“Blatant disrespect in front of the new recruits, Gaius? I thought you were wiser than that.” He countered coolly, his face hardening as though he were preparing to teach Gaius the meaning of the word “respect”.

But the thief was unfazed. Instead, his accusatory digit swung from Frederick over to the edge of the courtyard, at a beautiful young woman reading quietly beneath the shade of a willow tree.

“I wanna know why you're showing preferential treatment to Robin– just because she’s your wife, she doesn’t have to train anymore?? Is that what’s going on?”

“I would ask you to lower your hand; it is rude to point at another man’s wife. Especially when she has done nothing to deserve such disrespect.” Frederick stated, a firm grasp on Gaius’ wrist as a clear warning.

Gaius clicked his tongue, tearing his arm away and instead nodding towards you. 

“You gonna explain to me why she’s not doin’ anything over there? She looks healthy as ever– and last I checked, nobody got out of your training. Not even Big Blue.”

“Lord Chrom insists upon joining; I have no say in the matter. As for Robin’s absence, it is none of your concern why she has been temporarily suspended from training sessions. She will be rejoining us when she is able.”

“Is she not able?” Stahl piped up, concern raising his brow. “She’s not hurt, is she?”

“Who, Robin?” Vaike laughed, waving a dismissive hand. “You kiddin’? She’s never gotten hurt in her life!! Woman’s way too tough for that. Maybe she’s sick, instead. Is that it?”

“Please, married to that ox? She’s probably eating better than she ever has in her life.” Sully rolled her eyes. Curious murmurs swept through the Shepherds, and it seemed the shift in energy had been noticed by the ever-observant tactician.

Frederick rolled his shoulders back, returning to his position.

“Enough, soldiers!! If you have time for speculation, then get on your feet and take a lap around the perimeter!”

“Sir, yes sir.” Gaius sloppily saluted the captain, swinging his arm around before jerking his head back towards you once more. “But if you’re not gonna tell us what the deal is, I know she will! Bubbles would never keep anything from her best friends.”

“Keep on like that and you’ll be running an extra lap by yourself. I would be glad to tie sandbags to your ankles, as well.”

“All right, all right. Message received.” Gaius rolled his eyes before finally complying with Frederick’s orders, reluctantly jogging after the Shepherds who were already a fair distance ahead of him. 

Frederick watched the troupe with displeasure; the time away from war had made them complacent. It would bode ill if Ylisse were to fall under siege, now. Especially if Gaius feels comfortable enough to run his mouth twice as often as usual.

“It wouldn’t hurt to tell them, you know.”

Frederick’s attention shifted when a slender hand looped around his bicep, and he found his wife was standing next to him. 

“Not until we’re certain the two of you are safe. You know the rule; the first trimester must be kept between us. Even my mother doesn’t know, yet. It would be an ill omen to tell anyone else first.”

“You would even keep it from Chrom and Olivia? How shocking.”

“As deep as my loyalty runs to the royal family, I am afraid this is one of the few exceptions in which our family must take precedence.”

“I understand. Then shall we tell your mother in person, instead? A trip to the mountains would be nice this time of year.” You suggested, playfully leaning into his side.

“Surely you jest; the fall is terribly cold, and by the time we arrive it will be closer to winter. We ought to send a letter instead.”

“I will check with Miriel about the weather before we act rashly. I doubt your mother would be pleased if we told her about becoming a grandmother in a letter.”

“She would understand.” He wrapped his arm around your shoulders, drawing you closer with the Shepherds out of sight. “I will make sure the letter is detailed and eloquent. Besides, I would never hear the end of it if I brought you up the mountain in the state you’re in now.” 

“That doesn’t sound like Mother, at all…”

“Trust me, my sweet. I know her far better than you do; and I would like to reduce the amount of stress either of us will be experiencing for at least seven more months.”

“Fair enough.” You giggled, pecking his cheek before shifting away from him. “Sounds like their lap is almost up…I’ll head inside to spare you further interrogation.”

Frederick watched until you disappeared around the corner, debating whether he should escort you back to your shared quarters. If you tripped and fell because he was not there to offer a steadying arm, he would never forgive himself–

Although, seeing that smug look on Gaius’ face as he finished his (first) lap, perhaps he should prioritize humbling some of his more troublesome soldiers.

A few days passed, and you found that Frederick was becoming worse and worse at balancing his work and home life. It wasn’t as if you were complaining; having more time with your elusive husband was precious indeed.

But it was getting harder to hide from your friends and colleagues when Frederick broke away from his current task every other hour in order to check up on you.

This particular visit happened to coincide with your appointment in the medical wing. Maribelle and Lissa were your assigned doctors; you quite possibly couldn’t have been in better hands unless Libra were present too…and maybe if Frederick had changed his class to cleric.

“Well, well! Look who it is!” Lissa giggled when said husband was attempting to nonchalantly enter the room. He glanced behind to make sure he hadn’t been followed, before bowing to the high princess.

“Greetings, milady. Lady Maribelle. I was aware of Robin’s appointment and wished to join her during my break. If it is amenable, that is.”

“It is always amenable,” You held out a hand to him, inviting him to your side. Frederick closed the distance without hesitation, practically glowing with anticipation.

“As I was saying earlier, you’re doing well. The fetus is developing well, and it’s looking like you’ll be seeing an on-time delivery of a healthy baby in about seven months’ time. You should both plan accordingly before your schedules become even more hectic.”

