Alright let's hope this chapter comes just as easily as the last … if anyone is curious I write these notes the day I start writing and the last day I finish writing so Comments shoutouts and the like arrive chapters later cuz they are added as I see them not in the chapter after they are made. Anyway, hope you guys are ready cuz I'm going to be turning up the heat. Something big is coming, hope you're ready. P.S. Here's my early Valentine's gift to you guys, a free Chapter.

The Princess's Dragon Bride

Chapter 38: Answers

Chrom could hear the heavy thud as Bowser jumped down from his clown car. "Did you have fun?" Bowser let out a grunt, something had gone wrong. "What happened?"

"She just up and disappeared!" Bowser huffed. "Just vanished right in front of me!"

He couldn't keep the smile off his face, "I think I can explain that one."

"Hmm?" he gave a gesture and Bowser followed him inside their makeshift cell. Inside, already chained to his chair, rested Robin.

"A Phantom Thief!" Bowser made to rush in but Chrom stopped him.

"He was one of the hostesses." Chrom tried to keep his blush from showing, "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, I figured if they realized I was on to them they would have made a run for it."

The Koopa King crossed his arms, "Well they made a run for it anyways, so …"

Chrom entered the room after Bowser, "At least we got one of them."

Bowser walked around the plegian mage, "Do you think this one will be another mind game?"

"It's hard to say," Chrom scratched the back of his head. He knew getting answers out of Robin would be difficult but he was determined to get them. "But I know him, it'll be easier to get him to talk."

Robin has answers and I'm going to get him to talk.

Marth was amazed by Shulk's stamina, not once did he waver and they had been walking for hours. But despite his envy, Marth couldn't find it in him to be mad. He was amazing, truly an invaluable ally. When Shulk peeked over his shoulder to meet his gaze Marth found himself smiling. "You alright?" Shulk asked.

"I'll be fine, I just." he took a second to breathe, but found despite his mental exhaustion his body felt like it could go on for hours.

When he raised his head to tell Shulk he was alright he found an open water skin in the seer's outstretched hand. He thanked him and drank deeply. When he finished he handed it back.

As Shulk took the waterskin from Marth he gave the prince's hand a light squeeze. Marth glanced up to meet his gaze but found the seer's eyes lingered in the tree line. Marth took in his surroundings, he felt his heart rate quicken, and it was then that he noticed it.

The forest had grown eerily silent. Unnaturally silent.

"Shulk?" Marth carefully reached for his rapier.

"Observant as ever, Marth." Shulk returned the waterskin to his pack and let it linger there as if reaching for a weapon he had strapped to his back.

Then there was the sound of a snapping twig to their left and Marth found himself falling into step with Shulk the two standing back to back. Shulk now wielding his strange crimson sword.

Something's out there. Something dangerous.

"Are you sure you can do this." he heard a deep and semi-familiar voice say beyond the fog in his mind.

"Trust me," now that voice he recognized. Like a lighthouse through the fog, he knew that voice.

"Chrom?"

"He's up!" the first voice, probably Bowser now that he thought about it.

"I'm here, Robin." behind him he added, "I can do this, if I need you, I'll get you."

"If you say so." Then there was the sound of a wooden door closing.

Then suddenly Robin felt Chrom's warm palm caressing his cheek. Then he felt the lip of a glass container lightly press against his lower lip. "Drink up, I'm afraid I forgot my own strength. I didn't mean to do such a number on you."

Robin recognized the smell of a Vulnerary and reluctantly took a sip. The potion did the trick and he found the strength to open his eyes. Sure enough, Chrom's handsome face was there to greet him.

Robin let out a deep sigh and, after studying Chrom's face, he closed his eyes. "Well, you caught me. What now?"

"I need you to tell me who hired the Phantom Thieves." His voice was stern but Robin could detect something else lingering there, although he couldn't quite place what it was.

Robin let his head hang. "You know I can't tell you that."

"Why!?" he had raised his voice but the sorrow came through far more than any rage. Robin's heart squeezed at the sound.

"I just-" he had started to scream too but his words died suddenly, the fire inside him died as he opened his eyes to see the look on Chrom's face. "... can't."

Chrom knelt to better meet Robin's gaze. "Robin." he watched as the Exalt cupped his face again, locking their eyes, "You don't have to be our enemy," But Robin could hear the tremble in the tail end of his words.

"It's easier that way." he didn't mean to sound bitter but the look Chrom gave him told him he did, or at least more than he meant to.

"why?" Robin looked away, he couldn't meet Chrom's sky-blue gaze, not with the heavy stone in his chest.

He swallowed down his resolve. "I didn't know."

"Robin."

"I wasn't there when he made the deal," he shook his head, "all I know is one-day Joker put it in his head he was going to steal from the castle."

