"Robin? Can I ask you something?"

"Muh?"

"AGH! I swear you're worse than Miriel when you get into something!"

"Sorry, Lissa," Robin apologized, sheepishly scratching the back of her head as the blonde pouted at her. "I just find these old legends fascinating."

Lissa huffed. "You're still hooked on those old fairytales? Do you really believe in them?"

"Who knows? I'd have to find physical evidence of their existence if I wanted to prove they're real."

"Never mind that. Do you think you could tell me something?"

Robin placed down her book, smiling at the Ylissean princess. "Of course. You can always come to me if something's on your mind. We're friends, aren't we?"

"Do you like Chrom?"

"EH!?" A fierce blush stained Robin's face. "Wh-what made you think that of all things?"

"You can't lie to me, Robin!" Lissa giggled, winking knowingly at the flustered tactician. "I know you gotta spend a lot of time with my big brother since you're our tactician, but I see what's going on. You like the time when you're together going over those maps and stuff. And don't think I don't know about the bath incident."

Robin groaned, hiding her face behind her book. Was it really that obvious? How embarrassing. It would appear that she would need to hide her emotions more carefully. She really didn't want Frederick to catch on and attempt to "remedy" the situation in his own manner. Knowing how the knight generally acted, that would end in disaster for both her and Chrom. Robin scowled when Lissa continued to laugh at her expense.

"Just you wait, Lissa," Robin grumbled. "You won't be laughing when you realize how complicated feelings for someone out of your station can be."

"I'm not really worried about that. That won't happen."

"Huh?"

Lissa closed her eyes in acceptance. "Who would want me for a wife? I'm just…"

"Lissa? There's more to this meeting than just teasing me, isn't there?"

"Robin, could you train me to be more like you?" Lissa asked, looking unsure and lost. "I mean, I wanna be of more use. When I see everyone out there fighting for their lives, I feel guilty that I'm always the one sitting in the back and doing nothing."

"But you're not doing nothing!" Robin countered. "If it weren't for you, we'd have lost a couple of limbs or more to the Risen already."

"Still, I feel like I'm not doing enough. Chrom said I'm fine the way I am, but I don't believe it."

Robin stood up, placing a hand on the cleric's shoulder. "Lissa, don't feel like you're of any less worth than the others. In fact, I think you have the hardest job out of all of us."

"You think so?"

"Having to see people in pain, knowing there's a chance they might not make it…I can't imagine the kind of pressure you have to deal with every time someone gets hurt."

"I try not to think about it. I just wanna keep everyone safe."

"That's what makes you special. You want to do everything in your power to protect everyone. But you must remember that you are a healer, not a fighter. I can't afford to put you in danger for any reason. Your siblings and Frederick would never forgive me if I did that. Heck, I'd blame myself if anything ever happened to you."

"Robin…"

"Hey, tell you what; if you promise NOT to mention anything about my 'problem' to anyone, I'll teach you how to wield some tomes."

"Really!? Would you do that!?"

"Just remember it'll be for defensive purposes ONLY. No recklessly charging into battle and trying to be a hero. That's Vaike's job and he already does that tremendously well."

Lissa nodded enthusiastically. "Got it! So when do we start?"

"We'll start after we get to Regna Ferox in tomorrow. No doubt we'll have plenty of free time while we wait for Chrom's 'diplomacy' powers to work their magic."

"Hooray!" Lissa cheered, hugging Robin before skipping toward the tent flap.

"Oh, and Lissa?"

"Yeah?"

"Just be patient. You'll find your Prince Charming one day."

"Like Chrom is yours when we first found you?"

"Stop teasing me!" Robin laughed. "You know, I'm going to get back at you for this."

"And you better know that if you ever break my brother's heart, I'll pull the mother of all pranks on you."

Robin giggled. "Don't worry. I wouldn't dream of it. Your pranks are bad enough as is. I don't need them to get any worse."

