. Robin, even though having only been to this town once still remembered the cafe' where he and the noblewoman had their first date, as it were. Maybe once this was all over, he would take Gaius' advice and invite her back to that place again.

After their short walk through the town, they stood at the gates to the duke's manor. Both of them were nervous while walking through the paved walkway to the front door for their own reasons, and their tightening grips with each other served little to ease their anxiety when Robin knocked on the door.

The door opened a bit more urgently than both expected. "Thank the heavens! Welcome home young Mistress!" The man to greet the two was the very same man Robin briefly spoke with a while ago when he and Maribelle shared their first date. This time, he was not as stone faced as before. His expressions were of a mix of joy and worry; it looked like he had been fretting over Maribelle's absence.

"I see you've brought the Ylissean tactician along as well." He commented, returning to his more lax and typical form. "Milady, I feel I must say, your parents have been worried halfway to oblivion wondering where you've been these past few days."

"I would be concerned if they weren't. My apologies for my leave of the manor, I needed time to myself." Maribelle spoke with conviction contrary to her wracked nerves. Her servant bowed to her and lead the two into the home. He took his leave from the couple to inform the man and woman of the house of their daughter's return.

When they were alone in the foyer, Robin took his first look into the noble home, and what a site it was. This was no royal castle by any means, yet it was decorated in ways that could rival the Ylissean Palace itself.

"Wow..." he uttered bluntly. Of course he knew Maribelle had money to her name, it was typically applicable to anyone with a noble status, but he had no real measure of her wealth. She dressed so modestly with nary a single jewel on her person, and only now did he realize the gravity of her prestige.

Maribelle sat down at one of the nice-looking red silk couches that dotted the room, clutching one of the decorative pillows to her chest. "I hope you're not surprised. When your father happens to have jurisdiction over an entire town... let's just say money is no object."

Robin walked over and joined her on the couch. "Sorry to shatter your hopes, but I am truly surprised. You never, and I mean ever, lead on about just how wealthy you were." He tapped his fingers on his knees waiting for Maribelle's parents. He felt completely out of his element here, even the palace wasn't so overbearingly lavish.

From the top of the stairs, footsteps thumped their way to the foyer, prompting Robin and Maribelle to stand at attention. To their surprise, however, only one figure had appeared to greet them.

"By Naga's breath, child! Where have you been?!" The taller woman rushed to her daughter and hugged her close to her bosom, disregarding the company who only stared at Maribelle's slightly annoyed face from the whole event.

"Mother, please... Not in front of my friend..." she whined through gritted teeth.

"Hush. You've been gone from the manor for more than a week. Forgive your mother if she is simply relieved to see her only child safe from harm." She continued to hug Maribelle in her vice grip until she had her fill and released her, then turned to greet the unfamiliar face. "Oh... Hello." she greeted. The way she extended her tidings came off a bit forced and insincere, something the tactician caught onto immediately.

'Marvelous. She hates me and I haven't even said a word...' Robin thought.

"Um, Mother? This is Robin. The one I told you about?" Maribelle cleared her throat into her fist.

"Oh! So you are the Robin my dearest speaks of most days! Forgive my impertinence, I tend to have a sour view on unfamiliar men accompanying my daughter."

"I understand fully, milady. But, if I may be so bold, does Maribelle truly speak of me within her own home?" Robin could see Maribelle pinch the bridge of her nose out of the corner of his eye: Another perfect opportunity for him to take the lead in their power play.

"She does. Even before the awful war had ended, we received plenty of letters of how Lord Chrom's new tactician was guiding everyone through those ghastly times. I even heard that you were the one behind her rescue when our home was attacked."

"That I was. Although to be fair, Maribelle did show those soldiers she wasn't a woman to be trifled with. She does the Shepherds and her lineage proud."

The scene before Maribelle was too good to be reality. A few smooth words and her own mother was putty in the tactician's hand. He was certainly good, perhaps a bit too good... The conversed so naturally, as if they had known each other for years. If she closed her eyes, it would seem as if two noble friends were simply shooting the breeze, nevermind the fact that Robin was a commoner.

"Astounding. Not a single memory to your name, and yet you managed to bring ruin to that devil Gangrel as if it were nothing. Even coming to her rescue with an army at your back. No wonder Maribelle seems so smitten."