“It’s true! When I was pregnant with Owain, the second and third trimesters got so hectic trying to prep for when he came. You’d think it would be easy with a whole castle at your beck and call, but trust me– you don’t know what’s coming until you’re in the thick of it! And by the time the baby’s born, you realize you’d forgotten nearly half the stuff you wanted to prepare!”

“I’ll take your word for it, Lissa. I’m sure Frederick will be diligent in maintaining our schedules. He’s already got it down to a science.” You informed them, nudging Frederick gently. He nodded solemnly.

“But of course. I have been consulting with a number of Shepherds who have already experienced their pregnancies…with the utmost secrecy, of course.” He added when you quirked an eyebrow. “They believe I am simply preparing for the distant future…I believe our secret is safe, so far.”

“Of course. Anything we need to do in the meantime, royal doctors?”

“For now, you will need to prioritize rest. You can continue exercising but it must be gentle. I’m sure Frederick would not mind a slow-paced stroll around the castle gardens in the evenings. And as for morning sickness, the apothecary should help soothe your poor stomach.”

“That would be excellent, thank you.” Your shoulders fell some, as though she’d taken quite the weight off them. Frederick patted your hand knowingly; you couldn’t escape the morning sickness no matter how hard he tried to prevent it, and as much as you hated it. 

“Drinking plenty of water should help, as well– and if you’re allowed to have a treat, some ginger honey tea would be great for that!”

“I shall make a trip to the market this evening.” He decided. “And as for the–”

“Maribelle!! The delivery of flasks just arrived– where do ya want’em?” Sully’s voice flew through the door just as the doors banged open again (ever the delicate touch).

“O-oh! Ah, just set them over there, please.” Maribelle rushed away from the two of you, but it was too late; the fiery knight had already spotted the pair of you.

“Well hey there, Robin! What’re the two of you doin’ in here? You’re not sick, huh?”

You exchanged a glance with your husband, who had suddenly gone rigid. “Ah, no, I just– am having an annual check-up. You know how it goes.”

“Why’s Lieutenant in here, too? Didja double up on your appointments to save time or somethin’?”

“Those are medical questions that are supposed to be private, Sully. You shouldn’t pry into such things!” Maribelle scolded her, taking the box of clinking glass and hurrying her back out the door.

“Aw, c’mon! I was just makin’ polite conversation! Robin’s been missin’ from the Shepherds for a little while; can you blame me for bein’ worried?”

“I’m fine, Sully. Shall I schedule a sparring session for you later to prove it?” You offered, and her eyes lit up.

“Hells yeah! I’ve been itchin’ for a good fight. I’ll look forward to your challenge!” She gave a quick salute to her commanding officer before hurrying out of the medical bay, the door shutting just behind her. 

You exhaled softly; crisis seemed to be averted for now. 

“There will be no sparring of any sort, Robin.”

“Come now, I was just buying us some time! Of course I won’t actually spar with her. At least, not right now.”

“Robin.”

“I’m kidding.” You laughed, pinching his cheek to try and alleviate the glower on his face. “Besides, I won’t have much time from now and when we head up the mountains to visit Mother-in-Law.”

“I thought we weren’t–”

“I asked Miriel. The weather is supposed to be quite warm despite the season. Shall we set some time aside two weeks from now?”

“I’m not sure we should–”

“Actually, that’s a wonderful idea. Somewhere peaceful and full of nature like the North Ylissean Mountains is perfect! Better to do it now before the baby really starts growing. Like I said; that schedule gets really crazy really fast!” Lissa chimed in, “I’m sure Chrom would approve the time off, Frederick. Go visit your mom and have a great time!”

“...Very well…then I shall make the arrangements.” Frederick decided, “But if Miriel is incorrect about the weather, we will postpone our visit until after the baby is born.”

“Fair enough.” You beamed at him, squeezing his hand. Of course you weren’t worried in the slightest; Miriel was never wrong.

Virion had come to visit from the Roseanne reconstruction to both reconnect with his friends and allies, as well as cozy up to some nobles for some investment money for his project.

What he did not expect was to see Frederick striding across castle grounds, carrying crates that seemed burdened with all manner of supplies.

“Why, Lieutenant! If I did not know any better, I would think you are preparing to march off to war!” He commented, as Frederick brushed past, this time with three crates stacked atop each other.

“Robin and I will be taking a brief trip up the Ylissean mountains. I am finishing the packing before we depart.” He explained as he crossed the courtyard, a patiently waiting Robin standing outside the stables and beside a rather heavy looking cart.

“Are you staying until next year? There is enough supplies to last you several months, at least!!” Virion remarked, to which you simply shrugged and rolled your eyes. There was no stopping Frederick once he got started preparing for every possible contingency.

“You can never be too prepared for an arduous journey up the mountain.” You hummed, checking off your notes as Frederick loaded the crates onto the wagon with a heavy thunk. The wheels creaked under the weight of it, and Hebert huffed in protest. “Although this is starting to seem like overkill.”

“Nonsense. You should know by now I will not allow you any sort of risk while we’re away. Miriel may think the weather will be mild, but the mountains are fickle. If you were to fall ill, I would never forgive myself.”

Virion sighed dreamily, looking on at the two of you. “It is as if you are still newlyweds, Lieutenant! You are a very lucky woman indeed, Robin. To have such a doting husband at your side, it must make you the envy of the halidom!”

You blushed softly, grinning at the knight that had suddenly averted his gaze. The pink warming the tips of his ears was unmistakable.

