Disclaimer - I don't own Fire Emblem. All of its properties belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.

Chapter 6

The air is warm and smells of baking bread and yeast. I'm covered in white flour up to my arms and my noses twitches at the feeling of the dusting on the tip of it. I work the dough continuously in my hands as I stretch it out longer and longer. This'll be the last loaf I need for the order due tomorrow.

"How are my cookies doing Robin?" A female voice shouts from a room beyond the kitchen I work in. There's a sense of familiarity to it. A co-worker? Yes, but also more than that. A good friend.

I peer at the timer. "Five minutes. Better check on them cause you've been letting them warm on the rack for over ten now."

I hear footsteps and the door opens. A woman my age dashes over to the industrial oven behind me and grabs for the oven mitts. A blast of heat hits my back as she pulls open the door. There's a sigh of relief and I hear the scraping of the rack's wheels against the tiled floor.

"Crisis averted everyone! The goods are safe," she calls out even though I'm the only other worker this early in the morning. She wheels the cart to a corner for it to cool, the tasty scent of fresh baked red velvet cookies perfuming the air around her.

I finish stretching the dough, roll it in the cornmeal, and then apply it to the tray. I load it onto my own cart and fill the oven back up with the new bake. The door shuts with a clang and I switch the digital baking system to the new program. Once this is done we should be finished with the special orders. About bloody time cause I've got a crapton to catch up on.

I pull the latex gloves off my hands and drop them in the trash. Both of my hands are a stark contrast to the white that lines my arms. I head over to the sink and wet a paper towel to wash off all the flour.

My co-worker walks over. Her name sits on the tip of my tongue. A month, one from summer. June? No, close but not it. Think foreign. Julliet?

"I forgot how long I had those sitting in there," she laughs. She leans back against the counter next to me. "This is why I can't multi-task. Next time I try to do so, you beat me with a rolling pin until I get some sense knocked into me. Gracious, that would have been a disaster."

"Those are due for nine o'clock pick-up today. Don't you dare forget to ice them. I've already covered your sorry ass yesterday with that Black Forest cake the mayor ordered."

"Please don't remind me. I don't even want to guess what would have-" Juillet pauses midsentence. She peers curiously at my right hand. "Babe, what'd you do to your hand? You've got a horrible bruise there."

I look down, alarmed. I pull my hand out from under the faucet and notice the awkward discoloring forming right beneath my knuckles. It stretches all the way down to the top of my wrist and covers the whole middle.

"What the..." I gingerly touch the top of it.

"Did you smash your hand in the door or something?"

"I have no clue. This wasn't there when I got up."

The more I look at it, the odder I feel. I can't really describe the sensation but it certainly doesn't make me feel good.

The phone rings and grabs my attention away. My friend rolls her eyes. "I swear if that's Avril calling off again I'll scream. Can you start working on the Buttercream while I take this?"

"Yeah, sure." I wave with my other hand but my eyes stay glued to the bruise. Where did this come from?

My dream dissolves and I find myself sitting upright on my bedroll.

I should say it's more like I was experiencing a memory. That was my past. My job, my friend, and...I raise my right hand and stare hard at the mark upon it. There's a faint tingling in the area of the brand.

I remember now. It wasn't long ago that that happened. Two weeks or more maybe? One morning I simply went to work and found a black and blue mark on my hand. It never hurt but it always made me feel uneasy when I looked at it. The swelling took forever to go down and I ended up bandaging it to hide it from the customers.

As the skin started to return to normal something funny started to happen. I thought I was simply seeing things at first but, as more of the bruising went away, I noticed what looked like faint shapes appearing. On the morning I woke up before coming here, I checked it for the first time in a few days and noticed-

"Ugh!"

The familiar throb of pain hits me and my memories fall apart. I sit in silence and cradle my head. I'm so tired of all of this. I wait for the sensations to pass away before relaxing once more.

I run my left hand through my bed head and shift my sleep-ridden muscles. I do a quick stretch and then crawl over various discarded pieces of clothing to the front. The whole tent is saturated in the grey tint of morning. I push aside the flaps of my tent and peek out. It's a little after sunrise but the effect is lost behind heavy cloud cover. The air is heavy with moisture and I feel the chill twinge my nose. Besides the whinny of a horse in the distance, all is quiet.

Various tents sit near and around me housing the sleeping forms of the other Shepherds. Unsurprisingly, Frederick is up and about stoking the fire we'll be using for what I presume will be breakfast. Aside from him, Vaike should be somewhere doing perimeter watch.

I suppress a yawn and duck back inside. While I'd love to roll over and catch a few more winks, it'd probably be pointless. It can't be too long from now that the others will be rising with the sun already up.

I pull out my rucksack from under my coat and drag it over to the bedroll. I unloosen the drawstrings and proceed to dig through the insides for another shirt. I sift through the odd assortment of things that came with the rucksack: ink bottles, a messily tied bundle of quills, another thunder tome, scrolls, an empty journal...'Robin' basically had one big desk emptied into their bag. I pull a sleeveless shirt identical to the one I wear now out of the bottom. I tighten the top again and put it to the side next to the strategy books I had been reading the night before.