Lissa snickered mischievously as she left the tent. Robin sighed, shaking her head at the young princess. She hoped that Lissa would never change. Her very presence put everyone's minds at ease. Her cheerful personality and sweet disposition were exactly what the Shepherds needed in the face of constant battle against undead soldiers. If tensions with Plegia got worse and war seemed imminent, no doubt the soldiers would need that cheer all the more.

Robin pulled out a book of battle strategies, casually skimming over the contents once more as she dealt with her thoughts. It was true she liked the brief times she shared with her commander, but he was inept at trying to make decisions without her council. That left the pressure of having to strategize the formation of the Shepherds to her. Knowing that the lives of her friends and comrades were in her hands and one slip-up could spell their deaths weighed heavily on her mind every time they ran into a group of Risen. At times, she selfishly wished she wasn't the one making all the decisions. She wished she had someone of equal tactical merit to confide with, to encourage her that her choices were sound and that everything would be okay.

She shook her head to clear away the mutinous thoughts. She was their tactician. She couldn't think such things. She had to believe in her skills and lead her fellow Shepherds to Ferox and back to Ylisstol safely.

Takumi sneezed involuntarily. He rubbed his nose with his sleeve, shivering slightly from the cold that nipped at his face. He wasn't getting used to the freezing temperature of Regna Ferox, but he found the small villages within the kingdom welcoming enough. Some were less fortunate than others in terms of resources, but the villagers were mostly content with their lives. It was a wonder there wasn't any sort of discontent about the reigning Khans or their preferred form of politics.

He wrapped his coat tighter around his form. He frowned at the snow, kicking it out of frustration. He was getting nervous and antsy about the Champions Tournament. It was only a matter of days before he would face the opposing challenger representing the East Khan, Flavia. He wondered whether if he was prepared enough for it. Was all his training worth it? He shuddered as he remembered his last sparring session with Lon'qu.

"Stand up, Takumi."

Said archer groaned, rubbing his bruised arm. Lon'qu was as ruthless in battle as he was with his words. Takumi had asked the myrmidon if he would help him train. He needed to be prepared for whatever the world could throw at him if he ever left Regna Ferox. He would be alone and could only rely on himself. Apparently that translated as "show no mercy" in Lon'qu's mind.

When Takumi said he wanted to practice swordplay, being shoved around by the elder warrior wasn't what he had in mind. He was expecting it to be…more encouraging and less severe, like a teacher would be towards a student. Perhaps he was expecting too much from a Feroxi warrior. He had to remember that they were all battle and no tact. Takumi shakily stood up, raising his sword once again.

"Your stance is decent, but you're not coming at me with the intent to kill," Lon'qu stated. "That's what makes you weak."

"This is supposed to be training! Why would I try to kill you!?"

"Because you're holding back."

"And?"

"How can you push your limits if you're not giving it your all?"

Takumi snorted. "You Feroxi are a mystery to me."

"And you think too much."

"But—" Takumi cried out when Lon'qu's Killing Edge came down and clashed with his. "Are you crazy!?"

"Use your instincts, not your mind," Lon'qu said. "It only hinders you."

"How could my greatest strength possibly be a weakness?"

"You're focusing too much on trying to analyze your opponent's moves and plan accordingly. It's a minor distraction, but it can, and will, be your undoing."

Takumi scoffed. "Like you would know anything about me, Champion-sama."

Lon'qu's eyes narrowed as he ran forward, his sword ready to strike. Takumi raised his blade to parry the overhead swing, grunting against the sheer force behind the attack. It threw him off balance and Lon'qu swiftly played off of his minor loss of footing. He swept Takumi's legs from under him with a well-timed kick. Takumi landed roughly on his back, hissing from the impact. He almost made a move to stand up, but a blade stabbed the ground dangerously close to his head and a foot was crushing his ribs. He looked into the ever steely gaze of the myrmidon, frustrated that the man had beaten him so effortlessly.

"I don't need to know you to see you for what you are," Lon'qu stated icily. "You are a hot-headed brat who thinks himself my better due to a fluke."

