Gaius' shirt smelled like cinnamon and candy. The sweet aroma brushed against Robin's nose as she inhaled the scent from his sleeve and collar. The shirt was too large on Robin, it fell just above her knees, like a small dress. She realized then how much shorter she was compared to the thief.

She brushed her fingers along the side of Gauis' face, sleeping soundly in his bedroll beside her. His nose twitched at her touch and she smiled to herself, moving her fingers to brush in his short orange hair. Suddenly his hand grabbed hers and she started, looking down into his amused eyes. "What are you doing?"

"What? I can't admire your hair?"

He smirked and pulled her down into him to kiss her. She accepted the feel of his lips, hands moving to his shoulders as his own cupped her face. He pulled away and she pressed her forehead to his. His gaze was soft and she warmed under it. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What? I can't admire you now?" She giggled at his joke and he scooped up for another kiss, sending her thoughts scattering. Soon she was pressed against the bedroll again, Gauis' hands on her sides, trailing down... She pushed him away lightly. He fell back easily, giving her a searching look. "What is it?"

"Chrom sent us out on a mission, remember? It's not prudent to be holed up in our tent. He wants us back in two days time and we've got nothing to show for it."

Gauis laughed, grabbing for her hips and tugging her close again. "Blue's got a good head. He'll understand. Besides," He nuzzled his nose against her hair, "I just got you. I want to spend as much time together as possible right now."

"Gauis..."

He pulled away with a sigh. "Alright, alright, I got it. Work first, play later." He got to his feet, running his hands through his hair before he outstretched one to Robin. She grasped it and he helped her up. She rubbed his arm to tell him she appreciated his understanding and he, in turn, ruffled her hair with a lethargic grin. He then poked her shoulder. "I'm gonna need my shirt back, though."

She blushed and forcibly turned him around. He laughed. "What? I've already seen you na-"

"Shush!" She hit him upside the head, throwing off his shirt and chucking it at his back before she grabbed her own shirt and cloak.

The next few hours consisted of hiking and scouting. Robin had no idea where the other children could possibly be. Lucina had described a few faces. She mentioned that they may find a boy with light blue hair and glasses, as well as a man with green-hair and a wyvern. It wasn't a shock to Robin who his parents could be. However, the conversation had been only amongst Robin, Chrom, Gauis, Frederick and Lucina so his potential parents still had no idea they had a son out in the world. Lucina also, to Chrom's chagrin, that she indeed had a younger sibling. The look on Chrom's face had Robin quietly laughing. She said he was pretty identifiable, with the blue hair and a scar across his face. Then there was the mention of a small, brown-haired girl, a manakete, most likely Nowi and Ricken's daughter. Lucina also warned they might find a belligerent sandy-haired girl with red eyes, as well as a shy, blonde archer. Then the possibility of another taguel. Robin hoped they would at least find one of the missing children today, or be on the path to finding them.

The air was beginning to chill, gusts of sudden wind flapping at Robin's cloak and hood. Gauis, trudging alongside her, drew his cape tighter against his side. "Crazy weather." He muttered and Robin shot him a look. "Feels like we're in Ferox again."

"Don't be silly. We couldn't have moved that far already."

"Dunno, Bubbles. You explain the shift in weather."

Gauis was right. They had been traveling recently in Plegian soil. The arid landscape of Plegian was home to desert climate and humidity, not fierce gails and winter snows. Though it had yet to snow, the signs of overcast were clear in the sky.

Robin bit her lip irritably. Should they move on and continue into Ferox? It wasn't like they had anything to fear. Flavia and Basilio were on their side, not to mention they would, most definitely, open their arms to Chrom's tactician. Seeing as they were soon to be headed to Feroxian ports anyway, for their visit to Valm, popping in on the reigning Khan now wouldn't cause much concern. They still had, at least, two days time, a little longer wouldn't hurt, especially if they could locate any of Lucina's companions.

"We keep going." Robin concluded, quickening her pace. Gauis shot her an incredulous look.

"You serious?"