“I consider myself well beyond fortunate every day.” The agreement did earn a soft smile from your husband, careful to hide it from Virion’s teasing view. “We’ll be gone for a little while, so I fear we may not see much of each other while you’re visiting.”

“You will simply make it up to me with a trip to Roseanne in the future.” He waved his hand dismissively, “For now, the two of you ought to focus on this seemingly quite arduous journey you are about to take.”

“It won’t be arduous; Frederick’s more than prepared to navigate the roads, and he knows the mountains well. The preparation is mostly just in case I need to address something with–”

“Robin, dear, I believe I left our scarves in our quarters. Could you fetch them please?”

“Right. Of course.” You had a smattering of pink across your cheeks, as though you had almost embarrassed yourself. Virion arched an eyebrow as you hurried away, bidding him a sudden farewell. 

“It is unlike you to cut off your wife mid-sentence, Lieutenant. Perhaps you are not such a chivalrous knight after all!” He teased. Frederick dismissed him with a scoff, busying himself with packing the wagon.

“You must be mistaken. I would never be so uncouth as to interrupt my wife deliberately.” 

Virion hummed, “Perhaps not on purpose, you are right. Though I am curious what it was Robin needed to address. Shall I ask her to finish her thought once she returns?”

“That will not be necessary. You will leave your guests waiting too long if you continue dallying here. You and Robin can continue the conversation once you’ve finished your business.” 

“Perhaps you are right; ever the professional.” The archer murmured playfully, nodding to the large, slightly flustered man before continuing on his way.

Curiously enough, by the time he finished his meeting later that morning the caravan of two had already departed. 

Which was simply uncharacteristic of his dear tactician friend. To not even say goodbye when he came all this way to visit? Something strange was surely going on.

Perhaps he would have to schedule another visit in a few weeks’ time to finish that thought of yours, after all…

It was nearly a month before the famed couple returned from the mountains. Cordelia was the one who spotted them first, flying down from the clouds of Ylisse to meet the handsome wagon as it neared the capital city.

“Lieutenant! Lady Robin!!” Cordelia announced herself as she closed the distance. Frederick slowed the cart to a gentle stop as you waved at your dear friend.

“Cordelia! What a lovely surprise!” She landed just beside you, “Did you come all the way out here just to greet us?”

“Even if I did, I would be careful not to admit such a thing to my commanding officer. I am still on duty, after all.” She said with a proper salute, which Frederick was quick to put at ease.

“It is all right. We’re glad to see you too, Cordelia. As much as we enjoyed our time in the mountains, it is refreshing to see a familiar face.”

“Are your family’s faces unfamiliar?”

“I think he means more ‘friendly’ than ‘familiar’.” You corrected with a light laugh. Cordelia quirked an eyebrow.

“Oh? Was your family unhappy with how distant you’ve been, sir? Perhaps a couple letters each year wasn’t cutting it with your mother.”

“Perhaps you’re right. Though I fear that was only part of the reason she was cross.” Frederick sighed. You patted his arm with a knowing smile.

“Not to worry. Once she sees the gift we’ve prepared for our next visit, all transgressions will be forgotten.” You winked,  though it only served to confuse the uninformed knight.

“Whatever do you  mean?”

“We’ll be making an announcement shortly. I don’t wish to spoil it for you, but perhaps you could do a favor for us.”

“That depends on the favor…you have been known to make strange requests in the past.” She recalled with a wary glance. Although the way Frederick’s expression seemed to shift into relaxed warmth made her hopeful it wasn’t anything untoward.

“Nothing crazy. I just need you to gather the Shepherds and the Exalt’s family for a quick meeting in the courtyard. Are you willing to ride ahead of us to get them ready? It’s a very important announcement and we need everyone to be there.” 

Cordelia nodded, drawing her reins up and heading back to the skies. “Of course! You’re about an hour from the castle grounds. That should be enough time to gather everyone! Shall I tell them it is urgent?”

“I don’t think it warrants an ‘urgent’ meeting…but if they could gather swiftly, that would be ideal.”

“Very well. Urgent it is.” She grinned, and launched back up.

“...Are you sure you’re ready to tell them, now? I know we’re safely in the second trimester now, but we don’t have to announce it right away. We can take our time if you want to hold off a little longer.”

“I think we’ve kept them in the dark long enough. Besides, I saw how invigorated you got after the scolding you got from your mother. If we’re going to finish that “Baby Preparation Checklist” she saddled you with on time, we’re going to need all the help we can get.”

“You say that as if I can’t singlehandedly build all the furniture and gather supplies without her guidance.” Frederick huffed, glancing back at the thick stack of parchment sitting menacingly inside the wagon. You rested your head on his shoulder. 

“I know you can handle it, but imagine how much easier it’ll be to finish with everyone’s help.”

“Perhaps you’re right…though I will be selective in who I allow to assist. You can’t look me in the eye and say Vaike and Gaius would be effective helpers.”

“I wouldn’t dare.” You laughed, earning a fond smile and a kiss on your brow.

It was as Cordelia said; only an hour after her brief greeting, the two of you returned to the castle grounds and had returned Hebert to his stable for a much deserved rest.

Hands tightly joined, the pair of you headed for the courtyard. The whole of the Shepherds stood waiting, curious and confused as to why such a meeting had been called in the first place.

“Welcome back, the both of you!” Chrom greeted you first, “I trust your time away was restful?” “That’s not the word I would use, but…yes, it was amiable.” Frederick responded with a respectful bow to his liege, though the polite kindness was interrupted by a sharp scoff from Gaius.