Chrom didn't interrupt this time, and Robin was unable to stop. "I thought it would be something arbitrary. At worst I thought he would try and steal the Fire Emblem but, no!"

He stomped his foot on the hardwood floor. "That fool decided to kidnap Lucina and Corrin!" he threw himself backward as if thrashing about would help him alleviate his frustration.

"He said we needed to break into the castle and something in me snapped. Sure, part of it was hope I would see you again but-" he tried to stop himself "I went out there to fight you out of fear."

"You don't know them the way I do Chrom," there were tears starting to prickle at the corner of his eyes. "Ashen and Soldier are ex-mercs and they are prone to overdoing things, if one of them was to face off against you I was terrified they would-"

He was in Chrom's arms suddenly and that primal fear of losing him started to melt into sorrow, "By that point, I was already too deep," he closed his eyes "I stayed with them to keep the girls safe." A stray tear slipped free as he whispered. "if you saw what I've seen Chrom you would understand."

"But then things just kept getting worse." he took a deep breath. "Are you aware of Corrin's seal?"

"Seal?" Chrome held him at arm's length, a deep concern overtaking his features, "Explain."

"She's a manakete, to some extent although I've never seen her with a dragon stone," he shook his head, "she has dragon's blood that much we do know. But something went wrong, and the seal keeping her power under control is breaking."

He met Chrom's gaze then "That's why we were in Wall-Market. Cl- I mean Soldier had some connections he claimed could fix it."

"Did they get it fixed?" Chrom stood then.

"I don't know, she was supposed to get it fixed while we played dress up for the Don." he huffed "It was a trade of favors."

Chrom frowned. "Then you didn't tip them off to make a run for it?"

Robin went pale, "They left?"

Chrom scratched his chin, "I assume so, Bowser came back in a foul mood, something about the hostess he chose being whisked off and disappearing," he looked back down at Robin, "I assumed that was your doing."

"Something's wrong." Robin couldn't fight down the growing dread.

Leven poked his head out of the window and watched in awe as the metal wagon practically flew down the black roads. Byleth's arrows flew over his head, somehow still managing to soar ahead of the speeding metal beast.

Any lingering white-clad soldiers that attempted to stand in their way had the weapons shot out of their hands and made the smart choice to dive out of the way.

"Byleth, we're going to need something heavier." It was then that another barricade formed at the very end of the gate. This time they had metal beasts of their own but they had weapons attached.

Then they heard the roar of another metal beast, and sure enough, a collection of strangely garbed individuals on metal horses were fast approaching from where the gang came from, "what about them?"

Leven heard Cloud murmur under his breath, "Even Soldier," before calling back over to Byleth "I mean that is also a very bad thing, if you could take care of them that would be helpful."

"You can let me drive-" The smirk on Akira's face could be heard in his voice

"No!" Cloud didn't even let him finish. "The guys behind us are a greater threat."

"Got it." Byleth leaped off the back, and the second their foot touched the ground their hair changed suddenly to a pale almost mint greenish silver, and with a swing of thair blade it was as if the air had torn asunder. Thousands of shreds of blades lashed out through the air like leaves in a hurricane. When it was said and done the shreds returned to form the blade they carried and they effortlessly leapt backward into the metal wagon.

"You got any power left in you?" Cloud called over to the mercenary in the back

"Not really."

Leven watched as the group quickly got closer to the barricade. "Any ideas?" Leven clenched his fist at the evident frustration in Cloud's voice. Come on, don't fail me now.

He tapped Akira's shoulder and, as if their leader could read his mind, he turned to Cloud "Leven wants to try something."

Cloud grunted, "I'll prepare for the worst."

Corrin gave him a quick nod and he found himself sticking his branded hand out the window. Anything, please just get them out of the way.

He felt the mark on the back of his hand pulse with magic, a bright light erupted from the mark and shot forward and ice started to form instantly. Forming an inclined surface they were able to ride over, the awkward angle making it impossible for any soldiers that were caught in its blast to shoot them properly.

That wasn't the plan but I'll take it.

The wagon soared for a few feet and while the landing was anything but smooth it didn't stop them, and they continued to run further and further, leaving the glowing city behind them.

"This is why you're our tactic man!" Akira cheered

Leven found his cheeks burning from the praise. Compliments from Akira were rare enough but this had felt like the first time he hadn't let his team down. He looked down at the back of his hand.

The mark of Yiggtresil was a strange thing, it had made his life hard for so long, but maybe it wasn't as much of a curse as he had thought.

"Hey guys." Byleth called from the back, "Looks like we aren't out of the woods yet."

There in the far-off distance, they saw a faint glimmer of something quickly approaching.

AN/ something's brewing, so fun fact the scene with the Phantom Thieves was actually meant to be a completely different scene. I actually moved it to the next chapter since I felt it would flow better this way. Have a nice day.

~ (1/11/2024)