"Deadly." He groaned but allowed her to lead the way through the cooling temperatures, muttering about how he'd forgotten to pack extra blankets and candy that wouldn't freeze solid.

The trek was slow going, especially in the rapidly declining temperature. Robin's fingers began to freeze and she clutches her cloak tighter in an effort to keep the cold air from whisking at her thin frame. An arm wrapped around her shoulders and she started at the sudden contact, looking up into Gauis' rosy cheeked face. His nose was as red as an apple, cheeks swollen from the cold, and yet he managed to give Robin a smile before he turned his face into the crook of his shoulder to stifle a sneeze.

"Gaius..." Robin clutched his hand and noticed how cold it was. She glanced furtively back up at him, shocked. "Gauis, are you okay?"

"F-fine." He answered. "Just fine."

"You're freezing."

"Not really." He lied and Robin growled, stopping in place to grasp his frozen fingers in her own.

"They're frozen solid."

He remained quiet a moment before he let out a huff of his own. "I've lived in many a place but the cold was never my ally." Robin touched the clothes that were meant to protect his slender form from the weather. She let out a shocked hiss as she realized the fabric was so thin she could have broken a hole through it with her nail.

"We can't have you traveling in this weather. Next village we spot we're stopping."

"That's not neccessary-"

"Gauis." She glared at him. "Just do what I say."

It wasn't long before they found a small village. The buildings were relatively small but well-maintained, evidence of a caring lord. The first building they found, to their immense luck, was an inn. Immediately Robin ushered Gauis inside, secured a room, and forced him inside to warm himself up.

"Stay here until you can function properly again."

"I'm fine." Gauis huffed, rubbing his hands together but he gravitated casually to the nearest bed. He sat down and sighed, his breath coming out in huffs as though he were using his own breath to warm up his body. Worried, Robin approached him, hand resting on his shoulder and moving down to his arms, rubbing them in an effort to warm him up. Gauis sighed, seemingly enjoying the rise in body heat. Robin sent him a gentle smile but it quickly changed to one of surprise when she was yanked down into Gauis' lap.

"Gauis-!" His lips cut her off and she felt his fingers clutching at her waist and drawing up her sides. She hadn't realized how passionate Gauis could be. Sure he was passionate about candy but romance? Robin had been astounded by how quickly Gauis had come to pull her against him, keep her close, or kiss her whenever possible. Maybe he was making up for lost time? All those supposed days of waiting to admit his feelings, maybe he'd been starved for her. The joke made her laugh and Gauis pulled away to study her expression tenderly.

"What?"

"Nothing." She giggled and Gauis brushed a lock of hair behind her ear before leaning forwards and kissing along her jaw, down her throat and stopping at her collar. She jerked when she felt a warm touch there, his tongue, and he smirked against her skin, doing it again and she made sure to pinch his ribs in retaliation. His hands curled around her sides, hugging her to him as he broke away to rest his cheek against her shoulder, warm breath brushing against her neck.

"I don't need clothes. I just need you to keep me warm."

She blushed but jabbed him in the ribs playfully to hide her embarrassment. "Sweet talker. Don't think you can get away with it." She moved to disentangle herself and Gauis groaned, keeping his grip firm around her.

"Don't go," he breathed, "sleep with me."

The implication and the bluntness of his statement had Robin's cheeks and ears on fire. She jabbed him hard this time, reveling in the surprised grunt she received for her action.

"You're so...terrible." She hissed and felt him laughing against her skin before his lips were sending her mind into a fog again. Before long he had her underneath him on their bed.

"Ugh." She groaned, hands in his hair and his lips on her neck. "I really should be getting supplies-"

"In the morning." Gauis huffed and caused her to yelp when he bit her collarbone. He laughed at her reaction before hands moved to unclothing her. Robin finally relaxed against Gauis' touch. Fine. She'd go in the morning.

When faint light cascaded into their room, Robin made her way out of the inn. She pulled her cloak over her head in an effort to block out the cold, and keep herself hidden. She wandered the streets, looking for stalls or a market square, a place where she could buy supplies, and a few extra clothes for Gaius. It wasn't long before she found a familiar shop with a familiar red-headed woman. The wide smile was a definite reminder of the red-headed merchant who had joined up with their campaign two years ago. This was her sister, also named Anna, and Robin sent her a small smile in response.