“Yeah, yeah, you had a great time away, restin’ up while we picked up your slack, Lieutenant! And now you’re callin’ all of us together the second you get home? Swingin’ the hammer again already, huh?”

“I can assure you, this announcement is nothing like that. In fact, it is quite good news.” Frederick  stated, looking to you. “Would you like to break the news, my love?”

“Well…I’m sure you all noticed that things have been a little odd, lately. Not participating in training, visiting the medical wing, scheduling out our duels rather than fighting same day…”

“I did notice that, yeah.” Sully’s eyes narrowed, “I thought I’d see you on the trainin’ grounds like an hour after you said we’d fight! I felt damn betrayed.”

“I do apologize for that Sully, honestly, but…I’m afraid the strange behavior will have to continue. You see, I won’t be able to train or duel with anyone for at least six more months.”

The crowd rumbled with curiosity and confusion. You beamed, placing a hand over your modest little baby bump.

“Wait a minute…are you-??”

“No way!!”

You nodded vigorously, feeling Fredrick squeeze your hand tighter.

“We are with child!”

The Shepherds erupted in cheers and laughter, shocked at the surprise announcement. Chrom and Lissa were grinning ear to ear, Olivia and Sumia all but racing to give you the first hug.

Gaius’ grumpiness immediately shifted into whooping joy, clapping a firm hand to Frederick’s back before the entire group could swarm you both.

“This is wonderful!!”

“Finally!! The Vaike was startin’ to wonder when you’d get to havin’ your Morgan!”

“I must extend congratulations to you both. I can see why you asked for an accurate weather forecast; traveling while expecting is quite a feat.”

“You let her travel?! Frederick, what’s the matter with you!!”

“I don’t think it’s that dangerous, Nowi. They wouldn’t have gone if it were that bad!”

“Well…” Frederick trailed off, though he couldn’t help but chuckle when Lissa flung her arms around him. “Thank you, milady. And everyone, truly. We are so touched by your joy.”

“It’s great news! We’re all so happy for the both of you.” Chrom replied without skipping a beat. “It will be a shame we won’t have your combat skills for the next many months, but it’s wonderful the two of you are finally growing your family. I know you’ve wanted it for a long time.”

“We have…and it’s just so great we get to share this with all of you. But I wanted to request some help from you all. See, when we visited Frederkck’s family, we were given quite an extensive list of things we’re required to complete before Morgan arrives. And while Frederick’s sure he can do it on his own–”

“--That doesn’t mean he should!” Stahl piped up, “Just give us the list and we’ll get to work! Don’t you worry.” 

“Hells yeah– Morgan’s gonna have the whole of the Shepherds right behind him!!” Vaike added, “Let’s get started right now!!”

The raucous excitement lifted the whole castle with joy. It filled your heart with such happiness to know you had so many friends around you that loved you and your husband just as much as yo nloved each other.

Morgan would be born into the world six months later, perfectly healthy and surrounded by the sweetest aunts and uncles Ylisse had to offer.

Well, that and a very loving grandmother, who was quite cross with her son when she discovered he had only completed 99 of the 100 items she had tasked him with completing before the baby was born.

Following that, it was time to go home. Everybody was absolutely exhausted, barely standing on their feet. The role call began; you lingered at the front, reunited with the prince. Chrom couldn’t even offer a tired smile.

“That was…awful.” He breathed, looking over the field as Shepherds helped their fellow men and women up and trudged off the field. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a fight like that, before.”

“Those numbers were worrying.” You replied in a grim voice, “They didn’t seem any stronger than we’ve fought before- it was the volume of them that really ripped into us.”

“We’ll need to prepare if that’s their new tactic going forward. Though I can’t imagine it’ll work well for long- if they’re just going to throw bodies like that, they’re going to run out of soldiers. And those Risen aren’t effective replacements on their own.”

“I’ll be mindful of it for the future. Perhaps research more guerilla tactics if they plan on outnumbering us like that, again.”

“A fine idea.” Chrom’s hands were on  his hips, having recovered his breath. “Should we start heading back, then?”

“I want to make sure everyone’s accounted for. I’ll be the last to leave.” 

“Then I’ll stay, too.” Chrom replied, not letting you protest. 

“You don’t have to. I lost sight of multiple people, more than once in that fight. If any of them aren’t accounted for, I need to know.”

“They ambushed us, Robin. You can’t take the blame for that.”

“It’s my duty as your Tactician.” You replied, “I'm not going anywhere until I know we’re all okay.”

“Robin…” He trailed off, seeing how tense you were in spite of your exhaustion. Of course you were worried, and of course you blame yourself; it wouldn’t be you if it was any other way.

They stayed there for a while, observing the slow clean-up and withdrawal. But it took only a few minutes before they realized something.

“Chrom?”

“Yeah?”

“Frederick’s not out there.”

Chrom looked over the field again. His frown deepened. 

“He isn’t already back at camp, is he?”

“No.”

“He was stationed with you-”

“I sent him to Cordelia’s platoon to help them, hours ago.” You replied, the edge in your voice starting to rise. “Chrom, he’s not here.”

“Cordelia. We need to find Cordelia and the others-” 

You grabbed his shoulder and the two of you rushed back to camp, chasing down the pegasus knight with fire in your eyes and panic in your hearts.

“Frederick?” Cordelia looked confused, which made you wildy more frightened. “He left our squadron after the enemy was dispatched. He didn’t get back to you?”

The expression on your faces said more than enough. The alarm was raised, and immediately the search began for your husband.