"Mother!" Maribelle instantly cut in, her whole face turning a shade of pink. She grabbed Robin by his collar and practically dragged him to the stairs. "That'll be enough conversation for one day, you two. Robin has some important business to take care of, so we will be on our way." Robin waved one final good-bye to the older noblewoman and was almost choked as Maribelle forced him up the stairs of the foyer.

"Maribelle, dear, you had better leave your bedroom door open!" She called as they disappeared up the stairs.

"That is NOT where his business lies, Mother!" the younger noble called back.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Maribelle released her grip on Robin's coat. She wanted to be angry, she really did. Her mother had nearly embarrassed her to an early grave, and Robin kept speaking about her with such misplaced adoration, making her embarrassment even worse. So why didn't she have the burning desire to wrap her open palms around the tactician's neck? She most certainly would have done such a thing to any lesser person who tried to pull that stunt.

No. She wasn't angry at all. She was actually very happy at the moment, embarrassment and doting mother aside. The way Robin managed to quickly win over her mother was like a dark mage casting some sort of hex. Bringing Robin to her home to speak with her father may have been the smartest idea she had in recent memory. She smiled at Robin and quickly wrapped her arms around him in a sudden hug.

"My Gods, Robin, that was brilliant!" she squealed.

"Thanks." Robin chuckled nervously. Was she actually hugging him? What had gotten into this woman? Yes, in the past they had close contact because of dancing lessons or whenever Robin needed to give her a massage, but never once had the woman actually outright hugged him.

It actually lasted for a solid minute before Maribelle let go, she even maintained her smile. "You just keep that up and do your best with Father. He will not be an easy person to get through to, believe me." She grabbed Robin by the hand and hurried down the large eastern wing of the manor.

As they walked together to the duke's chambers, Robin took note of the elegance of the home. One feature to note were the many portraits that had been hung onto the walls. They all depicted noble men and women who presided over Themis over the last few hundred years, ending with a portrait of Maribelle's current family with her as a young child. Some of the pictures seemed to be in rough shape, likely from the Plegian attacks on the manor.

"That's a pretty extensive family history you have." Robin commented as he looked over the long row of portraits.

Maribelle stopped leading and motioned to the final portrait on the wall. "Notice anything different about our family apart from the others?"

Robin got a closer look at each of the previous generations' family. He paced from about half way up the hall then back down to the last. Each one of them had a full household of siblings. From each of those siblings, the eldest son would be the one to inherit their father's title and preside over Themis, and that was what set the current family apart from the others.

"Your family has no male heir to pass down this manor and the title of duke to." the tactician stated factually. "But didn't you say that even if you are the only child, you would still be the one to carry on your father's duties?"

"Unfortunately, that is not quite the case. Even if I were the only child, law demands that a male heir must be the one to carry the legacy forward."

"That's ridiculous. If Ylisse could be ruled by a female Exalt, why can't a duchess be the head of a noble household?"

"Apparently, women are not viewed in the same capacity as royalty, even among other noble folk. Have you ever seen a female magistrate preside over criminal accusation before?" Maribelle sighed and stared at her younger self in the painting. "Even within high society, some people are still viewed with lower standards than others."

"Oh, the irony..." Robin had a deadpan look about him, but figured something out the noblewomen he hadn't pieced together before. "So, that explains why you keep studying to be an advocate, right? It isn't just about the inequality in law between nobles and commoners, but even the law between nobles themselves."

"Is it possible for you to not figure out every little detail about me?" Maribelle scoffed, amused that he figured her motives out. No one ever asked her why she wanted to become involved with politics, they were complacent with her answer. Robin was the same, but he still figured out what she wanted to do. "Believe you me, though, my main reason for doing so is for purely selfish reasons."

"I know. You want to give other noblewomen a chance to prove themselves in the world, but also yourself. I bet a lot of nobles will probably tell you you're childish for even shouldering such a heavy task. But..." Robin stepped beside Maribelle and looked into the same portrait of the innocent little girl. "selfishness can be the best course if you have good intentions and a strong will. Trust me, I know."

"Do you ever remember being selfish, Robin? Has there been anything you wanted the most in the world, you would do anything for it?"

'I wouldn't call her an 'it'...'

"Not before losing my memory anyway. But I was thinking about you actually."