I had discovered them several days before when searching through 'Robin's' rucksack for clues. I had skimmed through the books and found them chalk full of footnotes and other comments in the margins. There's a lot of good reference material in them and I'd pour over them whenever I had the time before bed. Strategy is point three in the holy triad of tactician studies after all. With swords and magic already covered thanks to Frederick and Miriel, these books would be the help I need for the tactics portion.

My leg feels like it's starting to cramp so I decide to go for a stretch. I can check in and see when breakfast is while I'm at it. I swap shirts and leave it hanging untucked. I pull my coat over myself and ditch socks for boots only. I stash my map and tome in my pocket and leave the rest of my gear behind. I'll tidy up later after I wake up more.

The melodic tweet of a morning bird welcomes me as I emerge from my tent. I pull my coat tighter around me as I walk. A gigantic snore that practically shakes the whole tent blasts out of Lissa's shelter as I pass by. I guess the game wasn't kidding about her snorting issues.

Dry tinder cracks under my feet as I walk through the middle of the camp. Frederick throws me a quick nod of acknowledgement as I walk by the fire pit. I hide a large yawn behind my sleeve and wave to him with my other hand. I let my feet carry me in no particular direction.

The faintest traces of life are beginning to peek through the camp as I pass by the tents. A tiny light gleams through the material of Miriel's tent and I can hear rustling from Sully and Stahl's. It would only be a matter of time before camp is bustling with different bodies and agendas as we quickly fly through breakfast and breaking down the camp again.

I stop my walk next to the trio of war horses huddled together near the trees bordering our camp. Gertie and the others graze peacefully on the thick grass. The only one I approach is Thyme, Stahl's steed. Kind in temperament, the horse raises her head and gives an affectionate knicker at my appearance. I pet her velvety snout a few times and whisper a greeting to her. Gertie continues to ignore me as usual. Sully's stallion, Honor, shakes his mane and snorts hotly in warning before returning to his meal. I learned quickly that the temper and ferocity of the horse matches his mistress.

I stare out over the scenery as I continue to stroke Thyme's nose. After all these days of travel we would be leaving behind the last of Ylisse's flatlands. From here on out, the land would get steeper and more treacherous. The roadways would make for easier passage but the changing temperatures and rocky overpasses meant we would have to be more cautious about our movements. I am more thankful than I ever have been for the thickly lined insides of the coat I'm wearing.

A small wind blows against my back. It's almost inaudible but I can make out the faintest whispers of a melody on it. At first I write it off as my imagination, but as I listen harder I realize that it's still there. Curiosity urging me on, I leave the horses and follow the sound south into the tall grass.

I push tall reeds to the side as I take wide steps through the clustered brush. The humming, female in tone, grows louder and louder, as I continue on. I push through the last obstacles before I step foot into an open patch of land.

A breathy snort and the flutter of wings greet me as I emerge forward. I don't think my eyes can grow any larger than they are now as I take in the sight before me.

"Woah." I carefully walk forward, astounded by what I see.

The creature is pure white and its coat shines like a diamond even under the dreary sky. When it shakes its mane the pearly strands cascade like silk. Standing at average height, it could have been called a horse if not for the two large feathered wings tucked neatly against its sides.

"Well I'll be damned..." I whisper.

I hover cautiously just outside the perimeter, marveling at the pegasus before me. It's breathtaking. To see something that's only myth and fantasy where I come from is just...I don't even know what to say. It's like stepping into a dream.

The humming stops and a female voice calls out. "Good morning Robin."

I lean to the side and see Sumia standing beside the magnificent looking beast. She has some vials arranged at her feet and she presses both her hands up against its side.

"Oh, Sumia. I, uh..." I look uncertainly at the animal.

Sumia smiles and motions me over. "It's alright. She's a gentle thing. You needn't be afraid." The girl pulls back on the rag in her hands and places it gently on a bag behind her. The pegasus' skin is red with irritation and I can see a thin cut lining her leg muscle. Sumia reaches into the pack and pulls out a halved apple. She approaches the pegasus' head and holds it out in offering. The creature buries her snout in Sumia's hand and chews away at the fruit.

I carefully walk forward. The pegasus watches me with large, deep eyes. I hold my hands up in a placating gesture as I edge closer and closer. God! Up close, it's even more lovely.

"It's a pegasus," I say dumbly. Way to state the obvious Robin. "What do I do?"

Sumia combs a hand through the animal's hair and smiles sweetly at it before looking at me. "You don't have to raise your arms like that, Robin. She isn't the enemy."

I lower my hands but that's all I do. I'm scared to touch it. Isn't it against the rules for anyone aside from innocent virgins to touch one of these things?

"Is this your first time seeing a pegasus?"

"You bet your bum it is. Should I just stand here or do I need to make a daisy chain as a peace offering?"

Sumia tilts her head, amused at my ignorance. "No, you don't. Simply treat her with respect and she will do the same right back."