It was a grave situation; the lieutenant was missing.

A search party composed of the willing and able returned to the field. Tharja reluctantly joined per your request, providing charms and spells that would hopefully narrow down his location. He was a large man in an even larger suit of armor. For him to disappear would be nigh impossible, had he been wounded or felled in the battle.

It was the absolute last thing you even wanted in your mind; the dread of possibly coming upon your husband’s body could bring you to your knees.

But they weren’t so unfortunate. One of Tharja’s charms detected a hint of Frederick. Ricken joined the main group with a heaving chest, and held up a thin chain of gold. His wedding ring hung from it.

“Oh my gods.” Chrom followed after you when you sprinted to the mage, carefully taking Frederick’s ring into your hands.

“It’s not broken.” You deduced, holding the chain up to inspect it. “He wears it around his neck and under his armor- he’s the only one that would be able to remove it so carefully.”

“It’s unclasped, even.” Chrom pointed out with wide eyes, “Could it be a message?”

“Maybe.” You inhaled sharply, trying to steady your nerves. “But I’m not sure.”

“Give it to me.” Tharja glowered, “I can find the wearer.”

“Your tracking spell.” You realized, “That’s a lot faster than scouring the field! How quickly will you be able to find him?”

“It depends on how far he’s gone. The longer the spell goes, the more energy it demands. It could take days if the distance is too great.”

“I’ll take it. We can assign a team of scouts to survey the area once we’ve had a chance to recover from battle. Until then, I can provide my magic to supply the spell with you- Ricken, tell Miriel we’ll need her help too.” Your orders were quick and biting; you were in absolutely no mood to faff about.

It wasn’t going to be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination, but you were going to find him. There would be no room for error.

Frederick would come home by any means necessary.

-------------------------

It was a hideout juxtaposed between the mountainous borders of Plegia and Ferox. Getting there would be a feat in itself, but according to Tharja, she was familiar with its location.

It was hard to get to; and harder to get there undetected. They had traps and charms all over the place. It would be easier to be captured than to sneak in.

The exact moment the offhand comment left Tharja’s lips, the light was in your eyes.

“Robin, no.”

“Chrom-”

“We’re not going to risk going in there, alone! Gods know what they’re going to do to you!” Chrom protested immediately, “We’re already vulnerable without our lieutenant- we’re practically defensless without our tactician, too! You think they won’t leap at the chance to take us out knowing two of our officers have been taken?”

“It’s a risk we have to take.”

“No, Robin- anyone else could go. Anyone! Why does it have to be you?”

“We both know they didn’t grab Frederick just because they could.” You said lowly, “Cordelia’s squadron had several Shepherds in it, many of whom are much more vulnerable than he is. They pulled him because they knew who he was.”

“You don’t know that.” 

“We know how to identify Plegian officers by their pauldrons, alone- you know how this works. If they have Frederick, there’s a very good chance they want something that he knows; and there are very few things Frederick knows that we don’t, too.”

“You don’t think he’s the one they really want.”

“I don’t think he’s the only one they want-” You corrected him, “I think that they’re after something that he knows, or has…and something that other top officials in Ylisse have, too.”

“So, to be clear,” Chrom pinched the bridge of his nose, “You want to give yourself up to the enemy, in order to rescue Frederick; whom they could very well be using as a trap for one of us to come after him?”

“If they’re going to use him as bait,” You tapped your chin, “If they’re using him to get to us, then…why not play into it?”

“Fall for their trap?” He emphasized, but you shook your head.

“Use it against them. I can get in there, and I can get Frederick out.”

“How?” 

“I can do it. I can get in there.” 

“What if something goes wrong? What if we can’t get you out?”

“I’ll get out.” 

Chrom’s jaw clenched, anxiety clear in his voice. “Robin, you’re not thinking clearly. You’re worried, and we understand that. But now’s not the time to do anything rash!”

“It’s not rash. It won’t be!” You protested firmly, “You’ve trusted me with countless strategies before- you need to trust me with this one.”

“...You really don’t think that there’s any other way that we can do this? There’s no one else we can send in your place?”

“No.” You shake your head, “I’m not risking anybody else. I can handle myself, and I can handle rescuing my husband. I need you to trust me with this one, okay?”

“It’s…it’s not that I don’t trust you.” Chrom sighed, looking back to his Shepherds who shared similarly concerned expressions. “It’s that you’re compromised.”

“And you aren’t?” You shot at him, “He practically raised you and Lissa! But if I weren’t here, who’s the one who’d be leading the charge to rescue him?”

“She’s right, Chrom-” Lissa piped up, “If I’m not the one starting a whole new war on that hideout, it’d be you.”

“But it’s… that’s not…” The Exalt frowned deeply, his shoulders tight with a terrible tension. It was too risky. Every rational part of him was telling him this was a bad idea. There just wasn’t any good that could come of this, as far as he was concerned.

But the more he thought about it…he knew there wasn’t going to be a better person to send in, if not himself.

“...All right. But you’re not going in without a very, very carefully formulated plan. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” You grinned, and the group crowded the council table, planning out the strategy. 

It would be infallible. And you weren’t leaving that pit without your husband in your arms.

-------------------------

Frederick did not remember being pulled from the battlefield very well. He recalled the feeling of his legs being stunned out from under him, paralyzing him and sending him to the ground. 

He had turned to see a number of Plegians coming towards him, and that they were coming for you. They had tied him up and cast some sort of enchantment. He remembered reaching for the ring clasped around his neck, trying to send you the message.