"Pardon?" Maribelle looked to the tactician with a surprised look. Did he say what she thought he said...?

"At the end of the war, when I was wounded, you fought tooth and nail with Chrom to let me stay in Regna Ferox and heal while you all went off to fight. We were just starting to become friends you and I, and you made sure Lissa stayed to take care of me." He placed an arm over his stomach where he still bared the scar from those wounds. "You were selfish in that you wanted to make sure your only friends in the world wouldn't come to harm. Even if it meant forcing them away from the battlefield. You saved my life, Maribelle."

"Oh... That's what you meant." Maribelle replied dejectedly.

Robin raised an eyebrow at her answer. "Hm? What's with the sad face?"

"Nothing. I just thought you were going to say something else." Maribelle laughed it off as if nothing was bothering her.

"Well, the point I want to make is that maybe you being selfish can lead to good things. After all, I may have never seen a female judge, but until I met you, I've never heard of a woman bothering to try."

Maribelle continued to stare into Robin's eyes. His were still focused on her family portrait, but the earnest look he had, she could tell that every word of his was nothing of idle flattery. Everything he said was genuine and those words of encouragement hit her in a way no other had before. This fluttering sensation within her made her a bit weak in the knees and she couldn't help but hold onto his arm for support.

"Robin... I-I've never had someone spoken to me like that before..." she stammered nervously.

This time, Robin turned to face her and put one arm around her shoulder. That pink blush found its way to her face again. "It's the truth. I think you're amazing for doing all of this. It won't happen over night but, I can feel it deep down, you'll change things here, and if I can, I want to help you do it."

Again, the way he spoke to her with such adoration, and this time with his brown eyes staring into her being, Maribelle was almost at a loss for what to say. She wanted to say... anything, but was completely speechless. Instead, she simple held his hand once again and lead him down the hallway of the manor. Waiting at the end was a set of double-doors, the office of whoever was in charge of the household.

"If you really intend to help, Robin, start with my father." She released her grip on Robin's hand and grasped the bronze handles of the door, pulling them both open.

Inside was the duke's office, where he would tend to the many responsibilities he held over Themis. To the left was a burning fireplace with a large portrait of Maribelle's father hanging over it and a plush red chair facing it with a small table set with a kettle and a teacup. To the right, a large window that overlooked the gardens at the back of the home and the biggest source of light as it was almost as wide as the wall it was built into. And in the center, a large neatly crafted wooden desk where one man sat behind, hunched over looking over a stack of papers.

"Father... I'm home." Maribelle called, standing at attention.

The man looked up from his desk to see his daughter standing there with some stranger with her, the latter of which he barely cared to register. "Maribelle, have you truly returned home?" The man had a deep voice that sharply contrasted his spouse and daughter's.

He rose from his seat, and what a man he was. Robin had no idea what to expect but her father was... intimidating! He stood a whole foot above him and had a physique that could match an Ylissean Knight, and an admittedly impressive mustache. Robin was immediately reminded of the West Khan of Regna Ferox, though not THAT muscular. The man walked up to Maribelle and hugged her with about the same force as her mother, even holding her head into his chest, but also picking her up off the ground as well.

"A-Alright, that's enough Father." Maribelle struggled to talk with her face being smothered while she gently patted his arms to make him stop. Robin wondered if her parents were like this all the time. Maybe they were the reasons for her back pain? With muscles like those, it wasn't out of the question.

The large man let Maribelle down after a while, her hair was beginning to get a bit messy from all the over excessive hugging. Her father then turned her attention to the man beside her. His had a puzzled expression about him, a look of unfamiliarity, as if he was expecting someone else.

"Maribelle, who is this man you brought with you?" he asked with his booming voice while he stroked his bushy mustache with right hand.

"This is Robin, Father. You've heard about him, I'm sure."

"Ah. Lord Chrom's chief adviser. What would bring you to Themis of all places, sir?" His manner of of speaking, despite his voice had a welcoming quality to it. Good thing too, with the way he looked, Robin half-expected to be thrown out of the hosue for being a stranger. Though, he still expected that with the conversation they were just about to have.

"Actually, sir, I came here on Maribelle's wishes to speak with you on some urgent matters. I only ask for a moment of your time."

"Urgent in what way, exactly?"