"Well then, maybe SOMEONE shouldn't have lost to Marth so this 'brat' wouldn't be Basilio's top choice for a champion."

Lon'qu growled, causing Takumi to raise an eyebrow at him. "You did not see what I saw!"

"What's that supposed to mean? What did you see?"

"He…" The tips of Lon'qu's ears turned red. "He was…a she."

"…You're kidding me."

"I don't kid."

Takumi frowned. For a while, he wondered how Marth could have beaten the myrmidon in battle. Marth was skilled, but he considered Lon'qu the better swordsman simply based on what he had seen. Now it made things a lot clearer. According to Olivia, Lon'qu had a severe case of gynophobia. His fear of women caused him to freeze up and feel uncomfortable around them. Even though the two were good friends, Lon'qu still had moments of unrest when around Olivia. If Marth was a female, then it would've caused him to hesitate for the briefest moment. No wonder Lon'qu was trying to beat "never falter" into him. That hesitation cost him dearly in the form of the title he had earned and wore for the past several years.

"I'm sorry."

It was Lon'qu's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"You're right. I don't deserve the title. You should be Basilio's champion, not me."

"…I never said that."

"But you thought it, didn't you?" Takumi said with a sigh. "If I can't beat you during practice, what right do I have to take something you've worked to keep for so long?"

"Because you've already shown that you earned it."

Takumi blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Lon'qu removed his foot and his blade, kneeling down and offering a hand to the archer. Takumi slowly took it, being helped up by the elder male. Lon'qu crossed his arms, looking down at the shorter man and causing Takumi to feel a bit unworthy to stand before the myrmidon.

"There's a reason the Khan has taken such an interest in you. You have the raw talent to become more than just an archer."

"Just because I have the potential to do certain things doesn't mean that I'm any good at them."

"Takumi, why do you think I agreed to train with you?"

"I don't know. It was an excuse to shove me around, I suppose."

"You have the makings of a great swordsman. I wouldn't waste my time trying to mold skills you do not have."

"Now you're just trying to stroke my ego to make me feel better!" Takumi snapped. "Don't lie to me, Big Brother! I'll never be as strong as you!"

"…Big Brother?" Lon'qu repeated in confusion, clearly thrown off by the title.

"Huh?" Takumi paled. "Oh gods, I can't believe I said that out loud."

"Takumi?"

He backed away. "Stay away from me! I need…I have to go."

Takumi grimaced at what he had said before he ran off like a frightened child. He didn't know why he said those things. Yes, he respected the elder man's power and talent. Yet, witnessing Lon'qu's superior skills also brought up feelings of jealousy. He felt inferior and he had a nagging feeling in the pit of his gut that he would never become any better than he currently was. The revelation that he might never surpass Lon'qu and realizing there was so much he still needed to learn ate away at him. All those strange sensations mixed together into an unexplainable, unbridled spite towards the myrmidon. He had been avoiding Lon'qu ever since. He didn't know what to feel about it. But what perplexed him the most was why he called the swordsman "Big Brother". The man was not related to him in any way, so why did he blurt such a thing out?

He massaged his forehead, feeling another headache coming on. He was overthinking things again. He needed to calm down and relax. The cold weather wasn't helping his mood either. He exhaled, watching his breath puff out in a white plume. He began walking back towards the castle, deciding that a hot bath would help ease his nerves. Khan Basilio had been very kind and allowed him a room inside the massive fortress. At first he felt guilty about such a generous offer, but relaxed a bit knowing that Lon'qu and Olivia were offered the same thing when the two first caught Basilio's eye. He wouldn't be totally alone in the hollow walls, which gave him a sense of peace.

He spotted pink hair just outside the massive doors leading to the castle. He increased his pace, hoping to talk to her before she had a chance to escape. This time he would get his answer out of her, this he swore!

"Olivia!"

"EEK!"