Then he blacked out, until he was woken up with cold water thrown over his face.

That’s when the interrogations began.

“All this would end if you’d just tell us where it is.” The line was delivered with a punch to the gut, sending him stumbling back into the cell wall.

The chains scraped along the floor, his wrists similarly bound in heavy, old cuffs that cut into his skin. 

“You could’ve put a stop to this days ago. Days! Why don’t you give it up? We’ll set you free as soon as we have the answer we need.”

Frederick did not respond. A displeased boot connected with his chest. He stumbled again, this time hitting the ground. 

“That’s all it took, huh? A couple days of getting your ass beat and you stopped fighting back? At least try to take a swing at me like you did the first day!” The Plegian interrogator was enjoying this a lot more than he should. A dog, just like every other soldier who praised the Mad King.

“You needn’t be so hard on him.” 

Another voice came into the dungeon; though this one was far from inviting. 

“Lady Aversa-”

“He just needs to tell us where the Crest of Flames is, and we can be on our way. If he wants to tell us, he will. But I don’t think we can extract what we need with violence. At least, not against him.”

Frederick had an eye on the frightening woman, wary of her relaxed tone. It was far too calm.

“I think we’ve been patient enough with you, Lieutenant. If you’re not going to give us the answers we want, then we’ll find another way.”

“I…will never speak.” Frederick spat at her, despite the aching in his ribs. Aversa’s smile seemed to grow, unmoved by his vow.

“It was fairly clear that would be your answer. Very well, then. Shall we show him what we found today?”

His vision was bleary between the dark and the beatings. But he knew the sound of your voice.

“Unhand me- get off of me!”

No.

Frederick’s heart shot to his throat. He scrambled to his feet, grasping the bar of his cell with wide eyes. This wasn’t a trick. 

You were standing there, restrained and pushed forward by another interrogator. A wicked smile played on Aversa’s lips.

“Robin-!”

You froze when you heard him, looking into the cell. Your husband- beaten and bloody, bound and chained to a prison cell. 

“Frederick!!”

“Your tactician got caught up in a little skirmish with us last night. She fought awfully hard, but in the end even she couldn’t stand up against Plegia’s might. We plucked what we wanted from her puny squadron, and now, she’s here to tell us everything we need.”

“No- She doesn’t know anything!” Frederick’s voice was thick with panic. He clung to the bars, his eyes flickering between the blurry image of Aversa and his wife. “She cannot give you answers- let her go!”

“I find that hard to believe, considering she outranks you, Lieutenant.” Aversa sighed, walking up to you and taking your chin roughly, forcing you to look at her. “Besides, she’s far more valuable. The Mad King will be thrilled when we bring Chrom’s favored lap dog to him. She’ll be much more useful to us than you ever could be. But, of course, if you give us the information we need, we might consider letting her go…”

“Don’t say a word.” You spoke suddenly, your voice clear and firm. You weren’t begging - you were giving an order. “Stay silent! I’ll be-”

A fist collided with your jaw, pushing you into the Plegian behind you. Frederick launched forward and collided with the interrogator, a wave of adrenaline throwing new energy into him at the sight of his wife’s assault.

He wouldn’t be able to get another hit in- he was instead struck down, beaten back into his proper place by a very angry man.

“Try and come at me again- try it again!!” The man roared, his malignant laughter rattling your own bones. Frederick struggled to get a breath in- to even think clearly.

It hurt to watch.

“Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of our systems,” Aversa snapped her fingers, “Take her away. Get her under control. I’ll personally inform the king of our prize.”

It was all he could do to stay conscious, hearing the vague, distant sounds of his wife being dragged away. The thought of you suffering the same assaults that he had filled him with rage. 

But worse, was the knowledge that he couldn’t protect you.

Somehow, the Plegians got you, too. What was Chrom going to do? What was he going to do? What was happening to the Shepherds?

What happened, now?

-------------------------

Your escort into a small room was not comfortable, the welt on your face throbbing with every breath. The room was padlocked, an even smaller cell cutting through the middle of it. A lock was on that door, as well.

“As much as I’d love to break you in front of your husband, Lady Aversa ordered we keep you here. Don’t want you getting any cute ideas, after all.”

You did not respond, watching the man come around in front of you. He locked the door, a thick shift of metal ensuring you weren’t going anywhere. At least, not without his key. Then he shoved you, all but throwing you against the wall. He yanked your arms up, and locked your wrists to the fasteners bolted to the stone. Arms sufficiently hanging above your head, he moved down to your ankles.

And so your plan was put in action. 

His head was stuck down, close enough for you to thrust the steel toe of your boot directly into his face. He howled, trying to shoot back. You grabbed him with your legs, throwing him back into you and smashing your skull against his. 

He spat curses while you quickly cast an Arcfire, searing away the bolts fasteners and bringing your cuffed wrists back down from the wall. By the time he’d regained his eyesight, he realized you were charging at him, fully on your feet and freed from the primary restraints.

You were no longer locked in a room with the Plegian.

The Plegian was locked in a room with you.

A roundhouse smashed into his temple, sending him tumbling over. You threw your arms over him and flung yourself behind him, using the chain between your wrists to choke him out.

It was all he could do to struggle silently, trying to fight against the might of Ylisse’s tactician one-on-one. 

You could hear footsteps trudge by through the door, the laughter of unsuspecting enemies. If only the man could scream.

