AN: Just my meager contribution to the Robin x Say'ri world out there.
Stratification
As a ruler, Chrom is incandescent, a veritable inferno of good natured will and authority. Chrom doesn't simply rule, he blazes a path. It is a far cry from his sister's gentle hand, or the pragmatic machinations of his father, but it suffices. Everyone basks in his glow, feeling as if all they had to do was stand beside Chrom and they would be elevated to the same lofty heights with him at their side to give an encouraging hand on the way.
For Say'ri, watching Chrom rule is like watching a flock of geese in flight. There is no clearly defined order, no exigent force pushing the flock onwards, Chrom just leads and people follow for no other reason than his will and warm smile.
Therefore, when Say'ri came to the Shepherds she was quite surprised to see a quiet, complacent, man dutifully doling out the day's tasks.
After a couple quick inquiries around the camp, she learned that he was Robin and he was their tactician.
Nothing but a common lackey Say'ri thought. He was merely someone to dole out the orders of their clear commander and lord. After all Chrom was their leader, there was no question about that. It was shown in the way that the Shepherds all politely deferred to him, how every one of his words seemed to have certain gravity, like they were leaden with the weight of kings and queens from ages past.
And so Say'ri decided that Chrom was the only real person she needed to keep an eye on. Cho'sin was weak and despite all the assurances of his virtue, Chrom was still a leader of another nation. With that conclusion made, Say'ri slipped easily into the everyday life of the shepherds. She attended their training sessions and ate her meals with them, quietly learning about their alien culture and their habits.
Her eyes were always studiously on Chrom and the way he held himself, analyzing the ways that he seemed to enthrall so many into his grasp like moths to a flame. He had charisma that was for sure. He was kind to all of his soldiers and he enjoyed a polite respect, tempered by camaraderie that made him quick friends to all. He was impressive, but nothing that was indicative of the sort of talent that had managed to keep a ragtag team of misfits together as a cohesive fighting unit, none of the sheer cunning that she expected from a group that had not lost a single member, or so she heard, despite the number of battles they had went through.
And so she observed until she met the tactician for the first time.
"Ah, you're the new recruit aren't you? Princess Say'ri right?" Robin said animatedly, quickly looking her over. His eyes lingered on the small royal insignia stitched on her robes and her lacquered armor before sweeping down to her sides.
Say'ri's hand's tightened protectively over the swords at her hips.
"That I am Tactician Robin," Say'ri said.
"Tactician Robin?" Robin laughed, leaning back in his chair, "Well, I mean it's nice to get some respect, but Robin will do just fine."
Say'ri nodded. Her eyes swept over his simple quarters and the pedestrian clothing he wore. Really only the Tactician's cloak set him aside from the others, otherwise he could have passed as a scholar or a mage.
The keen way he was observing her clothing and her mannerisms was indicative of that scholarly inclination that mages and their ilk possessed.
"Well I suppose we'll get on with it," Robin said, fingers deftly producing a quill, parchment, and ink from the pockets of his robe.
"Since you are a princess, you'll be getting your own tent," Robin said simply, waving away the protest that she spilled at that statement.
"Chrom gets his own tent and so does Virion, it's pretty standard." Robin said cheerily, "Besides, very few people like to bunk with royalty anyway."
He made a few quick marks on his parchment and stowed it away. "The tent will be set up by the time dinner rolls around. Now the convoy is full of weaponry so take what you like, just don't take any of the silver, brave, or special weapons without asking."
"Special weapons?" Say'ri queried.
"We have a couple weapons that are… temperamental with who wields them," Robin said quickly. "Tyrfing, Mystletannin, Balmung are picky about their wielders," Robin said.
Say'ri decided not to ask questions and simply nodded.
"Good, now head down to the training field. Frederick will evaluate your skills and then he'll report back to me," Robin said.
"Is this part of Chrom's orders?" Say'ri asked politely. She was not exactly fond of showcasing her swordsmanship, an art that had been granted to her by the best in Chosin and honed by years of practice.
"Well no, but it is my order," Robin said quietly, eyes still a warm shade of silver, "and It would help with deciding where you'll fit in the best in our formations."
His eyes locked briefly with her eyes and she knew in the back of her mind that this was a contest of will of sorts, inevitable really when two people of authority met. His eyes were a stunning shade of silver Say'ri idly noticed. She held his gaze for a long second before flitting away to focus on a map of some nation called Feroxi. It wasn't worth causing trouble on her first week.
"I see. Then Robin, I bid thee farewell and I await eagerly our next meeting," Say'ri said with a slight bow.
"Of course, my tent is always open if you have any issues." Robin said with a smile, even as he turned back to his books and maps.
Say'ri left the tent quickly.
Really she wondered why she even bothered bowing to someone as low down the chain of command as he. The flippant way he had tossed aside his title was telling of someone who hadn't spent much time in command, hadn't realized the necessity of respect to keep order.
Say'ri sighed. Robin was nothing special, Say'ri decided and with that in mind she went down to the training field.