She browsed the wares, making sure to find only the cheapest items, knowing full well how the Annas worked, and their insatiable lust of money. She brushed the fabrics of shirts and pants, fingering the leather pockets and sleeves with a bite of her lip. At that moment, a boy ran in, caped and hooded in dark brown, dashed through Anna's wares and dived underneath the nearest clothing rack. Anna opened her mouth to bark at the scoundrel when the sound of approaching feet stopped her and alerted Robin to a group of men approaching. Soon, three burly knights appeared, clothed in red armor, the same red armor Robin had seen that day at the pier, that armor that marked knights of Valm. Robin clutched her hood tighter over her head. She didn't know for sure if these men would recognize her, but she couldn't take the chances. Walhart must know by now of Chrom's resistance, and of the Shepherds' faces.

"Halt. Woman." One of the knights accosted Anna, who's face had smoothed into one of her signature smiles, "Did a small boy run through here?"

She smiled and began to inspect her nails. "Well, I can't quite recall. Maybe a little mullah will make me remember."

Another knight spit, flashing his teeth. "Che-ignorant cur. Do you know who we are?"

Anna, cool as could be, flexed her hand back and forth as though she hadn't a care in the world. "Frankly I don't care. Fork over the cash and I'll tell you."

The last knight sent his buddies a skeptical look. "Forget her. He's probably long gone by now."

"Feh, fine." The clanking of their armor dissipated into the distance as they strode away.

"Too bad." Anna pouted.

The boy poked his head out from underneath the clothing racks. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, kid. You owe me for saving you." Anna said, flashing him a brilliant smile. The boy gave Anna a blank look and Robin, sighing, forked over a few coins to the starving merchant.

"There. That should cover it, I suppose."

"Thank you for your business!" Anna smiled and began to count the gold now in her palm. The boy, hood still billowing against his head, clutched desperately to Robin's pants leg.

"Thank you! I don't know how to repay you."

"It's okay. I don't need repayment. Do you know why they were chasing you?"

The boy shook his head, "I...I don't know. I can't-" He paused and then his hands began tangling in her pants leg, pulling her down into a crouch so she was eye-level with the boy. Robin, surprised, stared directly into a young face with brown eyes.

"Your voice sounds familiar! Could you be-?" He clutched at his head with a pained look, drawing away from Robin's side. "I-I don't know... I'm sorry. I'm looking for someone. I-I have to go." And before Robin could respond, the boy was gone in a swish of brown cloak.

"Strange kid." Robin murmured, glancing down as she noticed lying in the dirt. A tome, probably the boy's, could he have been a mage? Robin picked it up, but upon seeing it, realized it was not a tome but instead an old book, the title had been sketched out by years of wear and tear. Robin picked it up. Better to take it then leave it sitting in the mud. Perhaps she'll see the boy again. Robin glanced down at the last of her money and frowned, she would only have enough to buy provisions and maybe a new shirt for Gauis. Everything else she would need to save for later on their mission. With a sigh, she headed back to looking around a different stalls.

She turned a corner down the street when a hand grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her hard, so hard she toppled over into them and found herself surrounded by the three nights from earlier.

"You're that woman in the merchant's place!" One of them snarled.

The one holding her wrist sneered, "We saw you with the boy. Where is he headed?"

"I don't know."

"Lying, cur!" A slap resounded loudly and a stinging sensation burned her cheek. Robin refused to make noise, however, and gritted her teeth, tasting blood on the inside of her mouth.

"You're coming with us, girl." They dragged Robin against her will, pulling her with them out of the small village to, who knows where. Robin wasn't sure for they knocked her upside the head once they were away from prying eyes outside of the village, effectively leaving her unconscious.

Sorry for the short, and late chapter D:Updates will be slow too, my life has gotten a lot busier. However, rest assured, I will continue this story 3

And thank you all who reviewed and read! It means a lot 3 Thank you!