It took far longer than you wanted it to, the seconds agonizingly slow to tick by. But at last, the man slumped over, unresponsive in your grasp. You lowered the body quietly to the floor, and fished the keys from his belt. You were relieved to have the cuffs off, rubbing at your sore wrists before tucking the keys away.

Now, you needed to get to work. The door was quietly unlocked, and you started your brief wait. Every few minutes, someone would knock at the door or ask why it was so damn quiet. Upon realizing that the door was unlocked, they would throw it open and rush inside. 

You would come in behind them with a jagged knife of Thoron magic in your hand, the other clapped over the soldier’s mouth. It repeated four more times, the bodies dragged into the cell, before it finally quieted down.

The fort was small; that much you learned from Tharja’s limited knowledge. While it was secure, it relied on the treacherous mountains to keep away heavier numbers. The guards that were present were quite well trained, and the main purpose of such a hideout was for particularly important captives.

It would be quite a shame when the fort fell; but it would be so very satisfying when it crumbled by your hand.

You peered past the crack of the door, and found the corridor empty. It seemed like you were well on your way. You locked the door behind you and drew the hood over your head, heading back the way you came. So long as you could use the Plegian patterns on your coat to your advantage, it was as good a cover as any to get back to him.

It took longer to find your husband than you cared to admit, but all that mattered was you found your way back to the main prison. Naturally, you were locked out. You fumbled through four keys before you could enter. When the door finally gave, you pushed your way through and checked your surroundings. It seemed the majority of guards you tackled were what they left in the belly of the place. So long as you didn’t rouse suspicions, you could get out fast.

First things first; your husband.

“Frederick?” You called out to him, your voice a low whisper. A scrape of broken armor caught your attention, the third cell from the door. 

You were there.

“Frederick, I’m here. It’s me.” You closed the door behind you and hurried over to his cell. You came to your knees, touching the bars. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

Your poor knight was badly in need of help. You couldn’t see well in the darkness, but what you could see was the morbid glimmer of blood across his face and chest, his armor shattered and scattered about the stone floor. He was slumped over, barely breathing, and bruised. 

It made your very soul weep. 

With no time to grieve, you pushed to the door, unlocking the cell and rushing to his side. Carefully, you touched his face, trying to capture his attention.

“Hey…hey, Freddybear. Just hang on for a little while, okay?” You touched your hand to his chest, pressing your palm against it. His heartbeat was much too soft.

They really beat him senseless. It twisted your stomach in knots, and filled you with rage. But you couldn’t focus on that, now. 

The soft glow of a Heal spell seeped from your fingertips, slowly healing Frederick with the mana you had left. Arcfire and Thoron were demanding spells. But if you had enough to get him back on his feet, you could go from there.

For several minutes, there was little more than silence between you, and you watched anxiously for your husband’s face to change. Mercifully, his breathing began to deepen.

Then his hand weakly closed around your wrist. His eyes were still closed, but he knew it was you.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Your voice shook, the whisper barely pushing through a sob; you would not cry; not until he was home. “I don’t have a lot of mana left, so I can’t heal you completely- if I can get you back on your feet, we’ll be able to get you out of here.”

He squeezed your wrist. You swallowed thickly, continuing to press the magic to his chest.

“Just a little more. Conserve as much energy as you can; we’ve got Shepherds on the outside ready to get you home. It’s almost over.”

Your mana depleted, you carefully slipped your hand from his chest, checking him over for any injuries that would keep him from pushing forward. Slowly, the two of you worked his legs, to make sure they were usable. He was stiff, and without a doubt still in pain, but he could move them.

“The armor.” He finally spoke, his voice understandably cracked and hoarse. “We need to take it…take it off.”

“Of course.” You nodded and worked to pull away the fragments of armor that hadn’t been totally shattered. It was like removing the shell of a boiled egg; painstaking and not moving nearly fast enough.

Your gaze flicked to the door to the prison several times, as the armor finally came off. No one had come yet, but the sense of urgency still rang in your head. It was only a matter of time before someone realized half a dozen soldiers were missing. 

Frederick’s armor was finally gone. He was wholly accessible, how you preferred him. Taking his hands, you helped him to his feet and leaned him against you, wrapping your arm around his waist and taking on his weight. He could walk, but that was about it.

“What do we do now?” He asked you, his hand tight around your shoulder. 

“We’re getting you out of here.” You whispered, taking him to the corridor. The exit was not far, if you could reach it undetected. 

You quickly unlocked the door again, and the pair of you hobbled from the prison back down the corridor. It was hard enough to be stealthy, and this was no exception. When you heard footsteps, you ducked around a corner, pressing Frederick back and praying they would not sense the presence of your injured knight.

When they came in range, they were met with an elbow to the back of the head, smashing into their skull and sending them straight to the floor. 

You then dragged the body behind the corner and continued your rush to the exit; you were getting sloppier in your escape, but you were there. 

Naga showed you mercy; you were able to find the exit and all but threw yourselves out of the forsaken fortress. 

“Thank the gods-” You whispered, relief taking up much of the heavy weight on your shoulders (Frederick’s not included). “Let’s see…it’s the south-west end of the fort. Just like Tharja said. Which means that our help should be…”

You pulled Frederick along, careful to avoid detection as you descended further into the woods. The littered bodies of Plegian soldiers interrupted on their patrol was a good sign.

It wouldn’t be much longer before you were greeted by a breathless Chrom running towards the two of you, with Cordelia and Libra in tow.

