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Semper Amor

Chapter Three: The Tactician and the Knight

“My heart is yours, milady. I vow to defend you as knight and husband until death should part us.” -Frederick

Robin possessed mixed feelings about Frederick from the start. On one hand, she had to admire his almost single-minded devotion toward protecting Chrom and Lissa. After all, their task was immense, and Naga knew that they would need a powerful, dependable ally to stand by them until the end.

But then again, Frederick had always treated her with so much suspicion. It wasn't for a good long while that he truly came to trust her as an ally, let alone a friend. Robin knew, of course, that it was quite justified; as far as he and the others knew, she actually could have been a Plegian spy. Even she couldn't safely refute the possibility without her memories, and as far as she knew, that was mostly just bad luck. And when he did finally open up to her, Robin found that Frederick was a wonderfully caring, if straight-laced man.

No matter how frustrating he may have been.

--------

There was an impressive thirty minutes between Robin waking up and Robin discovering the poster. In her defense, she'd been up half the night perusing texts, but it was the kind of thing that you usually notice straight away. Looking back, she was amazed it took her so long to see it... although she deeply wished that she hadn't.

Of course, she cared about Chrom, as both an ally and a friend... but that she didn't mean that she wanted to see him naked!

She stared at the poster, flabbergasted, as she felt her face become increasingly flushed. Who... who put this in her tent? Could it have been Chrom? Was he simply joking? Or was he trying to seduce her? He never struck as the type to do either, but...

Operating on autopilot, Robin rushed out of her tent, poster in hand, but just outside she encountered-

“Hello, Robin,” Frederick greeted the tactician formally. He'd yet to warm up to her just yet, so their encounters to this point were kept to a minimum, which suited Robin just fine. “Ah, I see you have found my poster. What are your thoughts?”

Robin was still too deep in shock to process what Frederick had just spoken. So she just stared at the knight, slack-jawed. Just as Frederick turned to leave, Robin finally rediscovered her voice.

“Y...your poster?!”

Frederick nodded. “Indeed. I had them drawn up to raise morale. Each and every tent has one.”

“... And, ah... did Chrom ask you to do this?”

“Of course not. A surprise is only a surprise if it's unknown, after all. Good day, then.” Frederick nodded slightly and strode off.

Robin stared at Frederick's retreating form, then sighed in relief. So it wasn't a matter of jokes or seduction, simply misplaced zeal on someone else's part. Robin was more than happy to accept that. At least now there would be no strange feelings between Chrom and...

Did Frederick say every tent had a similar poster?

Robin pondered the thought. A good part of her feared backlash from the troops toward Chrom... and yet, she kind of wanted to see exactly what would happen.

She rushed off. If nothing else, this would certainly be an eventful day.

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“Alright then. This exercise is for your arms and shoulders. The count is four hundred.”

“Four hundred?!” Robin shouted from her prone position on the ground.

“Yes, four hundred,” Frederick nodded sternly. “It won't do to have your arms give out in the middle of a fight. Without your arms, you'll be weaponless. A helpless target. Take all the time you need, but don't slack off, understand?”

Robin opened her mouth to protest, but she knew straight away that it would be fruitless, so instead she sighed. “Of course.”

“Excellent. Now begin!”

Robin reluctantly raised herself off of the ground using her arms and groaned as she felt her forearms burn. After reaching an acceptable height she dropped back to the ground, still supporting herself.

One down.

Gritting her teeth, Robin lifted herself once more, trying in vain to ignore the continuing pain.

Two.

Robin groaned. Two down... Three hundred ninety-eight more to go.

And from that day forth, Robin learned to dread the words 'Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour.'

--------

“... You want me to help you... eat bear?” Robin tilted her head quizzically. When Frederick had strode into her tent to cash in his favor, she'd been expecting to spar with him, or help him around the barracks. She hadn't been expecting this.

“Indeed,” Frederick nodded grimly. “I've rarely been able to choke down wild game. But as the war grows harsher, I can no longer afford to be picky. Best I train to overcome my aversion now, when our situation is not so dire.”

Robin thought about all of that. Frederick had a point – wartime was hardly a time to hold out over mere comforts. But why would Frederick ask her, of all people? They still weren't exactly friends (although their relationship was improving), and there were others that he'd known for much longer. So why would he come to her? She was just about to ask when Frederick started speaking again.

“Robin... I know it's strange that I would come to you for such advice,” Frederick started, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable. “However, I do not wish to bother milord with such trifling matters, and I'm afraid I cannot trust anyone else to aid me without... well, casting judgment upon me, even in silence. This is a matter I can only trust you with.” Frederick looked away, obviously embarrassed.