Takumi sighed at the strange woman. Every single time—without fail, mind you—whenever he called out to the shy dancer, she would hide in the nearest barrel. Was he really that intimidating to her? He knew he had problems trying to talk with strangers, but this was just ridiculous. He lifted the barrel top, seeing the pink hair trying to recede further into the container.

"Olivia, can we talk?"

"I guess…?" she meekly replied, looking up at him like a child would to their parent.

Takumi gave her a stern look. "For more than five minutes this time?"

Olivia mumbled something under her breath, probably apologizing for her debilitating shyness. She slowly crawled out of the barrel, a bright flush on her face. She twiddled her thumbs, looking at an interesting pebble on the ground. Takumi frowned, feeling guilty that he made the girl feel so uncomfortable. It wasn't like he could help acting the way he did. If there was one thing he learned about himself, it was that he had issues trusting others. Even though he had gotten acquainted with both Olivia and Lon'qu and was thankful for their help, he had lingering doubts about their sincerity. Perhaps that distrust was what distanced them both from him. He was grateful to them and he repaid their kindness with suspicion. In the back of his mind, there was an irksome desire to make things right. If he didn't, he would regret it later on. If he was ever going to open up—and subsequently get Olivia to not run away from him every time he so much as sneezed—he had to be the one to instigate the conversation and try to change the way the two viewed him little by little.

"Um…You're staring at me," Olivia squeaked, the tips of her ears almost as red as her cheeks. "Is there something on my face?"

"Huh? Oh no. You're fine," Takumi awkwardly replied. "I suppose I didn't think I'd get this far with you, so I don't really know how to say this without coming across as intrusive."

"What is it?"

"I've heard you're an exceptional dancer. What's more, I've heard you're an excellent singer."

"Oh please. I dance like a fish out of water and I sound like a dying bird…I'm really not that great."

"…And overly modest to a fault."

"No, I'm serious!"

"Look, I don't care what you think about yourself. That's your problem. I just want to know something and you're the only one who can give me a concrete answer."

"What's that?"

"Well…If you sing, then you must know a number of songs. I was wondering if you knew a certain tune and could name it for me."

"I…guess I could. But what brought this up all of a sudden?"

"One of the few slivers of memory I do have is that of a melody, but I cannot for the life of me remember the words or the name. It must hold significance to me in some way. Any help to discover my past would be appreciated."

"Oh! Then I'd be happy to help," Olivia answered, her shyness receding a bit. "Do you mind humming it for me?"

Takumi felt a bit uncomfortable with the request. He wasn't a singer. If anyone sounded like a dying bird, it would be him and not Olivia. He swallowed the sensation, letting the strange yet soothing song pass his lips. Olivia's concentration was rapt, the shy blush now gone and eyes closed as she listened to the tune. Once he finished, she opened her eyes and smiled.

"Yes, I know that song."

Takumi brightened. "You do?"

"It is called 'Lost in Thoughts All Alone'. It is a very old song, one carried down from ancient times. Not many people know of it and even fewer still perform it. The only reason I know it is because my mother used to sing it to me as a lullaby."

"Really?"

"I've heard that its lyrics possess a unique power. What that power is, I don't really know."

"Do you think you could teach it to me?"

"WHAT!? Oh goodness, no!" she cried out. "I-I-I couldn't possibly force you to endure my tone deafness!"

Takumi deadpanned. "I think I could manage."

"I'm sorry, but I really don't think—"

"Look; if you're that against it, don't skip around it and just say so to my face. I already know you don't like me much."

"What!? No, that's not—"

"Sorry I bothered you," he sarcastically spat. "Forget I even asked. Apparently something as simple as teaching a song is an inconvenience for you."

"Wait, I'm sorry! Takumi, come back!" Olivia grimaced when the archer walked past her and left her alone. "Oh, me and my big mouth…"

Not much happening this chapter. Just support conversations of my own devising, I suppose. ;)

Next chapter is the tournament and our favorite tsundere will finally meet Chrom and the Shepherds! Stay tuned for the clash of Princes!