"O-okay. So I just...I can take my hand and just pet her?" I lift my right hand and gingerly reach forward. I lightly brush against the pegasus' side. I feel a tremor run through her frame as my fingertips press against her warm skin. She snorts and moves sideways away from my touch. I frown a little and try again. My hand stretches out and presses up against it once more.

The pegasus' frame shivers and she lets out an earsplitting sound of panic. She shudders and kicks out, missing Sumia by inches. I jerk back in horror and try to place as much space between us as I can.

The pegasus steps back from us and her wings unfurl. She gives them a flap and kicks up dirt in the rush of wind she emits in my direction. I plant my feet into the ground and hide my face behind my arms to protect it from the blast.

Sumia, looking utterly shocked, rushes forward. Disregarding any safety for herself, she reaches out and captures the creature's head in her arms. She gets the pegasus to stop thrashing and pulls her head forward. Sumia rests her own forehead against the creature and whispers soothing words while petting the underside of her jaw. The pegasus stops thrashing but she continues to hoof at the ground and whine with anxiety.

I stare down at my shaking hands. Oh God, what did I do?

"Robin I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened!" Sumia apologizes as she continues to settle the pegasus down. "I've never seen such a reaction before."

I step forward and go to speak but the pegasus starts to get restless again. I slowly back further away in response. The more distance I put between us the calmer she gets. Is she scared of me? What in the...?

The grass behind me parts and Vaike comes through with axe in hand.

"Hey! You alright out here Sumia? I heard some hefty noisemaking just now." He pauses when he sees me. "Robin? When'd you get out here? You've got to have some pretty good skills if you were able to sneak past The Vaike's awesome watch skills."

Sumia presses closer to the antsy pegasus and continues her attempts to calm her. "It's nothing Vaike."

"You sure?" he says while scanning the area. "Cause it sure sounded to the Vaike like a cow getting eaten by a wyvern."

"It's nothing like that. It was just the pegasus. She's still injured and probably nervous because of it. She'll calm down soon, I'm sure of it."

Vaike doesn't look all that impressed. It probably doesn't help that I've been standing quiet and paler than a sheet in the corner. "Now I don't know much about these flying horses but the Vaike does know that you've been out here since before sunrise. Working yourself straight into the ground ain't gonna help anyone. Why don't you put a little space between ya both and hunker down for some grub. If the pony's that bad then she sure ain't going anywhere."

"Maybe it is a good idea, Sumia. Give the pegasus a little time to cool off. I startled her pretty good," I add.

Sumia gives me a sorrowful look. "Thank you both for your concern but I'll be alright. If anything, she'll need me now more than ever. I couldn't possibly leave her alone while she's still jittered. I'll be fine."

"You sure there Sumia?" Vaike questions, still eyeing the pegasus dubiously.

"Absolutely. She needs my help and I simply can't turn away from that. I'll be back once I finish dressing her final cuts."

Vaike shrugs and rests his axe up against his shoulder. "Not sure I understand why it has to be now as opposed to later but whatever. You just take care of yourself, hear me?"

I trail after Vaike in silence, still jarred by the experience. What a disappointment that turned out to be. I sincerely hope I didn't harm it somehow.

Sumia's first aid went on longer than planned and she didn't reappear until after breakfast. I knew ahead of time she would request to stay behind but it was a definite surprise for everyone else. Chrom was the most adamant about refusing to leave her. He had valid points. While we had yet to see any more Risen since the first day, no one truly knew the extent of their numbers or spread through the region yet. He wasn't keen on the idea of leaving her behind alone and without a guard. Sumia looked confused at him and said she wouldn't be alone. She said she's be perfectly safe with her companion watching out for her. I don't think any of us understood why Sumia put so much of her faith into the pegasus but eventually she convinced him to let her stay. Apparently Sumia wanting to bond with this specific pegasus is a big deal cause it changed his mind quickly.

We packed up and departed for another stretch to trek. The day wore on like every other we've done so far. There was a spike in the temperature and it did start to get a little chillier. The path we followed had worn down in places allowing grass to peek through the gravel. There were a few times I even wondered if we were still following the road.

It was a little weird to not have Sumia there. Out of all the Shepherds, it's been the easiest to talk to her. We've been palling around since we fought together on that first day. Beyond the obvious love of books and pies, I had found a lot more to the otherwise klutzy generic heroine the game portrayed her to be. I feel ashamed to have taken her for granted so easily back when I played this on my 3DS.

I mean, I had a lot to gripe about her as a unit. She had very little marriage prospects, obvious favoritism in the game's plot, and didn't impress me all that much as a fighter on the field. I benched her character and pawned her off to whatever of her male prospects I had left over so I could get her kid. Actually, when I put it like that, I'm even more disturbed with myself over her treatment.

It's funny how the social dynamics of the group for me are changing so much. I think I'm finally coming to the realization that the Shepherds aren't just fictional characters I so happen to admire thanks to our time together in a thirty hour game. No, I see now that these are people. It's hard to explain I guess. It's like, I don't know, meeting the actor of your favorite movie character. You think you know them so well from this limited experience you've seen of them but when you meet in reality it's just so different. You find out that they do look alike and you can laugh as they repeat some lines but then the night goes on and you find out other things. They have a family, their favorite color is orange, they drink tea only in a specific fashion...It's jarring. There's real emotions and thoughts working behind this picture you had of them that can go against everything you understand.

