Tiki gently ran her hand through her jade - colored hair, thinking back to many years ago. Her mind wandered far, to the days when she traveled with the Akaneian League, or, as most knew it, Marth's Army. Shiida's free spirit, Xane's mischievous transformations, Cain and Abel and their friendly banter, Bantu singing her draconic lullabies under the starry skies… Marth's gentle and understanding leadership, his way of speaking that lead one to feel so at ease and calm, even with his princely presence. The way he used to reassure everyone after a long battle, with a soothing voice, cool like water as blue as his hair.

The wistful Manakete didn't hear the sounds of the door opening, but she felt his presence enter the room. She didn't entirely see him, and when she finally did, it was through the lens of her memories. She didn't see Ylisse's master tactician, but Altea's hero-king. She just smiled at him, as her imagination continued to wander.

"Er… Tiki? Can I help you? You've been staring at me for quite some time." Robin asked, breaking her from her reverie.

"I'm sorry, Robin. Was I bothering you?" Tiki asked politely.

"Actually, I was worried something was bothering you." Robin replied.

"Well, it's just that you remind me of someone that I used to know." Tiki explained.

Robin tilted his head, "Oh?"

"Specifically, a man named Marth. Many ages past, this was. He was wise, calm, and fair, but possessing an inner strength as resilient as steel." Tiki almost slipped into remembrance again, but controlled herself.

"The hero-king Marth?" Robin remarked.

"That very same one. So that is why I gazed upon you with such nostalgia and… longing." Tiki managed, only barely, to compose herself. What am I saying? She barely kept the blush from rising to her face. Diversion, diversion…

"Er, sorry, but did you say-"

"Still, it was rude of me to stare. I apologize." Nailed it.

"Oh, no worries. It's exciting to know I resemble one so storied!" Robin smiled.

From then on, Tiki noticed Robin calling on her more frequently for battles. At first she just thought that Robin had determined their strengths were complementary, with Tiki's breath powers adding to his magic and swordsmanship. It wasn't long before they unseated the mighty Walhart with Chrom and returned to Ylisse. For a short time, Tiki and Robin whittled away their time with minor diversions, training, conversations about days long gone.

Tiki had begun to notice some strange behaviors from Robin, however. His fighting skills were, of course, incredible, but she noticed that the closer she and Robin got, the more… flashy, his style was. It retained its calculated precision, but there were more flourishes, more technical moves, and more swift parries to keep the enemies at bay. His changes were not limited to combat, though. He had begun to stand closer next to her when they walked side by side (Which was often. Robin was one of the few people she was comfortable with.) When she met his eyes, he seemed to almost panic for a moment before recovering. When she was in a crowd, even if her hair and ornament were covered, he would be able to pick her out within seconds. She wanted to ask him about it, but she didn't know how.

Soon after, though, Tiki began to notice things about herself. A slight thrill whenever Robin stood close by. Her own moment of panic when making eye contact. Hiding her hair in crowds with the express purpose of waiting for Robin to find her anyways, and the pleasure of being found. However, before Tiki could say a word, the next major battle occurred.

Tiki stood by in a small chamber, Robin at her side. They had attempted to negotiate for Plegia's gemstone, in hopes that they would give it peacefully so that the Fire Emblem could be completed. This did not happen. "There are many enemies here… on the floors beneath us, lying in wait just outside... What are we to do?"

Robin didn't hesitate. "We must cut a path through as quickly as possible. Gaius, these chests might contain useful items. Take Virion and Ricken and get as much as you can. There are Dark Mages with long ranged magic standing guard, take them down. Anna, you get some as well, it will speed along the process. Take Sully with you. Chrom, Olivia, you two will come with Tiki and myself to defeat as many of them as possible. We'll also take Donnel, Lissa, Lucina, and Cynthia. Cynthia, you'll have to be careful, archers could spring out at any moment. Does everyone understand?"

The army gave a nod of agreement in unison. Robin smiled, "Don't worry. I'll get us all out of here safe."