She passed the exam with "flying colors" or so she was dryly told. It was some expression she wasn't really familiar with (really what did colors have to do with her evaluation?) and the stoic expression on the knight's face gave no clues as to her performance. Say'ri had then merely bowed and went on her way. She had been brusquely informed that she was expected to attend three training sessions a week and that absence or lack of punctuality would not be tolerated.
The solemn knight did remind her a bit of her old sword instructor, the same sort of contained power that granted them that unspoken authority she mused as she walked away. Another inquiry around the mess hall (which was quickly becoming her favorite place to gather information and gossip among other things) revealed that his name was Frederick and he was a sworn knight to the royal family. He also had a liking for cherries and "buxom blondes" as a loud blonde warrior had put it. A bespectacled mage had then smacked him over the head with a tome and told him to hold his tongue.
Really, she didn't even understand what the expression "buxom blonde" meant and so she had wisely refrained from commenting. Although the flaming blush that had ran across Lissa's face like wildfire was a bit unusual at the remark.
The Ylisseans were…. loud. It was still a little jarring whenever one of the female Pegasus knights clapped her on the shoulder or when she wasn't addressed as Princess Say'ri but she was adjusting. Her friends were best won in the sparring ring and she had struck up a fast friendship with Lon'qu; although their discussions were more about swordplay than anything else. Say'ri couldn't understand why the rest of the shepherds were eyeing them so curiously, until she realized it wasn't that they were looking at them but more at Lon'qu. Was talking with a female such a rarity?
She liked the man, rough and caustic as he was. Lon'qu had the sort of bluntness that was a delightful departure from the formalities and social quagmires of the nobility she was used to dealing with. He was also a prodigy with the sword and would have easily been proclaimed a master back in Cho'sin – if only not for the man's aversion to the place like it contained the plague.
The Shepherds had decided to rest in the little bay town that they had found her in, using the cavaliers and Pegasus knights at their disposal to scout the surrounding area. She rarely saw Chrom and when she did, he was often surrounded by a cloud of his friends and family. The way his hands freely held onto the waist of the brunette Pegasus knight and the ring on his finger was a clear sign that he was married to her. A blue haired girl, an incredible beauty despite her youth, was often around him as well, hovering anxiously at Chrom's shoulder like she was afraid he was going to disappear. So Chrom was a family man Say'ri surmised, looking carefully at his devotion to his wife and his… sister? No other explanation accounted for the age differential. Regardless it was hardly anything telling as to his ability to wage war with such cunning.
It was one warm evening when Say'ri was having a spar with Lon'qu for the seventh time that week that the topic came up again.
Several quick blows aimed at her head opened the spar, sword blade hissing near her face as she weaved through the net of slashes. With a quick flick of the wrist, Say'ri neatly angled a slash into Lon'qu's guard, hoping for an easy blow.
It was wishful thinking. Lon'qu easily flicked away the blade with his own and lunged forward, his foot stamping downwards and arms extending for a stab to her waist. Say'ri quickly withdrew as she sidestepped the stab. Then she closed the distance with a leap, blade carving downwards with a vicious slash. Lon'qu danced away from the strike and retaliated with a flurry of cuts and Say'ri frantically backpedaled, defending as best she could.
Say'ri swung two swift downward slashes followed by a lightning quick upwards cut as Lon'qu recovered. The brown haired swordsman's scowl became slightly more pronounced as he leapt backwards and slowly circled again, looking for an opening.
It was an interesting conundrum Say'ri reflected as she matched his movements. Their stances with the blade were identical, despite Lon'qu's vehement insistence that he had never even been to Cho'sin, and he moved with a sort of grace that belied his years training in Regna Ferox. Lon'qu was a puzzle and , even with her persistent inquiries, one that was far beyond her ability to solve.
Both sword masters suddenly stopped their circular movements and froze, an unspoken command mandating that this fight would end with their next bout. Say'ri carefully turned her next few movements in her head. She would close the distance with a jump, striking downwards as she did so. While he dodged she would feint a blow high and strike low before sweeping his feet out from under him and hopefully ending the duel.
She could see Lon'qu's mind going through the same deliberations before he took a new stance, one that she had never seen before. Instead of a two handed grip on a sword like he normally used, the Feroxi swordsman held the long blade loosely in one and his stance narrowed until he looked like he was simply standing.
Did he give up? In the brief time she had known him, Lon'qu had never surrendered in a spar, and he religiously practiced his sword forms day after day. Giving up was simply unlike him. But… she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Her calculations made, Say'ri took her stance and charged.
Her leap cleared the majority of the distance between them and as she descended her katana swept downwards in a cut that would bisect him down the center if he didn't block in time. Instead of blocking or moving backwards as she had hoped Lon'qu stepped forward, thrusting forwards with the tip of his blade. Her blow was cut short as she frantically swatted aside the thrust before feinting high.
