God, how long is this trek going to take? I thought while barely keeping up with the rest of the group. If there was one thing I was sure about, it was that high heels weren't the best choice for long treks through a forest.

Not like I had a choice to wear anything else in the first place.

"Please, could we finally stop?" I wheezed out, making them all turn to me while I fiddled around with my boots. "These heels are killing me, and we were walking for who knows how long."

"I concur," Lissa agreed, raising one hand. "These bugs are getting annoying to deal with, and it is getting cold too."

A chuckle escaped from Chrom's lips. "Alright, I guess we could stop here. Frederick."

The knight turned to Chrom, before releasing a sigh. "Very well, although I think some preparations are in order. Who wants to clear the campsite?"

"I'll do it," Robin volunteered before eyeing me. "Be sure to take better boots next time."

"Already ahead of you," I said before plopping on the ground next to a tree, leaning on it soon after. I let out a breath, but then Fredrick eyed me expectantly.

"Can I ask why have you sat down when there are other things to do?" He asked pointedly, making me send a glare.

"Frederick," Chrom called him out. "Take it a little easy. Theresa doesn't look like one who marches often."

While I should have felt offended, he was right. The knight kept staring at me however, but soon relented by turning away. "Then I shall find wood for the fire."

Chrom nodded before eyeing Lissa.

"I guess you're gonna stay here?" She hummed. "Alright, then I'll help Robin find some game. Could you two prepare the tents?"

"Sure!" Lissa said and Chrom gave her a smile before disappearing inside the forest, following Robin close behind.

I really didn't want to stand up because I barely had the energy to do so, but angering that knight because I let Lissa do everything was the last thing on my to-do list. I would feel bad about leaving all the work for her anyway.

With a small groan, I stood up from my not-so-comfortable spot before eyeing Lissa who was already digging inside the bags hanging on Frederick's horse. She brought out a giant piece of leather with a few stakes, long sticks, and a hammer.

How did I not notice those sticks before?

"Do you know how to put up a tent?" She asked.

"I… have no idea what to do with those," I admitted while eyeing her equipment.

"You're telling me you never slept in a tent before?" She asked, more surprised than sassy.

"I did, but the tents I know just simply spring into their shape without much issue. This is more… rustic," I explained to her before she eyed the fabric in her arm with a quizzical look.

"How can you call this rustic? This is probably the best leather Frederick found on the market before we headed out from the capital," she said, showing me the leather, and while it seemed to be of high quality, I was used to plastic tents instead.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. Do you want help?" I said, not really wanting to explain what plastic was.

"Oh, sure. Could you stick this into the ground?" She asked while giving me the long wooden stake. "Make it stable."

I nodded before I plunged the stick into the ground, securing it in place. I took another pole and tried to eye the length of the fabric that Lissa sprawled out on the ground before sticking it into the soft dirt surface too.

Lissa then draped the fabric over the two rods, before taking out the stakes and hammered the leather down with a few sharp pings. Once she was done, she stood up, putting her hands on her hips and her lips curved up into a proud grin.

"Hah, take that, Chrom. I can build a tent on my own." She then eyed me and her expression changed into a sheepish smile. "Well, almost on my own."

"Right," I drawled. "Anyway, do we have more? I don't think one tent is going to cut it."

"Well, we do have one more. Usually, Frederick likes to sleep outside so we don't put it up." She eyed the forest before locking eyes with me. "But since you two are with us now, that changes a few things."

She dug into another bag, acquiring the same equipment, and after a few moments, we had a second tent up as well. While I would be proud of the fact that I didn't make a fool out of myself with something like a tent, my body just seemed to shut down from exhaustion.

I slumped to the same tree before breathing a tired sigh. Lissa followed me and did the same while getting rid of her birdcage, making herself comfortable next to me.

Though I would be happy if she wasn't so close.

"Soooo…" she started awkwardly. "How did you actually get here, anyway?"

Isn't that the million-dollar question.

"I wish I knew too. All I remember was that I stood on a bridge and was ready to go meet my father, but then it collapsed right under me," I explained, shocking Lissa who let out a gasp.

"What!? But then—"

"How am I here?" I interrupted her, and she gave me a careful nod.

"Again, no idea," I admitted. "I just… sort of appeared here, with no rhyme or reason."