Robin looked over to Marielle who was silently urging him on to speak. "Um... Maribelle, do you think you could allow me and your father to speak privately about this?"

For a moment, Maribelle nearly dropped her jaw from the request. Leave them to talk alone? What nonsense was this? It wasn't as if they were going to discuss something she was unaware of, what was the point of leaving the two of them to speak about her own personal life. She was going to object and demand to be part of the discussion but before she opened her mouth to say anything, she reconsidered. She wanted to be a part of the conversation, it was about her personal life, she had every right to. Yet, Robin knew all of this but still asked that she leave them be. Was this part of his plan? Did he have some sort of strategy that he kept from her? Whatever it was, he had never given her a reason to doubt him, so she wordlessly bowed out of the conversation and left the two men alone in the study.

Maribelle's father observed how easily his daughter heeded Robin's word. Though they had never met, he knew a great deal about the tactician and his pivotal role in the war. If what he just saw was anything to go by and given the events over the past few months, it seemed Robin was trusted by his little girl.

At first, Robin remained silent when the two sat down across from each other, separated only by the duke's desk. He seemed kind enough from first impressions, and from the sound of things Robin was on positive terms for the moment with the knowledge of him being Chrom's adviser under his belt, but he wanted to make sure he chose his words carefully. Unlike the prince who cared nothing of formalities, talking with a nobleman was something out of the tactician's element.

Sitting straight in his chair, Robin steeled his nerves for their talk. "Sir, I know how busy a man like you must be with your position, so allow me to step right into the reason for my presence here."

"By all means." he replied.

"You may or may not know this, milord, but over the past couple of months, Maribelle and I have undoubtedly grown as friends. She's a wonderful person, one I would do all in my power to assist her if ever she needs it, and in one of many conversations, she happened to let slip how you may have been orchestrating suitors for her hand?"

"So, she let it slip, did she?" The tall man sat back in his chair and rested his hands on his knees. "Well, accidental or not, she is correct, but what convern is that to you?"

Here it comes, the point that would probably have the man go on a tirade... "Allow me to be direct. I know it isn't within my station to be making demands... but I wish to tell you that you must discontinue with this act. Permanently."

"I see. And you think being a 'friend' to my daughter gives you the right to dictate what choices I make for her?"

"I don't think I would need to be a friend of hers to say that hand-picking potential husbands for your own daughter is an acceptable act, sir."

"Then why bother even making such a bold demand, boy? You've nothing to gain from it, and furthermore, it does not concern you in the slightest. Yet you have the nerve- nay, the audacity to walk into my home and tell me what is or is not acceptable?"

Robin shrank a bit into his own seat from that response. The tone of the man's voice was steadily rising, a sure sign of his irritation for the tactician. "I... I feel as if Maribelle should have the right to choose who her partner should be on her own. She is a grown woman after all and perfectly capable of-"

"And now you've the gall to lecture me." The duke cut Robin's sentence short and continued to eye the man before him. His piercing russet-brown eyes stared intently. "You know nothing of the situation in place, yet you sit before me and speak as if you know all there is. Had you not possessed the background that you do, I would have you tossed out of my estate without a word."

'Come on, dammit! You're losing him!' The tactician wracked his mind to find a way to turn this conversation away from where it was headed. As far as he could see, he would not last another minute. He had one method left. He was sure it would probably have him kicked out in an instant, but there was little else to risk since the situation quickly devolved there as it was.

"I can see this discussion is going to end quicker than I had intended. Allow me one final question then, and if you answer, I'll take my leave."

"Then ask it, and let us be done with this."

Wow, Maribelle was spot on when she said her father was stubborn... "Have you ever thought about Maribelle's own future?"

"Of course I have. I have nothing but the best intentions." He scoffed.

"Then why would you deprive her of choosing her own path? Why step into her life in the way you have?"

"I need not justify my actions to a commoner. You've asked your question, now leave me."

"But sir I must-"

A hand slammed down hard on the wooden desk, loud and sudden, the force of which knocked a few stray papers to the floor. Robin recoiled in surprise at the way the mood shifted so drastically. The man who sat before him leaned over his desk in such an imposing way, the tactician was all too eager to simply head out the door. "I have heard enough. You are blind to subjects beyond your knowledge, young man. A war hero you may be, but I will not sit here and be told what is right for my own child so long as I draw breath. Now see your way out."

