HIATUS.

It wasn’t the fact that the pair of tacticians lost their recent match that had Robin exasperated beyond explanation, rather, it was the fact that his female counterpart was pushing all the blame onto him for their loss. While by default rules attacking one’s own teammate (whether accidental or intentional) wasn’t possible, their match in particular went by altered rules of which made it entirely possible for stray attacks to injure another teammate.

❝What was I thinking?!❞

He threw back at her with sharpened leers as he turned his back to face her and all her childish immaturity. As his lip scowled he pinched the bridge of his nose for just a moment. 

❝Honestly, I expected you to dodge it.❞ Perhaps he expected too much of her, perhaps he had placed a bit too much trust in her in that one attack, hoping her reflexes were as fast as he believed them to be.❝I guess I just can’t trust you to do that, now can I, O’great tactician!❞ He retorted, turning his back once again and ending with a hint of sarcasm just for extra bitterness.

    Jaw agape in utter shock, she regarded him with fire burning in her eyes. They shared the blame, but Robin childishly pushed that notion aside in her own favor. No, no matter what he tried to say, this was his fault (wasn’t it?).

    “How am I meant to dodge something I wasn’t even aware of?” For someone who appeared to be insulting her tactical genius, he lacked the common sense to share his plan with her beforehand. Perhaps their matches were unpredictable, but Robin felt that he could have at least signaled her in some manner. Unfortunately, she hadn’t seen any sort of sign, and had taken the brunt of a full-power Thoron. If the damage itself didn’t seal her fate alone, the childish bickering that had ensued afterward had left them vulnerable.

    “Am I supposed to have premonitions of what’s going to happen to me? I’m not Shulk, Robin!” Ironically, the one she referenced had been on the winning team, yet she held no ill will toward neither him nor his partner. Robin respected their skills, in actuality, but was frustrated at how poor her own teamwork with her counterpart had been. If anything, she felt that they should have been perfectly in sync, just as reflections on a mirror would have been - but they had been anything but.

       “It’s not a problem, Robin.” Kamui responded with a small smile, as he took out the shining stone the tactician pointed out. Holding it in his hand, he paused before coming up with a way to explain it. “I… I have no idea why, but I seem to be able to transform into a creature with this stone.” He explained, trying to hide the grimace that surfaced on his face as he recalled the times he attempted to use it.

        “Although, I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself in that state… so I prefer to fight with a sword. I apologize if that crippled any strategies you had planned.” Kamui added, as his frown became more evident as he got gradually more doubtful.

    “You can’t control yourself? But those stones are meant to give you some sort of control over your natural instincts...”

    Albeit minimal, Robin did have some knowledge on the existence of those who could shift to the form of a dragon. After meeting Nowi, she had done all she could to learn more about her kind, and even more so when Kamui had decided to join them. As such, she’d learned about the original manaketes’ troubles, and somehow, what Kamui described sounded eerily similar. Even so, he had a dragonstone of his own; surely it could quell his desires to rampage during battle.

[ i’m sure some of you saw this coming from a mile away, but i need to set robin on an official semi-hiatus for health & other various personal reasons. as some of you know, i went to the hospital a few days ago and i’m still not in the best condition so that’s my main reason but the rest are pretty minuscule in comparison. i will still be here when i can (hence the semi-), but i also need a little less stress on my shoulders at the moment, so this gives me a little breathing room.

theres no set time for this because i dont know how long i will need it. hopefully not for too long, but even so it isnt a full hiatus so i won’t be gone 100% ovo" if we have a thread going and you’d like to drop it please contact me, otherwise all of my drafts will be done eventually... albeit at a much slower pace.

Dear Robin

I hope things are going well in Ylisstol. It had been a while since our last meeting and last letter. I figured it was due time to send you one. Forgive me if the letter seems to be rushed. I just.. need a break really.

Things in Occasus Nova has been going well. Say’ri and the new ruler of Valm and I, along with Virion, had created the Western Summit. Think of it as a conceal if you will. It was Say’ri’s and my proposition. It seems to be going well so far, as every one of our summits included some sort of festival in at least one capital a year. It’s an enjoyment really. I do hope you can come visit during one of these ‘Summit’s. 

How are the young prince and princess doing? The last time I saw you you had little Morgan prepare to be born. Is he like his father as well? Or does he take after you? I’ll love to hear back from you.

I’m also sending you some gifts, as an apology, and for belated birthday presents for the Royal family. Might have included something for that Butler-Knight of yours. Frederick, was it?

With the best regards, from one Queen to another,

~ Zerah.

Inside the package was another tome for Robin, a few toy swords for the children in the later years, another book for Robin to read, and a few children books from her city for Lucina and Morgan. Chrom’s gift was a simple trade offering, while Frederick got some fire starters. An obvious joke by the Queen of the city-state. She prayed that Robin liked them.

 Zerah,

 It's nice to hear from you again. I've been wondering if you were alright, but I don't get much time to myself anymore... I apologize for not keeping in contact with you. I'm glad to hear that you're doing well. I worry about you a lot more than I should - the words were haphazardly scribbled out in feverish embarrassment - sometimes.

 Ylisse is enjoying a brief era of peace, it seems. Even our efforts to rebuild it have been going smoothly. I'm thankful for that, seeing as I'm expected to raise two children alongside helping our country. A lull in the action is definitely welcome.