Am I making sense? I don't know. I do understand now though that these people are developing opinions of me and will now react to what I do. I'm not disjointed from the story and merely moving pawns. I am a part of their story now and everything I do or they do is entwined. It's scary to think about.

I suppose that's why I've latched on to Sumia so quickly. She's been so welcoming and I have all these regrets about not trying to understand her personality as a charac- no that isn't right at all! I have regrets about not trying to understand her as a human being.

With her absence, I find myself now with the opportunity to talk with the others. So I do. I listen to Miriel rattle on about a hypothesis that involves a correlation between sea slug exposure and the rise in liver spots amongst elderly fishermen. Vaike ends up telling me a story about how he once ran with a little old midwife hanging off his back across two miles of snowy fields to bring her to the bedside of a woman having a difficult labor with twins. I even entertain two offbeat flirtations of Virion's in favor of listening to his interpretation of how the Great Battle of the Rosanne Plains could have gone if the Duke of Flowers hadn't been assassinated. The more I listen, the more I find myself discarding old views and adopting new ones.

Talking shop with the Shepherds passes the time and soon we're stopping for camp again. Apparently we made good time today and Regna Ferox should be within in a two or three days march. Feeling slightly more energized at the thought of reaching civilization, I work efficiently with the others in breaking camp. If there's one thing I can boast about now it's that I'm pretty good at camping. I'm pitching tents and building fires like a regular Eagle Scout. Frederick's going to be proud.

Speaking of which, where is that guy?

After all the chores were done, I went to hang near the weapon stash where we usually meet for practice. Except instead of finding him waiting there and ready to berate my slow ass, he was missing. I plunked down on a weapon box and have been waiting for a good twenty minutes.

This is definitely not like Frederick. Someone who values punctuality like him would never not show up. I try to suppress the desire to freak out. Maybe he got so caught up in food inventory that he lost track of time? Yeah, definitely didn't get eaten by a Risen. Nope. Not gonna think that at all.

I slide off the crate and head back towards camp. I peer about searching for the gleaming ball of metal that is my instructor. I poke around his usual spots and even work up the nerves to peek inside his personal tent. No dice.

Asking around doesn't help much either. Most of the other Shepherds haven't seen him since camp finished being constructed. The best I get is Sully telling me that he was last seen with Lissa near the edge of camp. With that being my only lead, I wander off toward the outskirts and start circling the area. I duck between the trees and stare out over the hills. I nearly miss it but I see the tiniest dot of yellow between a break in some reeds on a hill not far from here. The incline is steep and I have to scale it with the help of my hands. It takes a bit of time to climb but as I get near the top I can hear Lissa's loud voice mixing with Frederick's deep baritone.

My breathing is heavy as I finally scramble over the top of the hill. A lone oak tree sits in the middle, its branches stretching up toward the sky. Beneath its leafy shade sits Lissa. She is leaning back against the trunk with legs out and arms crossed behind her head. Her staff lies discarded to her right. Her eyes are closed and there's a content expression on her face.

To my surprise, Frederick is sitting as equally still beside her. Unlike the comfortable position the princess is sprawled out in, Frederick sits cross-legged and rigid against the trunk. His mouth is pursed in a grim line and he stares glumly out over the scenery. I don't think I've ever seen a man trying to look so uncomfortable in a relaxed environment.

I slowly draw closer to the duo. Leaves crunch under my soles as I walk forward alerting them to my presence. Lissa shifts and lazily opens an eye. "Oh, hey Robin," she greets.

Frederick bristles at my appearance. His shoulders stiffen and he looks like he's just been handed toilet cleaning duty.

"Watcha need? Did my brother need something?"

"No, I was actually looking for Frederick. I guess you're busy though?" I say to him.

"Of sorts," he responds briskly.

Lissa nudges his ribs and pouts. "Frederick your posture is horrible! Look how straight your back is. You need to slouch a little, like this!" Lissa slumps forward and I can see the unbridled horror creeping upon the knight's face.

I cock my head to the side. "What are you two doing?"

"Training of course!"

Lissa reaches out and places a hand on the knight's shoulder. She gives him a forceful push that has him bend forward from his otherwise stiff positioning. Frederick's sulking demeanor grows ever larger.

"What we're really doing is relaxing. Well I am anyway. Frederick is trying to graduate from old stick in the mud to bump on a log. It's slow but we're making progress."

I pretend to look up at something in the tree but I'm really trying to hide the amusement on my face at the whole ordeal going on right now. "Is this why you never came and got me for training Frederick?"

"Quite so, unfortunately," he mutters. "I do apologize for not alerting you otherwise but I've found myself bound to a rather frustrating deal with milady. Consider this the break, so to speak, that you have been griping about these last few eves."

Before I can take my time to cheer, he quickly continues. "May I suggest making use of this time to continue your training with Miriel. It would not do for you to remain idle when you have the time to be bettering yourself in some fashion."