A dry chuckle escaped my lips. "Sometimes it feels like I'm in a weird afterlife dream, but…"

A shiver ran down my spine, and I instinctively hugged myself. "After what I saw today and what happened, I highly doubt that."

"Are you alright?" Lissa asked, genuine worry emanating from her while she reached out with her hand.

"No, I'm not," I rasped out, hiding my face in my legs. "How can I be when I saw several people die today?"

Lissa didn't say anything at first while she retracted her arm before leaning it on her thigh. She then looked up with a determinant frown on her face.

"Theresa, look at me," she said, forcing me to lift my head. "You saw yourself what those people did to that town. They got what they deserved."

I stared at her for a moment, contemplating, but I just couldn't take her word for it. The way they were dealt with, the brutal efficiency Chrom, Robin, and Frederick showed…

I couldn't help but gag once again at the memory. The smell of burned hair, iron, and suffocating smoke was forever etched in my nostrils, and I couldn't get rid of it.

Another gagging reflex broke through the silent forest, forcing me to stand up while I leaned on the tree. I hid my mouth with my hand, hoping to force down whatever came up.

"Theresa!" Lissa shouted, but that only helped to break the straw on the camel's back.

A surge of bile rose up from my stomach, filling up my mouth to the brim while I clawed at my throat for it to stop. I couldn't take it anymore and threw up everything I had on the ground with a wet splash.

Lissa sucked in a breath, covering her mouth before bolting to the horse while I stared down at the pool. Strands of spit hanged from my lips, my vision tunneled, and I forced myself to breathe while the hot acid burned my mouth.

I felt a hand on my back before tilting my head to the left, finding Lissa with a leather satchel in her hand. "Drink this."

"What…" I forced out, but Lissa stopped me from saying more.

"Water, now drink," she commanded while putting the tip of the satchel up my lips before the refreshing stream of water cooled down my entire mouth.

I greedily gulped down every last drop from the satchel, prying it from Lissa's hands to make sure I drank everything from it. Once there was nothing left, I slumped down on the cold dirt ground, letting my head fall and lean on the tree.

"Better?" Lissa asked, worry still etched in her voice.

"Yeah," I said tiredly. "Would it be okay if I take a nap?"

"Of course not," she said with a smile before quickly adding, "don't worry about Frederick, I'll handle him."

I couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks."

{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}

I was honestly hoping I would wake up in my room, staring up at a cement ceiling and thinking everything I witnessed was just a bad dream. The chirps of crickets resonated in my ears while the smell of cooked meat invaded my nostrils however, but a smell that finally didn't make me want to vomit.

It was a nice change of pace.

I let out a groan before opening my eyes but everything was extremely blurry. Once I heard a loud crack of a log, I let out a yelp, forcing my eyelids to shoot wide open while regaining focus.

Only to be met by the staring company eating their midnight meal. Lissa jumped from her spot and ran towards me before bending down. She was so fast for me that it made me back off a little.

"Hey, you slept well?" She asked, a smile ever-present on her lips.

I could only give her a nod. "Yeah."

"Are you feeling better? You kind of scared me there for a second," she said, her expression faltering ever so slightly.

I looked behind her to spot all three men sitting next to a campfire with skewered meat hanging above, the fat sizzling in the process. Robin and Chrom looked relieved when our eyes met while Frederick remained passive with crossed arms, as if he was patiently waiting for something to happen.

I turned back to Lissa and forced a smile. "I should be fine."

My words only made her more worried than before, making my smile falter. "I hope."

Lissa breathed a sigh before turning to the campfire. "Thank Naga for that at least. Come on, you have to eat something."

I turned away while clutching my stomach. "I don't feel like eating right now."

"That won't pass here, Theresa," Robin suddenly intervened, looking from his slab of meat in his hands. "You wouldn't be able to last long before we would reach the capital without eating anything."

He put the meal on a log before standing up and reached out to me with his hand. "Come on, there are better places to sit than on the ground. You'd catch a cold."

I eventually looked up at Robin, who was no less worried than Lissa before I took his arm, carefully lifting me up while I steadied my legs. Once I gave him a small nod, he guided me next to the crackling campfire, the flames warming my body up immediately like a heater.