With that, they went to complete their assignments. With a blade as swift as his hands, Gaius took down enemies silently before reaching the chests and opening them with mastery and deftness. Virion took down many mages, simply by standing just within attack range and waiting for them all to come in, thinking he would be an easy kill. He let fly arrows at such a rate that it made Tiki's head spin. Ricken chanted incantations and formed intense magic circles, downing foes with razor-edged wind. Anna used her stealthy skills and powerful Levin Sword to end enemies at ranges both near and far. Sully's lance was like death itself, bringing down anything in its path. With their twin blades, Olivia and Chrom fought like wind and thunder, an unstoppable force of nature and pure love. Lissa and Donnel's youthful instinct and sheer luck allowed them to leap headlong into enemies and come out unscathed- not to mention, anything touching Lissa would have Donnel's sword or axe to answer to, depending on how merciful the farmer was feeling. Lucina and Cynthia, the serious princess and the jovial Pegasus Knight, fought effectively as well, bringing foe after foe crashing to their knees.

Tiki, however, was having a hard time focusing. Her axe was cumbersome, her Gryphon was being ornery- Tiki understood, she had only been riding it for a short time- and the Plegian heat was getting to her. Most of all, though, was her close proximity to Robin. He'd often had to step in to protect her, getting quite close in the process. In turn, this made her further lose focus, which meant he had to protect her, which meant she got more flustered… it was a huge vicious cycle.

The final challenge to present itself was the enemy commander, a burly man with a strangely shaped axe. With a Thoron tome, Robin engaged him. The commander survived, and Tiki watched in horror as the man gave a loud cackle and hefted the axe into the air. The atmosphere became ozone, and a magic circle formed up above Robin. If this move struck, it would deal a critical hit. Robin would die.

I won't allow it! Suddenly, Tiki's own axe was light as a feather. She lifted up the steel weapon, flying just in front of Robin. The bolt came down, striking the metal face and deflecting… directly back at the Commander. The man was fried by his own bolt, and he crumpled.

"Tiki…" Robin looked up at her.

Tiki dropped the axe and leapt off of her Gryphon, not meeting his gaze.

"Thank you, Tiki. I don't know what I would do without you." Robin embraced the divine dragon.

Tiki blushed heavily and buried her face in his robes, "I'm sorry… I fought like a bumbling idiot out there…"

Robin smiled, "No, you did well. You saved my life, at the end." They stayed in that embrace for some time, not realizing that Olivia and Chrom were smiling at them knowingly. To the Dragon and the Tactician, the world was contained in the small space encircled by their arms, an enclave of warmth and relief in a dark world full of frigid spite.

Later on that night, Tiki and Robin were sitting together in the barracks, in a charged silence. Both knew what they wanted to say, but the problem was how to say it.

Tiki cleared her throat, "Robin."

Robin looked at her and cracked a smile, "No Mar-Mar today, then?"

"I much prefer Robin, don't you?" Tiki looked at him.

"Yes, of course I do. It's just that...well... I have no family here, nor even memories of a family. When you called me by a nickname, the truth is, I rather liked it. Even if it was someone else's nickname." Robin explained.

Tiki smiled, "I understand, and I considered it, but… there is only one Mar-Mar, and he is King Marth of ages past."

Robin looked slightly downtrodden, but he put on a smile, "Yes, well. Fair enough, I suppose. I'm hardly qualified to fill his shoes."

Tiki steeled herself, "And there is another reason I cannot call you by that name…"

Robin looked blankly, as if prepared for the worst, "And that is?"

Tiki's eyes drifted down to her hands, "Because you too are a singular, and very special man to me." In a sudden burst of determination, she met his gaze, "You are the man with whom I've… fallen in love."

Robin looked flabbergasted, "T-Tiki?!"

Tiki twiddled her thumbs, "And that is why you must be Robin."

Robin blushed and scratched his head, "Phew, that's a relief. I thought you were going to say there was someone else I resembled."

Tiki laughed, "Hah, don't be absurd."

Robin stood up and looked the Manakete into her viridian eyes, "Truth is, I'd been hoping against hope that we could be together, but I feared that it was impossible."

Tiki tilted her head, standing as well, "Why is that?"

Robin looked down, "Well… you've lived for ages, walked by the sides of the great legends, fought alongside King Marth himself! How could I ever measure up to that?" He looked down at the tome in his hands, "I felt I had to make myself stronger, greater, or else you couldn't help but find me lacking in comparison."

Tiki took his hands, "Oh, Robin…"

He met her eyes once again, "are my fears truly groundless? Can I allow myself to love you?"

Tiki threw herself into his arms, "Of course, Robin!"

Robin smiled, lifting the little divine dragon up off her feet, "Then the two of us together will build a new world of peace."

Tiki smiled, "Oh Robin, that's exactly what I want as well!"

Her heart fluttered and only one thought crossed her mind.

I know that to love another, I must watch the world move past him. But such short years are what make an eternity worth living…