    Robin, though she didn’t say so in her letter, thanked the gods that she had free time. For as long as she could remember, her return had been utterly chaotic. Life after a war, even if she had been missing in action for a good portion of it, was anything but easy. Tensions between Ylisse and its neighbor Plegia still existed, and small, occasional fights broke out along the border. Robin knew that neither the Ylisseans nor Plegians were at fault for their behavior—it was impossible to erase years of strife, after all—but she wished they could just get along, at times.

 I can’t say who little Morgan takes after more just yet. He’s just over half a year old! Even so, I can’t believe it’s already been that long. He seems to be learning at a faster pace than Luci did. I feel like any day now, he’ll be talking just as much as his sister...

 Speaking of, they both enjoyed the gifts you sent. Luci’s eager to start training, but she’s still far too young... so I’m sure a toy blade was good for her, since it’s harmless, and she can pretend to be a lady of the sword like her ‘sister’. But, get this - she’s more interested in magic than the sword! Funny, isn’t it? I’m happy to teach her when the time comes, but she’s just proving that she and Lucina are different people. It’s good for everyone.

 Also, thank you for the things you included for me. That tome will come in handy, surely, and I already read the other book! It was an interesting read. I can’t say I’ve ever studied your culture before, so I’m glad I got the chance. I still have the Valflame you gave me for my birthday last year, too. It hasn’t gotten much use, but I keep it at my side more often than not in case of an emergency. Chrom and Frederick send their regards, as well. I think Frederick was more appreciative than he should have been...

 I don’t have the resources to send you gifts in return at the moment, but I did include some gold. Please treat yourself. I want you to take some time off.

 Write back soon if you can!

 Sincerely,  Queen Robin of Ylisse

  “Perhaps it would be easier to admire if I knew that I wouldn’t have to travel in it,” the prince replied, glancing outside at the snow with disdain. Had the circumstances been any different, he wouldn’t have minded one way or the other if it snowed, but he knew that such weather was bound to happen no matter his opinion of it.

  At the tactician’s question, Leon turned his attention back to her. 

  “…There’s no way to be certain, but it shows no signs of clearing up, so I should think that there’s a high chance that it will get worse, yes.”

    “...Well, you’re nothing if not optimistic.” Sarcasm dripped from her words like venom from a snake’s fangs, but it was all in good humor. Robin knew he meant no harm by his distaste, and she found it the slightest bit amusing.

    “I hope it doesn’t impede our travels.” Following his gaze, her lips curved in a light frown. He had raised a valid point, mentioning that their troops would be forced to trudge through it regardless of conditions. The only way they wouldn’t, she presumed, is if it was legitimately impassible. “We need all the headway we can get. I think it’s safe to say we’ll have a little trouble, but... I doubt it’s something we can’t get through. Don’t you think so, Prince Leon?”

                "Chrom, may I speak with you?"

    Her tone was unusually apprehensive, especially when considering who it was she spoke with. Robin tried her best to hide it, ever-present smile still curving the ends of her lips. “I just have a question, if you don’t mind. It’s- been bothering me.”

  “I should hope not. Having to march in the snow would do nothing to help our forces.”

Kind gesture - ♠ my muse taking care of your muse when they’re sick ⌈ accepting | closed ⌋

    “Honestly,” tutted Robin as she laid a cool, dampened cloth atop Inigo’s forehead, “why didn’t you speak up sooner? Had I known you were ill, I would have let you stay on the sidelines… You didn’t have to participate if you didn’t feel up to it.”

    Guilt settled in the pit of her stomach as Robin lightly pressed the back of her hand to both of Inigo’s cheeks, a frown curving her lips. His temperature must have been abnormally high - he felt as though he were a flame from one of her tomes. How could she have allowed her friend’s son—her own future son-in-law—to reach his current condition? She should have been more attentive, more empathic; maybe then she would have thought to ask about his health prior to the last battle. The road to perfection was long, and she was clearly far from its end.

    But this was no time to badger herself over her own mistakes, as Inigo clearly required looking after, a task that Robin left to herself. Besides, he hadn’t been injured, something that she thanked every god imaginable for. Had he lost a life, a limb, or had merely been scratched, she would never have forgiven herself. Straightening her posture, she rested one hand atop her hip, watching him studiously. His symptoms weren’t too severe, unlike other sicknesses she had experienced firsthand, but he was still in no shape to continue fighting or even training.

    "Nah, are you all right?!" Perhaps the manakete was simply relieving the tension she often spoke of, but out of paranoia, Robin wanted to be sure that she wasn't in trouble. Through Nah's mother, Robin was made aware of the horrible slave trade manaketes were subject to, and though they could protect themselves, Robin frequently worried for her dragonkin allies' safety.

                "Kamui? May I speak with you?"

“Thank you! It means a lot that you are so impressed ma’am.It takes a long time to get the ancient tomes I’ve been studying translated. Though, once I have them translated, it’s mainly about finding the materials needed for the catalyst.”

 As they entered the training grounds, he turned to his mentor, bowing slightly. “Okay! Today I will show you the three I learned recently. First, what if I told you that I could hit two targets at once as long as I could see a part of them?”

    "Well, of course I'm impressed," commented Robin, a soft laugh escaping her lips accompanied by the faintest of bemused smiles. "How could I not be? Even I lack the skill to use my magic without a tome. It's something I could use some studying on, myself."

    Hands folding against the creases of her robe, she regarded him with clear interest shining in the hues of her amber eyes. Through assisting Faust in his efforts, Robin found herself learning from him, as well. A mutually beneficial relationship, she was grateful for the chance to share her knowledge with someone other than her children. Nodding toward the training dummies before them, she waited, eager yet still patient.