I found a place to sit down next to Robin while Lissa found her seat as well. All I could do was stare at the ground, drilling deep holes with my gaze before Robin gently touched my shoulder and offered me a piece of cooked meat.

I didn't want it since I wasn't hungry, but Robin eventually forced it in my hands while the fat immediately coated my fingers. Glaring at the meat wouldn't satisfy him, so I took the tiniest of bites I could.

The meat was chewy, gamey, and didn't taste good the longer it was in my mouth while pockets of fat threatened to stain my clothes and face. I wanted to spit it out so bad, but with no real option, I eventually gulped down the piece with a heavy swallow.

Yet, my stomach rumbled, regaining its appetite and demanding more somehow.

I instinctively took another bite, then another, and then another, each being larger than the last. Strands of my hair sometimes blocked me from eating more, but I immediately put them aside and continued to sate my sudden ravenous appetite. Before I knew it, the piece was gone, and my hands were empty, the only traces that were left of the meal were my messy fingers.

I eventually looked at Robin, who had a relieved smile. "Horrible, isn't it?"

A snort escaped my lips. "Needs more salt."

"What do you mean? This stuff is delicious. It's been ages since I had bear meat, and I'm not disappointed," Chrom said, biting down into his own portion in the process.

"Wait, a bear!?" I shouted, my eyes widening in the process.

"Yeah, I honestly don't understand how any of you can eat it," Lissa said, shuddering while a piece of the steak hung from her arm. "Couldn't you just spare a normal animal for once?"

"Come on, Lissa, just eat up. Meat is meat," Chrom said, making Lissa take a whiff of the slab before recoiling and pinching her nose.

"Since when does meat smells so bad!?" She said, her response muffled. "Even old boots don't smell this horrible!"

She then turned to me of all people. "How!? Just how!?"

I didn't know how to respond at first before I put my hands up defensively while having a nervous smile. "I guess I was hungry?"

"That would be an understatement," Robin quipped, my cheeks heating up instantly.

"Hey!" I exclaimed while a chuckle escaped both Robin's and Chrom's lips before Lissa let out a groan.

"Fine," she said, glaring at the meat in her hands before taking a bite similar to my first one. She gagged, spitting out the meat instantly while coughing a few times before throwing the steak into the fire.

"Never doing that again," she stated while crossing her arms.

"Every experience we face makes us stronger, milady. Even those we do not enjoy," Frederick said, his arms behind his back with closed eyes. "Also, please do not waste any food you don't find appealing."

"Oh yeah? Then why haven't you tried it? You've been staring at those things more than all of us combined here," she shot back, and somehow, she made the knight grow stiff.

"I had a large lunch that helped me through the day. I don't need to eat more," he responded, nodding in the process.

"Why do I have the feeling that I shouldn't trust you for once?" She asked. "Last time I checked, we barely ate anything today and you were with us the entire time."

"I had provisions on our way here," he said a little too quickly, and Lissa glared at him while I could only stare at the bickering duo with a dumbfounded look.

"Does… this happen often?" I asked Chrom who was chuckling into his hand.

"More than you would think," he said. "Eat up, the meat will burn if we let it sit over the fire for too long."

I gave Chrom a nod before we continued to feast on a bear of all things. Again, no matter how much I ate it, it still didn't taste good, but it made me feel warm inside all the same. Somehow, I couldn't help but think that my sense of taste was going to get duller.

With the banter from Frederick and Lissa keeping the almost-silent forest alive, we finished the bear with surprising speed, only bones and scraps were left behind.

A sigh escaped my lips once I finished my last portion before arching back, leaning my hands on the log.

"That was good," Chrom said while patting his stomach. "We have to do this again sometimes."

"Yeah, no. Invite someone else next time," Lissa said, her arms crossed and making Chrom chuckle again.

"I'll keep that in mind." He then turned to me and Robin, putting his hands on his thighs. "Now, can I ask why you are aiming for the capital?"

"I… I actu—"

"We're trying to find out what happened to Theresa, and why she was teleported here of all places," Robin intervened, and Chrom quirked a brow while I jerked my head towards him.

You seriously had to word it like that!? Not that he was wrong, but he could be at least a little tactful!

"What do you mean by that?" He asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"I think it would be better if Theresa would tell her side of the tale," Robin encouraged, making me grow stiff. I lowered my head, but Robin put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a slow methodical nod.