Robin, for her part, was stunned silent by Frederick's words. She'd only known him to be a no-nonsense kind of man, one who did what he was told and didn't take guff from anyone. The idea that he would show vulnerability to anyone, much less someone he barely knew, was... unexpected. Not unwelcome, but unexpected.

And so Robin did decide to assist Frederick in his task. It was partly out of gratitude for the way he'd trusted her, but also because she genuinely wished to become closer to him as both an ally and a friend, the way Robin had been growing closer to the other Shepherds over the past weeks since her arrival.

Robin grinned. “All right, then, you're on. Let's get you eating some bear!”

Of course, it got all mucked up when Frederick accidentally insulted her and she fed him bear meat to get even, but it was a nice moment while it lasted.

--------

Walking around the barracks, Robin had realized quickly, was a wonderful way to catch up on the news. She enjoyed strolling in and out of the tents and chatting up the other Shepherds, who were almost always willing to partake in spreading information, be it real or mere gossip. Of course, it helped that she was well-known and trusted throughout the army.

Robin couldn't help but notice that recently she'd been hearing a lot about Frederick nowadays. Apparently, nearly everyone had been interacting with him as of late. Sully had told Robin about how Frederick had been sparring with her a lot lately during a heart-pumping sparring session that turned a lot more heart-pumping when Sully let her aggression take over for a while. Robin knew she'd be aching from that fight for quite some time.

Sumia had regaled Robin with stories of how Frederick had helped her out when she'd been having some bad days, how he'd lifted her spirits when she'd messed up and picked all the flowers instead of all the weeds (Robin still couldn't wrap her head around that one), and how she'd helped him coax a horse back into its paddock... that she'd accidentally left unlatched.

Even Panne, the cool loner of a taguel, spoke of how she and Frederick would meet every night. Robin was suspicious, naturally, until Panne revealed that Frederick was merely trying to overcome a crippling phobia – Panne herself. Robin found this greatly amusing, and laughed so hard she fell off of her chair. Panne, uncharacteristically, smiled at that, albeit just a little.

There were many other stories like such, and Robin couldn't help but wonder how Frederick managed to pull it all off. There was only so much time in the day, after all. How could someone who worked so much find time to even sleep? It was confounding.

And deep down, Robin had to admit that wouldn't have minded having Frederick's work ethic.

--------

“Do I, er, want to know?”

It had been a pleasant morning, and Robin had been minding her own business as usual when Frederick had come out of nowhere and started dusting everything in her tent... and then started dusting her. As peculiar as it was, Robin help but feel deep down that it was actually surprisingly pleasant. Not that she'd want it to be a regular occurrence, but for the time being...

The question itself had been aimed at Chrom, who'd rushed in just behind the knight and was staring awkwardly at the whole scene. A few minutes passed by without an answer, and so Robin asked once more.

“Do I want to know, Chrom?”

Chrom was silent for a while longer, then answered. “I... think not.”

--------

Robin stared intently at the piece of parchment lying on her desk before her, occasionally jotting down a word or two. Gods, how long had it been since she'd begun? An hour? More? Time sure could pass quickly.

And even more aggravating, she still wasn't finished. She was thinking as hard as she could, but something was getting in the way, and she couldn't work through the blank. When she'd sat down and gotten to work she figured it would have been easy, and yet this was turning into one of her most troublesome tasks.

Maybe she needed a break... ten more minutes, she decided.

Taking a few deep breaths, Robin emptied her mind of as many distractions as she could. It had to be in there somewhere. It couldn't just be satisfactory, or good, or even great. It had to be perfect. Nothing else would do. She created possibilities, turned them around again and again, clashed them together over and over again.

Until...

It struck her like a hammer. It was perfect. Exactly what she'd been looking for. Without missing a beat she jotted it down, then held the parchment up in pride.

It was the perfect nickname.

Freddy-Bear

--------

“Alright, then. We'll start with chicken, then pork, then beef,” Robin instructed, handing three strips of meat out to Frederick, each a differing shade of brown. Frederick took each one and swallowed them individually with no fuss. “Excellent, so far,” the knight nodded.

“It starts to get a little tricky here. Next is mutton,” Robin warned Frederick as she held out a slightly gamier piece of meat, and Frederick took it and began to chew. He could feel himself grimacing, but fought hard to suppress it. He'd asked for this, after all. He could never back down now.

“...Manageable,” Frederick replied, swallowing the lamb's meat with some distaste.

Slowly Robin's smile morphed into a grin far too large for an unsuspicious person to bear. “Great! Okay, this one's venison.”

Frederick took the meat and began to chew, but Robin wasn't finished. “...By which I mean bear.”

The knight's eyes bugged out comically as he spat out the meat he so despised, and then keeled over and gagged loudly. By this point Robin was laughing quite hysterically, tears of mirth welling up in her eyes. It couldn't have gone more perfectly.