"Ooooor you could go take a nap. Or maybe watch the clouds. Hey, you could even carve a penny whistle! That sounds fun!" Lissa butts in enthusiastically.

"Milday please..."

"Stuff it Frederick. I'm the teacher for today and what I say goes. Go out and have some fun Robin! My slacker pupil here needs more practice. I can already see the grey hairs forming."

Frederick looks disturbed by Lissa's comment and he hesitantly runs a hand through his hair.

"Okay then, you all have fun. Don't try too hard now Frederick. You might pull a muscle trying to smile."

My laughter is cut short when Frederick turns a murderous glare on me. I can see all the unspoken punishments he's going to wail on me tomorrow. Shit. I better get out of here. I wave to Lissa and bugger off as fast as I can, the knight's gaze burning a hole into my back the whole way.

I can't help but feel a little relief at being able to skip out on training though. Practicing with Frederick is not what I had expected when we actually first met. Thinking back on it, I was expecting a whole other experience.

"Yo Frederick! You ready to get started?" I say eagerly as I walk up to him.

He looks up from some book full of tally marks. He closes it and places it atop one of the weapon trunks. "That I do. I must first ask though, how fares your wound? It does not trouble you, I hope."

"Nah. Lissa fixed up whatever the vulnerary didn't. I should be alright."

"That is good. You must be in excellent condition if we are to begin training."

"I'm ready to get started. I can already imagine the nifty tricks I'll being doing with that shiny sword of mine." I mimic some swinging motions with my arm and then thrust forward into some unseen enemy.

Frederick closes his eyes and his shoulders sag under a heavy sigh. "Is that truly what you believe you'll be doing?"

Is this a trick question? Or maybe it's rhetorical? I better answer anyway.

"Yeeeeees?"

Another sigh. "No it is not. Before you can entertain your delusions about swordplay, you must first be in the right bodily state. I will be implementing a strict physical training plan to be put into effect alongside having you learn the basics of sword posture."

I feel a twinge of disappointment followed by annoyance. When Frederick first brought up training, I imagined the two of us practicing with swords against each other. I figured lessons would include all different types of attack patterns and ways to dodge or parry. I did not sign up for gym class!

"Did you expect something else? You cannot simply start learning the way of the sword without mastering the core fundamentals. Any good solider must develop a strong combination of stamina and strength to continuously wield a weapon in battle. Failure in doing so will wear you out too fast and allow the enemy to overpower your exhausted self in combat."

"So let me get this straight. I won't be fighting? I'll just be exercising."

"If you wish to put it so bluntly, then yes. Of course I will be showing you proper breathing techniques as well as how one holds a sword. Learning these beginning fundamentals is how you move on to more advanced techniques."

I blink in shock.

Well this sucks.

And so I begin Physical Education 101. Training everyday has literally been the same bloody thing. The warm-ups I start with are an exercise routine in an of itself. Squats, jogging, and a whole bunch of work outs I can't even begin to describe.

Then the real training begins. Endurance training is what Frederick calls it. I really think it's some hellish routine he forces me through to satiate his hidden sadistic desires suppressed under his prim and proper mannerisms. He's fudging brutal. I'm carrying filled buckets, hauling rocks, throwing rocks, standing in the same spot holding a sword out for hours...I don't come out of these sessions with simple aching joints. I am literally spraining my muscles over and over every day.

There's some fault on my half I'm sure. For one, I could have already been in better condition than I am. It doesn't take a lifetime of memories coming back to tell me I could have exercised more. I'm sure I could have took the stairs more often than the elevator and gotten out of the house to walk once a week. And I most certainly did not have to sample every cookie dough batter I made back at my job. I have such a weak will around sugar.

What's sad is that when I think about it, what he's doing makes sense. If I just jump in and start swinging a stick around in whatever direction like I've been doing, I'll only develop bad habits. I can easily become more out breath from wild swings and can lose stamina fast without having enough cardio work behind me to keep the momentum going. I just feel like I lack the time, and the patience, to build up these skills.

As frustrating as my training with Frederick has been, I've found a glimmer of hope in magic. It's ironic that I would be better at magic, the one thing previously impossible for me to do, as opposed to swordplay, the one thing I could technically excel at from my own world.

Miriel's training didn't even begin until a few days in. In fact, on our first session she recited to me all the things I cannot do with magic. Apparently it is illegal to use magic to burn beehives, rustle a woman's skirt to catch a peek at her knickers, or castrate a bull. I am enlightened.

Like Frederick, Miriel had me start out with practice centered around control and concentration. Using a fire tome, I was suppose to conjure a tiny flame and hold it aloft in my palm. It was to grow no larger than a few inches in size and remain that way until I was allowed to extinguish it. I had some trouble keeping it to such a small size for the long periods of time. I nearly singed both of our eyebrows off on one occasion. There was excitement on both our ends when I managed to go the entire two hours of our session without losing control last night.

As a reward, Miriel surrendered the fire tome over to me with faith that I could practice on my own without causing my tent to go up in flames. She was preparing some new exercises and I was rather excited for them. I definitely had a stronger knack for magic so at least there is something I could potentially do for the Shepherds in the near future when it comes to fighting.