I didn't want to talk about it, but whenever it was my will to decide anything nowadays.

I explained what happened to me down to the small details I left out and grew more uncomfortable by the second. Shaking legs and arms were something I was experiencing way too frequently, and they refused to leave me.

Thankfully, Robin finished up the rest for me when I reached the point when we met, allowing me to take a few deep breaths. Once he was finished, Chrom was sitting with his elbows leaning on his thighs while hiding his mouth behind his interlocked hands.

"That's… quite a tall tale. It's a little hard to believe what you've just said."

Frederick only nodded. "I mirror milord's opinion. Such a made-up lie is frankly very easy to see through."

Alright, and the fact I vomited a moment ago didn't amount to anything? I was very glad to have you here, mister I-have-a-stick-up-my-ass.

"Hold on, Frederick," Chrom said, his eyes gliding to the knight. "I did say it's hard to believe, but that doesn't mean I don't believe them."

Frederick breathed a sigh. "Milord, I know your heart is in the right place, but a collapsing bridge has little to do with the magical arts of teleporting. Let alone such a distance if we were to believe Theresa's home is this 'Europe'."

"Yeah, but how can you explain her reaction to what happened today in Southtown?" Lissa chimed in, and now I was appreciating her more than before. "Besides, she is probably even more confused than us right now."

Chrom hummed. "That's where I was trying to aim my point. Theresa, you said you never knew of magic, right?"

I gave him a nod. "Yeah, I'm from somewhere healing people in a snap of a finger or shooting lightning out of your hands is fiction at best."

"Wait, fiction? But then how do you heal your people then?" Lissa asked, her eyes wide and curious.

"We have all kinds of medicine that help with illnesses or surgeries and whatnot," I explained. "But I don't know much about that field."

"That's fine, but then the question is, how are you going to find your way back?" Those words somehow made the entire world stop, to me at least. I stared at the campfire, the flames barely moving up towards the sky while small sparks gently floated away.

Did… did I actually want to go back?

Somehow, despite what I witnessed today, I considered the option of staying here, away from all of my problems in my home. Yet, there was this overwhelming feeling of guilt whenever I leaned on staying.

I clutched my head, groaning while my vision grew blurry, the loud fire became so silent like firecrackers underwater. I pulled my hands down, only to see just how shaky they were before I soon began taking quick shallow breaths. Sweat started to pour down my face while my body heated up like an oven.

"—resa!" The voice was indistinguishable, like it was miles away. I instinctively shook my head, scared why this was happening to me until I felt both of my hands being guided into a gesture of a prayer. I was about to look up before I heard a loud clap, snapping back into reality.

Everything became clear almost immediately, but I didn't know why. The back of my hands burned for some reason and once I looked down, they had imprints of palms. I looked up to see Robin being closer than I was comfortable with.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

I wasn't able to say anything. All I could do was to lower my head, away from Robin's concerned face, before he sighed.

"I'll take that as a yes. For now at least," he said before turning to the trio. "Can we please leave the questions for later, or at least those that don't have to do with Theresa's situation?"

Lissa and Chrom only nodded while Frederick only crossed his arms while closing his eyes.

"Of course," Chrom said. "But to lead towards what I was going to suggest, how about you two join the Shepherds?"

Somehow, that made Robin's breath hitch while I on the other hand was only confused.

"The Shepherds?" I whispered.

Chrom nodded. "Yeah. If I had to guess, your situation isn't something that someone alone can figure out in a fortnight."

I couldn't help but shudder. "Can you please get to the point?"

"Right, sorry," Chrom said while sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "I have connections that could help you in your search and make it that much quicker, alongside shelter and food."

And he was just offering this after knowing us for a single day? There had to be a catch somewhere.

"All I would ask of you is your cooperation."

It felt too good of an offer, yet somehow, the way he said it made me believe there was no malicious intent behind his words. No backstabbing out of nowhere, no insane payment, he was just giving out of his free will.

Robin, however, the way his shoulders were stiff, gave a completely different answer.

"I don't think we'll—"

"I'll go," I interrupted him, taking him off guard while his mouth was slightly agape.

"Theresa?"

"I'm going. I don't care what you think, but I'm not about to go on a wild goose chase to find out what happened to me," I said. "If anything, I want to live under a roof that isn't made out of twigs before I do any research."