Sighing in resignation, Robin respectfully stood up and bowed as thanks for the nobleman's time. Before turning to take his leave, he curiously picked up the papers that had fallen from the desk and formed them into a neat stack. He reached out to hand the papers over, but a detail written on the top page caught his eye. It was only for a second, however, as they were taken from his hand shortly after.

"Sir, before I take my leave, I must ask, was that a casualty document I saw?"

"Hm? Why, yes. They are in reference to the injured or killed during the Plegian raid from the bygone war." Robin noticed the way Maribelle's father eyed the page, a bit longer than intended. He had seen that look before; The same look Chrom had when he read about those who were lost when the palace had fallen to Gangrel's men in an attempt to capture Emmeryn...

"You lost someone you knew, didn't you?"

Silence. That silence alone was all the confirmation Robin needed. No matter how many times he had seen death, he was never numb to it. "Yes. He was a faithful old man who served my family since my father's time. He... he sacrificed himself for the well-being of my wife and I as repentance for not being there to protect Maribelle..."

The realization struck Robin when he remembered that the servant who he had met twice now who would answer the door was new, according to Maribelle. He was the replacement for their previous servant who had passed away. "Gods, how dreadful. You have my condolences." He then turned to leave. He had done all he could. Rather than feel sorry for his friend, Robin was more disappointed in himself. He could accept failure, it was something that was an inevitability, but to fail at something so easily and quickly? He dreaded having to see Maribelle's heartbroken expression when he would need to break the news to her as he reached for the doorknob.

"Robin, was it? Have you ever stared into the face of death?"

Robin turned to face the noble who's eyes never left the page. "I have. More times than I would be comfortable to admit."

"In those seconds between life and death, have you ever seen your whole life's culmination? All that you have accomplished in this world?"

"Hah. I wish I had such a luxury. I don't have any memories of my life prior to half a year ago."

"Then what about your future? Have your thoughts not turned to what you wish you could have done or wanted to see?"

"I can't say I have. I never dared to fantasize whether or not I would live to see tomorrow. In times of war, it doesn't always serve a possitive purpose to think of the distant future.

The man was finally able to pull himself away from his papers, setting them down on his desk. He walked over to the large window and stared blankly outside. "When my home was attacked by those Plegian barbarians, they intended to kill my family and use Themis as a channel to funnel their troops into Ylisstol."

This was news to Robin's ears. Wasn't the purpose behind the attack supposed to be different? "I can see how that would be an effective strategy, but why did they change their minds?"

"Fortunately, Maribelle was not home during the raid. It would have served little purpose to attack if even one family member survived. Rather than killing me, they attempted to wait for her return and used it as an opportunity to frame her."

"Because she was a member of the Ylissean Army... It would make perfect sense to incite a war by saying an enemy invaded their country."

"Yes. And yet, it did little to dissuade them from trying to inflict mortal harm as leverage against Maribelle if she ever refused to go along with them silently. In that sense, they cut down one of my dearest servants to set an example."

Robin cautiously stepped away from the door. "I can't imagine how horrifying such an experience would be. But why tell me this? Unless..." He thought back to the questions that were asked of him. How he had faced death, and the past or future. "Are you telling me you've been seeking suitors for Maribelle as a result from the incident?"

"Indeed. Though I was not harmed in the raid, all I could think about was my one and only child. Had they indeed decided to cut me down, or if I happen to perish in the near future, I would be leaving her to bear a responsibility alone."

"So you decided that if nothing else, you would try to leave her with someone to take care of her in the event you cannot continue your duties?"

Another moment of silence fell between the two. It looked like Robin had been able to figure out his motivations for doing this. It sounded painfully familiar. It was almost the exact same scenario for Emmeryn and Chrom. The Exalt had sacrificed her own life to choose for Chrom. He remembered that kind of pain, and although the situations were different, the reasoning behind both were the same.

And that was something that Robin never wanted to see repeat.

"That's precisely why you need to let this go, sir." Robin was the first to break the silence. "I may not have children of my own, nor have I thought about my future but I have seen something like this happen before. It happened to someone very dear to me and I don't wish to see it repeated on another person I care about."

"You are acquainted with someone who also has an overprotective father?" The nobleman chuckled warmly at his own question.