My feet carry me back to camp and I find myself continuing on past Miriel's tent, despite Frederick's advice. It is foolish of me to ditch on a potential training time, especially considering how much of a dire need I have of it. I guess the exhaustion of it all is beating out the desire to practice. I suppose I could always say that Lissa ordered me to. She kind of did after all.

I continue on toward my tent and duck inside. I feel content. It's like I've finally gotten past the work week and hit the weekend. Sweet, sweet freedom. I shrug off my coat and let it flutter to the floor. My bedrolls call to me and I answer it with a majestic belly flop.

I hum contently and bury my face in the pillow. I settle in and end up napping for a short time. An hour and one dream about Risen riding Pegasi later, I roll over feeling refreshed. The aches of the day have subsided and I can feel hunger starting to gnaw at me. The light in the tent has grown dimmer so I can only guess dinner is soon to be started. Might as well blow some time while I'm here.

My hand grabs around blindly for one of strategy books. I swipe madly around the floor and come across the smooth surface of one. I grab around the spine and pull it out. I stare at the cover and realize it's the one of have yet to look through. I raise it over my head and idly open it. The pages flutter open and I begin to push through them.

Unlike the other book I've been reading, this one has a lot more text. There's also no pictures which is kind of a bust.

Well that's odd. I squint at the page and try to make sense of things. These runes look pretty similar to the ones in the other book but I can't make heads or tails of them. I pull it closer and try to read over the lines. Even the notes don't make sense.

A shadow crosses over the entrance and pauses before it.

"Robin, are you in here?"

Aw, good grief. It's Chrom. Please don't tell me Frederick changed his mind.

"Yeah I am. Come on in," I call out.

The canvas swishes to the side and the prince steps in. He ends up having to bend over due to the ceiling being so low. He stares at the mess strewn about my tent and takes careful steps around the floor to avoid smashing something underfoot.

"This is worse than Lissa's tent."

I angle the book in my hands and try to make out another sentence. What is this, Valmese?

Chrom successfully maneuvers through the obstacle course and stands over me. He looks between the book and I, eyebrow raised in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Reading, or trying to anyway. I think this is in another language cause I can't understand a thing."

He reaches over and plucks the book from my hands. He flips it around and then holds it back out for me to grab again. "It's upside down."

I snatch it back from him and stare at the page. Suddenly all the runes fit together. "Huh. Good work Chrom. Mystery solved." The book snaps shut and I throw is casually to the side, my enthusiasm for reading now gone. I lean up and rest back on my elbows. "So you need me for something or are you here just to make a point about how much of a moron I am?"

"Ha, not quite. I actually came over to check on your training progress. You've been at it fairly hard the past few days according to Frederick."

"Damn. If Frederick's giving me an off compliment like that then I must be doing good." I casually slip some loose hair behind my ear. "It's going as good as it can be I guess. He's working me to near death but that's what I agreed to. The more I practice, the better I'll get."

Chrom nods approvingly. "I'm glad to hear that. I wouldn't mind having you back out on the field with us again."

"That might still be awhile. Frederick hasn't taught me anything technique-wise yet. It's all endurance and strength training. He's says I need to build my muscles and balance before I can attempt anything advanced," I shrug.

"Ah, don't I know that," he says with a half a smile. "My training went the same way. I was so eager to learn how to swing a sword but Frederick would have none of it. He said it would take months of core training before I could even attempt basic maneuvers. My impatience ended up getting the best of me after only a few months."

"What'd you do?"

"I went to Phila and demanded she teach me how to fight."

I gaze at him quizzically. "And she just went right along with it?"

Chrom chuckles. "There wasn't much she could do when the Prince of Ylisse commanded she do so."

I sigh. "Clever. Too bad I don't have those privileges. I'm going to be stuck doing squats for Frederick until I'm an old woman."

Chrom looks contemplative at my words. He taps his foot as his eyes drift off to the side. They brighten suddenly and he starts to speed out of the tent.

"Chrom?"

"Just follow me," he beckons as he slips out through the front.

I quickly grab my coat and scurry after him. I swing my head about to see which direction he went and see him walking left toward the edge of camp. My footsteps quicken as I go to catch up.

We pass by the other Shepherds as they mill about doing different evening activities. I see Sully at the fire tonight and inwardly cringe. I expect I'll be heading to bed with an empty stomach tonight.

Chrom stops briefly at a trunk near the weapon stash and flips it open. He digs around inside it before producing two wooden practice swords from the contents inside. I begin to question him but he just thrusts one of them at me and starts to walk again.

I follow after him wordlessly as we leave the camp's circle. He leads me to a small clearing a little ways out. It's quiet here and I can see the fire's glow just barely beyond the leafy foliage. Crickets are just beginning their nightly serenade as the sun dips further down toward the horizon.

"So mind telling me why we're here?" I finally say as we draw to a stop.

