Notes: I still find it hilarious mounted units can fight indoors, don't know about you.
Stats: 1000 words for PherosRobin. The lady has no character option in FFnet just yet, I will keep mailing support...
The truth was: they had been extremely ruthless since the conflict with Valm had started. Being outmatched by their enemy, they had been cornered into choosing the most sadistic options just to have the chance to fight another day, their advance ridiculously small in comparison to what they had achieved back in Plegia two years ago.
Robin didn't like that. He was starting to feel like a failure of a tactician all over again, Emmeryn's death still heavy in his heart. There had to be another way to lessen Walhart's threatening influence through the land...
The attack on Fort Steiger was merely a risky experiment. The others probably couldn't see it, but it was illogical to think a single point would be the center of the whole Valmese operation, and capturing this place would most likely get them nothing but exhausted troops, at best. Yet they were going to try anyways, full of optimism and hope.
Paired with Chrom, they advanced through the fort, the mightiest among the Shepherds and nearly unstoppable. The others had instructions to fight off anyone who attacked them, to get to the very last corner of the fort and ensure they were safe, but the two of them? They were going straight for Pheros, the woman famed for being the conqueror's most loyal underling.
She greeted them with fire brought forth by the tome in her hands. "That was hot, wasn't it?" Robin joked at his best friend as they hid behind a column.
"That's the worst thing you have said since we got to Valm," Chrom told him with a stern voice and a little smirk. "You're finally back to your confident old self, that's certainly reassuring."
"Don't you dare hiding from me!" Pheros called them. "Die like the men you are, don't turn tail like chickens!"
The tactician whistled lowly. "I feel feathers sprouting all over my arms..."
"We can beat her if we fight together," the Ylissean king assured him. "Let's get moving!"
Robin followed Chrom back into Pheros's line of sight, and they had to avoid another magic hit immediately; Walhart's general had great reflexes, he thought as he smelled singed hair and clothes. They hadn't been set on fire, but she had almost caught them.
"I won't miss again!"
"Please do," the tactician muttered as they tried to close the distance to strike her, having to jump or push each other out of the way of all those flames. They were never going to make it this way... "Chrom, you follow my lead!" Robin said as he sheathed his sword and took out a tome, unleashing lightning strikes against the woman.
His friend finally got to her side as she stopped attacking, refusing to let them hear her cry out in pain as the thunder hit. The tactician turned his eyes away, having never liked this part of fighting mounted enemies; the moment they had to come down...
"No! Stop that! ...agh!"
Robin looked their way again, noticing the animal had fallen on top of one of her legs, and how Chrom had apparently tried to keep that from happening, still holding on to the horse's reins. Yes, this never ended well for anyone; he hated every moment of it.
The tactician ran over to Pheros, "Let's get her out!" he told his king as he knelt down, wrapping his arms right under hers.
A bit taken aback by the request, Chrom nonetheless helped them by moving the dead horse, as Robin pulled their enemy from under it. He carefully held her in his arms once she was safe, and she leant into him, hiding her face. He hoped her soft crying against his shoulder meant she was going to surrender, because he certainly didn't want to fight someone so grievously injured.
"What now, Robin?"
"We need a healer for her," he replied simply. Pheros stiffened and went quiet.
"I don't approve of that," the king said as he gripped Falchion tighter. "I made a mistake about how I dealt with her mount, but she remains an enemy. A dangerous one, at that. Have you forgotten who she serves?"
The tactician shook his head, and noted one of the woman's eyes was looking up at his face, though he couldn't tell what she was thinking. "Chrom, I know what we're dealing with. But I'll still advise you to spare her life, and if we do her that mercy, we might as well have a healer check her."
Chrom breathed in, as if trying to contain his temper, refusing to meet his gaze for a moment. And, like always, he proved he was making an effort to follow Emmeryn's steps, as he sheathed his sword in one swift, practiced movement. "Pheros, we don't wish to harm you further. Do you surrender?"
"No," she stated flatly.
Robin turned red as his king pointedly looked at him, his plan having failed within seconds. "Is there a reason you don't want to surrender? Can we negotiate this?" he asked Walhart's general, trying to figure out what to do next.
"I don't wish to surrender," Pheros said more firmly, "because I wish to join your cause."
"What?"
"I had thought mercy had no place in this world, after I heard of the Exalt's death. Walhart's might backed the same ideals of peace, and they appeared to be the right way... But your decision to spare me makes me wish to follow Emmeryn's way again, by supporting your efforts here in Valm."
Chrom held back a sigh of relief. "I don't have anything more to say, except that we'll gladly accept your aid."
The tactician smiled down at the woman in his arms. She returned the smile. It was a beautiful smile.
...and a powerful one, they realized once at Valm's castle, Pheros's presence among the Shepherds having turned the conqueror's army against him at the most critical moment. After all, if the most loyal member of his army sided with the enemy, why follow him?