“Robin! Frederick!!” Chrom’s whispers were barely that, but the joy on his expression was clear in the dim moonlight. “Oh my gods- you actually did it. And Frederick, oh…gods damn them, look what they did to you. They’ll pay for this.”

“But we should get him treatment, first.” Libra reminded him, “We will return to level the fortress another time; what matters is that everyone is out.”

Frederick, who had been of few words, was clearly exhausted by everything that had happened. Your medical treatment was meager, and it was clear he needed another round of it with some stronger staves. His vision was bleary,  but he could see your teary smile, relieved that you had brought him from that accursed place.

The last thing he remembered was Libra and Chrom helping him onto the back of Cordelia’s pegasus. Your whispered promise that you’d see him at camp.

And then, a comforting darkness.

-------------------------

Frederick was lethargic for days; which was largely preferred to him being fully awake while recovering from his injuries. They’d cracked nearly all of his ribs, and had fractured bones and torn muscles with the severity of the beatings.

His skin was more red and purple than anything else; and the paleness of what remained was an ashen white. It was horrifying to witness.

You tried to busy yourself while you waited for him to fully come to; visiting every break you had and holding his hand, hoping he’d wake up and give you a proper embrace. For the moments in between, you had requested the smithy prepare a full set of armor to replace the one he’d lost. A family heirloom was no small feat to replace, but you wanted him to have something to protect himself with.

Something, you hoped, that would protect him fully from any threats he might face (not that you planned to let anyone get so close to him ever again).

You were also careful to wash and mend his clothes, and took on all of his tasks about the camp until he was back on his feet.

It was when you were midway through a load of laundry that you received word. Donnel all but shouted at you that Frederick was finally awake, and he was asking for you.

The clothes were abandoned at the shoreline; a few articles may or may not have fallen into the river and carried away.

You swerved sharply around the corner and raced through the camp, hurrying to your husband’s side. Your heart was pounding, excitement rushing through you. At last- you were so close, you were so very close to falling into his arms again. 

There was the medical tent. With one last blast of energy you sprinted to it, all but ripping open the tent and bursting inside.

“I’m here!”

“Ah, Robin.” Libra smiled serenely at you, totally unfazed by the explosive announcement. All you could afford to spare was a grateful nod, and you started towards Frederick’s cot. “He asked for you the moment he woke up. Do be gentle, though.”

Somewhere in your mind his cautions registered, but it certainly wasn’t anywhere near the  front of your mind. You instead focused fully on your husband, pulling back the linen dividers that provided a fraction of privacy, and the last barrier between you and Frederick.

His eyes lifted as soon as it opened, your husband sitting up against the bedding. There was a long, almost heartbreaking pause, before the tears welled in your eyes. It mirrored Frederick’s expression as he held out his arm, beckoning you to him.

“Frederick…!!” Choked by a sob, you closed the distance, wrapping your arms around his neck and squeezing him as tightly as you could. The rough bandages rubbed against your fingers, having all but completely wrapped around his whole chest and shoulders. “Oh, Freddybear! You’re finally awake…”

His arms came around you, his hold nowhere near as strong as yours…but it was very clear he was not going to let go of you for anything.

"Were you...were you harmed, too?"

It sounded as though he were afraid of the question. Afraid of what the answer might bring. You shook your head, kissing his cheek.

"No. No, I'm okay. Any mark they left on me has long since healed. I'm more worried about you."

"I'm here now." He murmured, "I'm here because of you."

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up- I wanted to be right next to you.” You whispered, but Frederick shook his head, leaning into you. 

“There is nothing to apologize for. You are here. And you…you saved my life.” 

You sniffed loudly, the tears impossible to fight. You pulled back so you could look at him. The tears that blurred your vision made that wildly difficult, though. 

“Of course I did- you’re my h-husband. I wasn’t going to let a band of Plegians take you away from me!”

“I see that, now.” Frederick smiled softly, bringing a hand to your face and thumbing away the waterworks. You shook your head, pressing your cheek to his palm. “I should have known you had some sort of scheme prepared. But I must admit, when they brought you in, I thought…”

He trailed off, the fear that had consumed him for so long swallowing his words. You came back to him, hugging him closer as your hand threaded into his hair. 

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t think of a way to be convincing if I tried to tip you off. I wanted to break you out sooner…the shape you were in when I got to you…”

He shuddered. “They told me that they were doing the same to you. Every time that bastard struck me, he…laughed about how they were doing it to you. That they were doing worse. That it would all have s-stopped if I told them where the crest was.”

“All vile lies.” You sighed softly, stroking his hair. “No. I didn’t give them the opportunity to harm me. And I’m glad you didn’t comply. I can’t imagine how hard it was.”

It was really all that he could do to nod, pressing his face into your neck. It did soothe his heart, relieving him to know that you had not been harmed in the ways he had been tormented with. 

You were safe. And you saved him.

Frederick didn’t know what he had done to be blessed with such a woman as fearless and passionate as his Robin.

The simplest explanation was that you felt the exact same way about him; why wouldn’t you be together?

It would take a couple more days of observation before Frederick would be cleared for release. Naturally you were right there with him the whole time, leaving only to fetch food for the two of you or when Chrom required your presence elsewhere.

Said Exalt was more than relieved to see his two closest friends out of harm’s way, though that didn’t mean you escaped a good scolding for scaring that absolute soul out of the poor man.

Being able to hold your husband’s hand every day reminded you just how worth it your efforts were. Never again would such a fate befall either lieutenant nor tactician; you’d gladly protect that man with your life at every opportunity.