--------

“Four hundred!”

It was only two words, but they were the most beautiful words Robin had ever heard. They may as well have come from the mouth of an angel.

Her arms were on fire, her legs felt like falling off, and her heart was beating so hard she could feel it against her chest. But she'd done it.

Ignoring the pain, she stood up, breathing heavily with her hands on her knees. A tall shadow moved over her, and as she looked up she saw none other than Frederick, wearing a face of undistilled pride.

“Excellent work, Robin,” the knight spoke, showing a genuine smile. Robin felt a wonderful, warm feeling of accomplishment fill her body and drown out her pain. Standing up straight at last, she walked proudly off of the training field. It had taken untold months, but she had finally done it.

She had conquered Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour.

--------

“...May I... come in?”

She received no answer, and against her better judgment Robin chose to open the flaps of the tent just a little. As she thought, Frederick was there, sitting at his desk. His eyes were closed in sadness, and the look of melancholy on his face made Robin want to shatter. But she held together; she needed to be strong.

...But still, it was just so hard.

“...Why are you here?” Frederick spoke suddenly, not opening his eyes.

“I just... I wanted to see if you... needed somebody.”

Frederick heaved a deep sigh and at last opened his eyes. Robin's heart ached at the silent despair shining within them, and she could even feel tears well up in her eyes. But she did not cry, nor would she. She needed to be strong. Emmeryn would have wanted her to be strong.

“You concern is... greatly appreciated,” Frederick replied quietly. With that, Robin stepped into Frederick's tent. It was quite clean and organized, she couldn't help but note, but that was of little importance at the moment. Slowly she made her way over to Frederick's desk, where the knight sat. His posture was straight and proper as always, but Robin could see his shoulders drooping, just a little. Kneeling down opposite Frederick, she held the knight's hand within her own. Frederick looked at her in surprise, but made no motion to stop her.

They stayed that way for quite a while. Neither one of them spoke, not once. They didn't want to ruin the moment. So they just gazed sadly into each other's eyes. The world could have fallen to pieces outside the tent and they wouldn't have noticed.

At last, Robin broke her hold and stood back up. As much as she wished she could stay, she wanted to check on the others as well. Emmeryn's death had shaken everyone, and Robin wanted more than anything to see with her own eyes that everybody, in time, would be alright. She opened the tent's entrance flap to leave...

“Thank you, Robin.”

It was quickly uttered, as though Frederick had felt it had to be spoken at that moment and no later. And although Robin did not turn to meet Frederick's eye, she did pause, just for a second, to take in his gratitude.

And she herself was grateful as well.

--------

“Er, you look a bit... pale. Do you feel alright?” Robin inquired worriedly. As happy as she'd been that Frederick had finally eaten bear meat, she didn't want him to sick because of it.

Frederick inhaled deeply in an attempt to settle his stomach, and to his delight it did so. “I'll be fine,” the knight answered, beaming with a smile greater than any Robin had ever seen him don before. “Better than fine, actually. I stand in your debt, Robin.”

Robin laughed. “Glad to be of service. You do have to be in prime shape to protect the rest of us.”

At that, Frederick chuckled slightly before looking down at the ground with a look of uncertainty that Robin couldn't help but find perplexing. “Robin, I must tell you. Last night I made a promise with myself,” Frederick began slowly and deliberately. Robin hung on every word, unsure of his intentions. “I swore that if I could keep the bear meat down, as I have, then I would offer you...” Frederick swooped down to one knee and produced a ring box from his pocket. “...this.”

Looking at the brilliant yellow gem within the perfect silver ring made Robin's heart skip. “A... a ring? But why?”

“I would like you to be my wife,” Frederick answered in complete sincerity.

Robin's heart melted at those words. “What?! Oh Gods, Frederick, I never saw this coming! Why now?”

“I been thinking, Robin, about what would happen if I were to overcome my weakness. “We would have no more reason to be together,” Frederick replied, wincing as though the very thought of the concept was painful to him. “Yet I cannot bear the thought of leaving your side, Robin. Not after you've stood by me for so long. I had no choice but to propose.”

Robin's eyes filled with tears, but this time she made no attempt to stem their flow. “...I'm glad, Frederick. I'm so, so glad. Of course I'll marry you.”

“Milady, you do me a great honor!” Frederick cried in joy as he stood and took his new fiancee into his arms. “You will not regret it, I swear to you!”

And Robin knew, in her heart of hearts, that Frederick would make good on that oath. She'd been privy to many sides of the knight over the past months. Some were desirable, some not so much. But Robin had seen enough to know that if Frederick truly desired to protect her, then he would gladly give his life to do so... although she prayed it would never come to that.

No, Robin would never regret it. Because the moments she spent with Frederick would always be that which she cherished the most.