Chrom twists about, surveying the area. He starts to kick a few bits of loose debris toward the edges of the glen. "Lissa kindly told me earlier that she and Frederick would both be preoccupied with their own bit of training today. Given your sudden free evening, I think it would be a good time to slip in something more fun." He props his weapon up on a tree and then leans over to push an offending rock out of the corner and into the grass. He stands back up and rubs his hands together. "You did imply you wanted to learn some actual combat maneuvers, right?"

"Well, yeah but..." I trail off. Does he seriously mean what I think he means?

"Good. We won't actually do anything too intricate today though. Consider this a test of sorts. I'd like to see personally what you can do now that we have the time to explore them."

"Uh..." I trail off and stare dumbly between him and the practice sword in my hands. "Chrom, you did hear the part about Frederick only teaching me general exercises right? I don't know how to properly wield one of these things."

"Do you think I had anything to go with when I first started with Phila? Besides, I've seen you figure out how to swing a sword, even if it was sloppy. But that's the first step. We see what you're doing wrong and work from there."

"Frederick's going to give me an earful about this you know."

Chrom gives me an encouraging smile. "I'll take some blame if need be."

"Like he'll do anything to you." All I can think about is how bad I'm going to be as I hold up the wooden weapon. Chrom returns the gesture by drawing up his own. I try to remember what Frederick told me about proper stances but I still feel totally awkward.

"Don't worry about me Robin. I just want you to come at me with everything you got. Understand?" he calls out from the other edge of the clearing.

"I understand alright. I understand that you're insane!" I hold my "sword" out in front of me with both hands. My fingers curl around the hilt and try to get comfortable in the grooves of the base. I try to steady my breaths. I already know I'm no match for him but I hope I can at least go out with some of my dignity.

"Okay," I say shakily. "Here I come."

Chrom sets into his stance and watches me patiently as I start to run at him. I angle the sword and decide to take a shot at his leg. My arms lift as I close the halfway mark between us. I tighten all my muscles and begin to arc downward as I close in. He has yet to make any movements aside from the subtlest shift of his right heel.

My swing comes full through and I chop down into him, only to pass through air. I stumble in surprise as he pivots effortlessly around me. I catch myself and find the wooden tip pressed against the back of my neck a second later. I look over my shoulder and stare at him wide-eyed.

Chrom looks pleased with my reaction. He grins and lowers the sword, walking backward to the opposite end of the clearing. "Good. Now try again."

Good? How was that good? I bite the corner of my lip but say nothing. I settle back into a stance and decide to aim a little higher. I'll try and keep my balance more even.

I don't declare my intentions this time. I rush him from a wide angle and try to swerve to create a not as obvious attack pattern. I quickly raise the sword up and take a thrust at his torso.

Chrom decides to intercept this time instead of dodging. His blunted edge shoots out and slides up the side up my own. His wrist snaps in a circling motion as his sword catches my underside. He nearly tears it from my grasp as it gets batted aside. I skid to a halt as I nearly run into the outstretched end of it. Chrom angles it just perfectly to the side that I miss choking myself on it.

He gives me a wry smile and taps the edge of it against me neck as a clear remind that I'm 'dead' again. "Not bad Robin."

I brush away the offending stick with the back of my hand and glare. "That's funny Chrom."

"I'm quite serious. Frederick's training is already paying off." He motions at the sword still in my hand. "What I just did is a basic disarming move for stabbing motions. Most recruits would have lost their grip on a weapon after enduring that. The fact that you were able to hold on should be considered a well earned success. Being caught weaponless in battle is assured death, obviously."

He takes a few practice swipes with the weapon and then returns to the edge again. "Another go, shall we?"

"I hope you're getting something out of this besides the fact that you're stripping away my self-respect with each defeat," I call back as I walk to my own corner. I stand parallel to him and try to think of a way to get around his guard.

We continue a repetitive cycle of one-sided challenges. I always start the duel. I never repeat the same attack style, always hoping to somehow catch him off guard but that's to no avail. Chrom always manages to beat me somehow in the end. He may humor me with an occasional parry but never do I gain an upper hand. And despite my earlier success, he does manage to send my practice blade flying several times.

My latest failure leaves my spirit at an all time low. I cradle my hurting hand in the other and stare at the welt mark on the top of it. It stings like something fierce. I rub the reddened area gently with my thumb and throw Chom an accusing look.

"Apologies Robin. I didn't mean strike you so hard," he says sincerely. "I've been known to get carried away in exercises."

He's certainly right about that. I don't think I've ever seen Chrom look so alive. He just seems so much more vibrant and centered. He's in his natural element when fighting. There's also a bit of cockiness that comes out which I don't regard as good thing. I think my ego's taking a harder beating than my hand at a few of the sly remarks he's exchanged between our blows.

Chrom steps over and take my hand in his, studying it. "Well it doesn't look like Lissa will be needing to see to it. That's a relief." I expect him to let go but his grasp lingers on mine.

I wait a beat and then tug back lightly. His grip tightens and I look at him hesitantly. It's then that I notice he's staring at the top my hand. Specifically, his gaze is locked on the brand sitting offensively on it. Hell...I should really cover that thing with a glove or something. Still, I wish he'd let go now.