"No, I have seen what can happen between two people when one makes a choice the other doesn't want. I know Maribelle loves you, you are her father after all. But if you go through with something like this, trust me, you are going to lose her."

"You are right. I hate to even acknowledge it, but you are right. When she found out about this one, she ran away from her own home. I was terrified I would never see her again... yet, I did nothing." The tall man placed his hand against the cold glass and stared down to his feet. "I never suspected her of doing anything like that. I just assumed like the other two, she would simply reject them."

Robin slowly walked next to the nobleman and placed his arms behind his back. "Then you know what you have to do."

Maribelle's father nodded reluctantly. He had to accept that what he wanted was not the same interests of his beloved daughter. Even if it would keep him up most nights wondering what would happen to her if if he were no longer around, he came to the conclusion that he needed to trust her to find her own way. "Again, you are right, young man. I hid myself from the truth because of my own cowardice."

"I wouldn't say cowardice. What father doesn't worry about their children?"

"Although, there is one last problem that needs to be addressed..."

"What would that be?"

"I had already sent a missive out to Maribelle's suitor many days ago. He should be arriving any day now. While you have my word that I will no longer interfere in Maribelle's choices, do you think you could tell her about this? I fear I've already done enough as it is."

Robin smiled at finally breaking through the man's tough exterior. He wasn't too proud of using emotional manipulation to get his way, but he did say he would use any tool at his disposal if he needed to. "Of course, and thank you for being so understanding. He turned and walked back to the doors of the room and reached for the knob. Before turning it, he stopped once again. "I do have one last question though."

"Don't you always?" The man deadpanned.

"You seemed so cold when we started speaking. Why did you choose to open up to me about your worries?"

The nobleman walked back over to his desk and sat in his large chair. "Because you said you would take your leave after one last question. I thought it would be noble to grant you at least that."

Amazing. Maribelle truly was the child of her father. Both seemed to enjoy dancing around a subject and never giving Robin a straight answer even when he knew the underlying truth. "Is that really all?"

"And also... Because I saw how Maribelle believed in you. When you asked her to leave us to speak, she did not bother with a single word." He stroked his mustache at how easily she actually took someone's word. "She trusts you, without question. I suppose I felt I could trust you as well."

That was the answer Robin wanted to hear. Yet again he had won over another stubborn noble. Although he would strive to keep a leveled head and never think to highly of himself, Robin had to admit, he was pretty good at getting people to see things his way. A powerful, and dangerous skill indeed.

"Then, I thank you again for your understanding sir."

"Harrison." Maribelle's father spoke.

"Excuse me?"

"Duke Harrison, if you please." He repeated.

"Oh! Of course. The honor is all mine, Duke Harrison." Robin bowed one last time and finally opened the door to Harrison's office and left him to his own devices.

The hallway was devoid of anyone at the moment. Robin half-expected Maribelle to be eavesdropping on the whole conversation. He at least hoped she would be anxious enough to stay and get whatever news he presented as soon as it became apparent. He walked alone through the long hallway, taking a last passing glance at all of the family portraits as he did. He reached the staircase and walked down to the foyer where Maribelle sat with her mother on the same couch he occupied with her a few moments ago.

They paused their conversation and their attention turned to the tactician descending the staircase. "So how did everything go?" Maribelle asked.

"You're in the clear." Robin replied with a half-grin. Maribelle was nearly breathless from hearing those words. It was as if a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Despite herself, Maribelle quickly ran from her mother's side to Robin and embraced him much tighter than before. A single tear trailed down her face in sheer gratefulness and relief. "Thank you. Thank you so much." she whispered shakily. Robin was tempted to say something about the suitor of hers eventually arriving to try and court her, but he prefered not to say anything and ruin the mood. But he would tell her.

Eventually...

A/N: Man, these chapters just keep getting longer the more I go on with this story. I was supposed to upload this two days ago! Then my internet up and died... Anyways, it's better than depriving you guys and gals another month, right?

So the focus for this chapter, I wanted to give a sort of motivation for exactly why Maribelle's dad was trying to find her a husband, while also trying to make it tie into the official game's story. It was a bit of a stretch, but I felt like I did the best with what I had to work with.

Buuut, yeah. This is pretty much how it came to be. No changing it now! :D

So like always, leave a review if you feel so inclined and thanks for reading!