If I'll ever even want to, I thought.

Robin kept staring at me before he bawled up his fist again while clicking his tongue. He eventually eased and took a deep breath. "Alright, if that's what you want then I guess I'll comply as well.

He then switched his gaze back to Chrom. "But at least I need to know more before we actually join."

For some reason, Chrom beamed at us. "Of course, friend."

"Wait, does that mean what I think it means?" Lissa asked, her smile so wide and excited I was wondering if her cheeks hurt.

"Hopefully, yeah," Chrom said, making Lissa bolt towards me.

"Welcome to the Shepherds then!" She said a little too loudly for my liking. "Don't worry! I'll make sure you'll feel welcomed!"

I couldn't help but smile at her cheery attitude. "Thank you."

"Is that truly wise, lady Theresa?" Frederick suddenly asked, only a single eye open. "I will not discourage milord from bolstering our ranks, but a Shepherds' job is demanding and far from simple. From what you showed us today, I'll be frank and say you are not ready."

"I…" I couldn't form any words. His statement pierced through any retort I could think of, and deep down, I knew he was speaking the truth.

I hated it.

"Frederick," Chrom intervened. "I'm sure Theresa will earn her stay and prove herself through her own means."

The knight sighed. "If you say so, milord."

"Oh don't be like that, Frederick. We don't get new recruits often because you scare them too easily," Lissa said.

He huffed. "I'm here to make sure each recruit has some merit to them. Frankly speaking, I don't find much in Theresa."

Each word he said was like a knife in my gut, but all I could do was endure his harsh words.

"Frederick, your bar of entry is probably somewhere in the sky, and you let me join," Lissa argued. "Besides, if Theresa is able to heal people without a gem, imagine what she would be capable of with one!"

"An unknown variable at best, milady, and your recruitment was only an exception I only complied with," the knight shot back.

"Then Theresa will be the second exception you'll make," Lissa said with finality, making Frederick internally sigh, but it was so unnoticeable, you'd miss it if you didn't pay much attention.

Chrom coughed into his hand. "Anyway, let's head to bed. We'll rise early tomorrow and get to the capital as soon as—"

Loud claps of hoofs interrupted Chrom, forcing all of us to look inside the dark woods. A tall and menacing outline of a figure on a horse crept its way to the campfire, and I couldn't help myself to back away, only to be met by Robin's secure embrace.

"Don't worry," he said while his hand was near his tome, but Chrom extended his hand to stop him.

"Hold, Robin," he commanded before turning to the forest. "She is one of us."

As the figure got closer to the fire we had, they became more visible, revealing a woman with short pale red hair cladded in similar armor as Frederick, but less heavy and red. With a lance in her possession, she looked capable of drinking men under the table.

After she dismounted, she went to Chrom before giving him a mock salute. "Hey, Cap'n. Sorry it took me so long to get here. Seas weren't calm."

Chrom shook his head.

"It's alright, Sully," At least now I knew who she was. "How is the situation in the Farfort?"

"Not good, I'm afraid," she said, making me tense up, "The Farfort is in bad shape, Chrom. People are constantly on edge and are afraid of even a snort from a pig. Wouldn't be surprised if bandits arrived right after I left."

Chrom instinctively balled up his fist while a menacing frown was plastered on his face: It was honestly very scary, but it quickly faded away when another set of footsteps came from the forest. We all turned to the source of the sound before the panting was mixed in with the audible thuds, and soon, another person emerged from the forest.

"Oh yeah, and he is here too," Sully added, tilting her head to the man wearing a white bib. He leaned on his legs while breathing heavily while sweat poured down his face.

"Hah… huh… you, my lady… know how to make a man work for you," he said after hoisting himself up, though he was slightly swaying from side to side.

"Look here, Ruffles, I didn't ask you to follow me all the way from the port. Now get your marriage-proposing ass out of here before my lance does it for me," she said, yet 'Ruffles' decided to speak up anyway.

"My lady, your words are as sharp as that lance of yours. A maiden such as yourself shouldn't bother with the way of the knight. Which is why I—OW!" He was stopped by Sully stepping on his toe with the heel of her boot. He jerked his foot away, whining slightly in pain.