"If you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do is ask," I say flatly. "Smacking it up like that wasn't really the most romantic way of going about it."

My snide jab does the trick. Chrom drops my hand like he's been stung. "I, uh, that wasn't my intent at all."

I roll my eyes at him while I casually pull the sleeve back over my hand."Good, because I'm more interested in getting back to fighting."

Chrom quickly turns his head away to hide his flustered expression. "Actually, I was going to suggest we call it a night after that last mishap. I've got a sufficient idea of your capabilities now."

"Really," I say, surprised he even got anything from my performance. "And your opinion is?"

He walks over to my discarded practice sword and picks it up. "You have potential."

I scoff. "That's an incredibly vague and roundabout answer Chrom."

Chrom stoops down and retrieves his own sword. He tucks them snugly under his arm. "It's the truth. No more, no less," he replies. "Are you a prodigy at the sword? Hardly. Are you utterly hopeless however? Not at all."

"So I've got a real shot at this? I'll take it."

I don't suck abysmally but I'm no natural wonder either. I guess that means to keep practicing. I suppose I should be honored that I'm not a lost cause. The last thing I want to be is stuck in the back unable to help anyone on the field, let alone myself.

I peek up at the sky and see the stars beginning to shine through. The sun must be almost completely set by now. Dinner is probably well under way.

I start to follow Chrom as we head back toward camp. I get a mental image of charred coal lumps on my plate and shiver. "Hey, you think there's still some time for me to somehow weasel my way in and save dinner from Sully. I'd rather my demise be from something other than food poisoning."

"Maybe. You'll be lucky if there's anything left to try and salvage though. Sully's one of the best warriors we've ever had but her ability to instantly destroy any food she touches is beyond believable."

"We'll just see about that once I get there," I boast. "You know, I use to be a piss-poor cook too. All it took was practice and time."

"Is that all?"

"Well it helps when you have good friends to support you along the way." I pause and then timidly add, "Kind of like now. With my training, I mean."

I watch him discreetly from the corner of my eye, waiting for his reaction to what I just said. There's just the slightest hitch in his step when he registers my words. He's quiet for a moment and then I see the corners of his mouth upturn just slightly.

"I suppose you're right."

I feel oddly giddy. I think finally saying it out loud and hearing it come off my own tongue has finally made me realize just how ingrained I've become to this company. There's a lot coming in the near future. I've got mysteries building on mysteries and no leads to take. I'm okay with that now though.

Because...because I now know that I have people to watch out for me one hundred percent. And I'll be watching theirs in equal measure as we get through this long journey awaiting us. I may not be the true Robin but I damn well sure am going to do my best fill the role. Grima, you better watch your ass because I've got you in my radar and my finger is locked on the kill button.

Bring it on.

A/N Filler chapter is filler. I apologize for the delay and for a rather lackluster chapter. The Easter holidays are really destroying my free time because everyone seems to need cookies. And between training a new manager and coworkers forgetting orders, I'm swamped. So I heartily apologize for this and whatever errors remain but I wanted to give you all something before the week swallows me whole. Enjoy your holidays, where ever you may be.

Reviews Responses -

Luciz - Robin's been writing herself as of late so I'm even surprised sometimes as to where her relationships seem to be going. I'm just as interested as you all are!

Raven Tsurara - Hah! I'm glad you enjoyed that. I actually sprinkled in two references and an easter egg in the last chapter. Sometimes it's fun to see who catches what.

TheGiantRock - First off, your review was awesome. Thank you!

I'll admit that I felt like cackling evilly while reading it. It's awesome to see some theories being tossed about regarding the mystery surrounding Robin's existence in the world. I won't confirm or deny anything but I'll say that you've got some real good ideas forming. I'm glad the mystery is coming off as so intriguing. In regards to your other points, Regna Ferox is coming up and a certain someone will be waiting for her in the Arena. You can bet some words will be exchanged there.

passwordrawr - I feel like I'll have to dedicate a whole chapter to Robin's adventures in culinary. I don't think it would be horrible to have a filler chapter here or there to lighten the mood. I'll see where I can slip it in. And thank you for the continued compliments.

XxXTwilight-SInXxX - Thank you for stopping by to read! Yeah, Robin is an interesting character to write because I chose not to dump crazy powerful advantages on her when she stepped into this world. Befitting the role of tactician, I'm forcing her to use her mind and her natural ability to adapt.

I'm glad you're digging Robin and Chrom's interactions. Their relationship is one of the key components in the story and I really hope to portray its evolution. I'm espcially glad to see Miriel came across as herself. It's pet peeve of mine to make sure everyone stays in character and with a cast as large as the Shepherds is, trying to get them all down pat is crazy. It's worth it in the end though.

Ruu - That's some good guessing there. I won't say yet whether or not they're right but it's fun to read them nonetheless. Keep them in mind because you could be right when more gets revealed.

A no nah mouse - Thanks for stopping by! Frederick and Robin will definitely be interacting a lot in the future. Seeing how they get over their trust issues and bonding beyond that is definitely something I'd like to explore.

Ensu - Aw, thank you! I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far. :)