"Next time, your toe will be the least of your worries," she said, having both arms on her hips. Ruffles, which probably wasn't his name but I had nothing to call him anyway, gingerly walked away while having both arms in front of himself.

His gaze then turned to Chrom of all people before a flash of recognition flowed through his tired eyes and he immediately perked up.

"My, do my eyes deceive me? I never thought I would find the prince of Ylisse all the way out here in the woods," he suddenly said, leaning one hand on his hips. While I should've probably felt surprised at hearing that, I was too preoccupied with myself to care.

Chrom narrowed his gaze at Ruffles. "Who are you?"

"Ah, I haven't introduced myself, have I? My name is Virion, good sirs and madams, and I am somebody who puts any archer to shame," he said while putting his hand on his chest with a flourish.

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Frederick pressed, much to Virion's annoyance.

"I was about to get to that. You see, as the master archer that I am, I try to always seek out a way to challenge myself, and I heard the prince of this nation seeks recruits into his personal militia," he explained while Sully barked a small laugh.

"Nice try, Ruffles, but to be frank, I told him I was a Shepherd on my way here," she said before me, and Robin finally locked eyes with her stare. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

I lifted my head at the crimson knight, only to bring it back down.

"We'll introduce you later. Virion," Chrom said, earning Virion's attention, "Why are you here?"

"Shouldn't it be obvious? I'm here to offer my services to the prince's personal militia. Shepherds, was it called?" He said.

"While I appreciate your offer, do you have any skills to back it up?" Chrom asked, making Virion touch his chin while looking around.

"Well, a demonstration is in order then. Do you see that little fruit there, on that tree?" He prompted us to look with a pointed hand, revealing a tree with apples, and it looked like he was pointing at the smallest one.

"I feel like that should show my skill with the bow well enough," he said while bringing out a bow of all things from his holster while already having an arrow in his other hand. Before anyone could stop him, as quickly as he nocked the arrow, he let it go in one clean and swift motion.

The arrow flew with grace until it pierced the apple with ease before it soon landed on the ground with a barely audible thud.

Chrom's stunned expression morphed into a smile.

"Well, call me surprised, Virion. The Shepherds certainly lack an archer."

"Then the decision should be obvious, no?" he said with a smirk in place, "Besides, I wouldn't let something like a militia to take my fine maiden here aw—"

A butt of the lance met his gut from Sully, shutting him up completely. I cringed at the sound of the hit, and Sully had another dangerous stare aimed at the archer.

"Next time I'll aim lower," was all she said.

"I'll keep that in mind," Virion wheezed out, before waddling away to find a place to sit down while Sully turned to us.

"Now, what's your deal?" She said, bringing me out of my stupor.

"Um… hi?" I said, with a small and nervous wave. Sully stared at me with a piercing look, similar to Frederick, yet she couldn't hide the small glint of curiosity in her eyes.

Robin, in the meantime, lifted himself up to stand between me and the red knight and sent a small glare towards her.

"Now, let's not get hasty," Chrom interjected. "Sully, these are new recruits we've met in Southtown. They helped us defend the city from bandits."

Sully's eyes widened a little. "You got attacked? Damn. I guess the situation is worse than I thought."

"Yeah, and we need all the help we can get," Chrom said. "Those two are Theresa and Robin by the way."

Sully turned to us with a single raised eyebrow before adorning a lop-sided grin. She swirled her lance before leaning it on her shoulder while extending her hand. "Well, a pleasure to meet you then. Been some time since we had some new blood join us."

Robin gazed at the hand for a moment before shaking it. "It's a pleasure as well."

Sully then looked down at me before offering her hand to me as well. I stared at it for far longer than Robin did, making Sully's lips press into a thin line. "You don't know what a handshake is or what?"

I snapped out of my stupor before quickly lifting myself up and taking her hand. Her grip was firm and tight, to the point it almost hurt.

"You sure are a weird one, Theresa. The name doesn't roll off the tongue well," Sully remarked, making me lower my head.

"Oh don't give me that look," she admonished, forcing me to look up. "The Shepherds are a wild bunch already. You'll fit in just fine."

She then looked behind her into the forest before pointing at Virion. "Trust me when I say he isn't going to be the weirdest one in the group."

"That… isn't reassuring," I remarked, making Sully bark a laugh.

"That's one way to put it, alright. Besides, I'm sure there is one girl that will—"

"If I may," Frederick interrupted. "There will be a time and place to acquaint ourselves, but not now. We have to rise early to report to the Exalt what happened today."

He glanced at Sully with a pointed look. "And what is the situation at Farfort."

Sully breathed a sigh. "Right, right. Diligent as ever, Frederick."

She slowly reached her horse before tying the reins to a tree, securing it in place. While reaching inside the satchel strapped to her horse, Virion, who recovered from his blow, leaned on the tree before engaging Sully again. The red knight was probably going to use her lance again with how her fist clenched.

"Theresa," Chrom said, making me turn to him. "You should take a rest. We'll handle the rest."

I didn't like how he viewed me as some sort of a damsel, but with how my eyelids were becoming heavier by the second, I took the invitation with a small nod anyway before heading towards the tent me and Lissa put up. Taking one last look at the group of people slowly leaving the campfire as well, I walked inside.

{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}{*}

It was hard to keep myself asleep. I tried a lot of things like counting sheep and all, but nothing seemed to work. The air was fresh while stained a little from the earthy smell of the ground, the leather mat and blanket I had left a lot to be desired compared to my bed, and the fact I wasn't alone didn't help either.

Robin was a quiet sleeper, not a single sound came from him, even his breathing was barely noticeable but he was here with me all the same. Not that I didn't mind, but… No, I did mind. Having a place to sleep for myself would be nice.

I shifted again, trying to find the best place to sleep but I eventually gave up and stood up, throwing the blanket away before exiting the tent. The early morning sun penetrated the forest easily, almost blinding my eyes and making me groan.

Once I adjusted however, I saw the one person that rubbed me the wrong way.

"Good morning, lady Theresa," Frederick said, sitting on a log while cleaning his spear with a ragged cloth. It was like he didn't leave his spot from the moment I went inside the tent. "Call me surprised you are the first to wake up."

"I was more forced to wake up than anything," I said, crossing my arms. "I'm just not used to this."

"If you are going to stay in the Shepherds, something like camping will be the last thing you will need to get used to," Frederick retorted, not lifting his eyes from his weapon, but that only made me madder.

"Can you not?" I said, making Frederick stop his polishing, or whatever it was.

"'Can I not' what?" He asked incredulously.

"You keep talking about how I can't handle what the Shepherds do on a daily basis without even giving me a chance. What's up with that?" I asked pointedly.

Frederick eventually lowered his weapon, neatly putting it on the log before fully turning to me his neutral frown. "I tend to speak from the mind, lady Theresa. I said it once already, what you showed at Southtown leads me to believe your stay at the Shepherds will only strain you more."

I clicked my tongue. "So, you're telling me I'm weak, right? Or did I miss anything?"

"Weakness isn't what this is about, lady Theresa," Frederick replied, his words still calm. "You have shown something I simply do not understand, let alone your supposed situation that milord accepts as plausible."

He stood up, the heavy clanks of his armor resonated in my ears while towering over me. He blocked the harsh sun that assaulted my eyes, making him look like a mountain I couldn't possibly climb.

"At face value, you bring nothing to the Shepherds, lady Theresa. Only more complications if I had to be frank," he said, lowering his head ever so slightly. "But if milord's wish is to take you in, I will only comply."

"So." I narrowed my eyes. "You just want to get rid of me."

He didn't answer at first, only stared at me with his brown eyes while contemplating over his answer before eventually saying, "No."

"...No?"

"Of course, were it my choice, I would have resolved the issue quite differently than milord did," Frederick said before his frown eased slightly. "But if there truly is something milord sees in you that I don't, I will patiently wait until that moment comes."

"...Huh," I let out, letting his words sink in. "You have a really bad first impression, you know that?"

Aaaaand his frown deepened again before turning away. "Call the others to wake up. We will march soon."

I had to open my mouth, didn't I?

AN: Yeah, I'm sorry for the long wait. I don't want to make excuses because there were many opportunities for me to write this chapter but between many great games and my time at work, I... Yeah, I'm making excuses anyway.

Of course, the people at the Fanfiction Treehouse help me a lot during the writing process and just being a great company overall. If you want to join our discord server, here is the link: gg/9XG3U7a

With that in mind, I hope you enjoyed today's chapter, and see you next time.

God's speed.