Amazingly, Lon'qu raised his blade high in preparation to block. With victory in her sights, Say'ri struck low with everything she had. The grim smirk that crossed Lon'qu's face was her only hint of her impending loss before a boot caught her in the chest and sent her into the dirt.
She scrambled to her feet and with a cry, lunged for his throat. With his stance more relaxed, Lon'qu seemed to weave around the blow, casually stepping aside. With his free hand, he pulled her towards him and the extra momentum sent her sprawling.
Hardly an honorable move, but with Lon'qu's blade at her throat, Say'ri had to admit that he would have lived and she would not have.
"Fie! Tis the 5th time I have lost to you this week Lon'qu!" Say'ri shouted, the closest her voice would ever come to complaining, as she picked up her fallen katana and sheathed it.
"Don't fret," Lon'qu growled, despite his apparent amusement, "I sparred with Robin for months before you arrived and trained with the best in Regna Ferox, if that tactician's style couldn't defeat one as well known as your own then it would have been a rather pointless endeavor developing it."
"Robin created the sword style you use?" Say'ri said incredulously, the thought of flippantly creating a new sword style was almost sacrilegious. Swordsmanship was an art, passed from generation to generation. It's Time honored techniques were preserved in each of its new wielders and thousands of previous wielders lived through that legacy, one didn't just create a sword style.
"We created it," Lon'qu stressed, "I helped him develop it so it's only natural that I know it as well, although he is far better at it than I am."
Say'ri scowled, that Tactician again?
"Lon'qu, I beg of you, tell me what is so remarkable about that Tactician? He seems so… normal."
Lon'qu raised an eyebrow at her.
"If you observed him as intently as you seem to observe Chrom then I'm sure you will find the answers that you seek," Lon'qu said simply, waving her off as he marched off to his tent. As he walked, Say'ri noticed the pink haired Wyvern Rider accost him from the side with a basket of laundry. Say'ri laughed a little as she watched Lon'qu seize the basket of laundry and sprinted away from the woman like she had the plague.
She watched as the Wyvern Rider gave chase. It was a fruitless endeavor to look for Lon'qu when he didn't want to be found.
"Hah… I'm glad you liked the book Sumia!" Robin laughed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Of course! Although with your recommendation how could I not?" Sumia said with a smile, holding the leather bound book close to her.
"I'm flattered you think so…."
Say'ri inwardly fumed as she watched the pair. They were both sat out on a forest meadow with a blanket and a picnic basket between them. When Lon'qu had mentioned observing Robin, she didn't expect that to entail spying on a book club of all things. Really, the only thing that she got out of it was that Robin was a good friend of Sumia.
Laughter bubbled up, bright and clear, as Robin made some witty comment.
How long had it been since she had so freely laughed? Without a care in the world?
An image of a smiling Yen'fay came to her mind before she ruthlessly squashed the image with an iron fist. Her heart pulsed in her chest.
"Hey Bubbles… you got a moment?" Gaius asked, sucking on a lollipop.
"Of course," Robin said, snapping the tome he had been reading shut, "What do you need Gaius?"
"We're running out of sweets Bubbles," Gaius said flatly, fingers frantically tapping a pattern on his thigh, "And Blue hasn't done crap about it, so…"
"Are you sure Nowi didn't just eat them all like last time?" Robin asked curiously. Apparently this wasn't an unusual occurrence.
"After swapping out the lollipops with rocks, I would hope that she'd learn not to touch my stash," Gaius said dryly. A dull crunch echoed through the tent as he crunched the lollipop in his mouth. Say'ri almost coughed as the sickening scent of raspberries mixed with sugar permeated through the air. Gods how many sweets did the man eat if he literally reeked of sugar?
"Alright… Alright…" Robin soothed as Gaius popped another lollipop into his mouth, "I'll see what I can do."
"Good. Stumbles said she would help me grab some honey so that might help but I'm counting on you Bubbles, I'm going to have to start eating these disgusting things the Valmese call sweets if you don't hurry." Gaius said, like it was the worst possible thing in the world.
Say'ri frankly found the Valmese sweets quite palatable but it was glaringly obvious that she didn't have Gaius' sweet tooth.
"I suppose this is another debt you owe me?" Robin asked with a chuckle as he turned back to his books.
Gaius froze.
"Look here Bubbles… If you want I can get my own sweets," He said, rubbing his fingers guiltily.
"Gaius, relax. I was joking," Robin said with a worried look in his eyes, "Although, if you wanted you could ask Tharja to curse some pebbles into chocolate for you."
"Gods… she can do that?" Gaius asked, mouth wide as he imagined the possibilities.
"Well… I wouldn't put it past her," Robin laughed.
Say'ri sighed as she quietly stepped away from the back of Robin's tent. He seemed to spend most of his time reading and talking to people. What was so special about that? Within the week, she had come to be aware just how many people visited Robin.
Whether it was Frederick to discuss planning a route, Virion for a friendly game of chess, or Lucina (whose relationship to Chrom was still under question) asking him to clear up a training dispute, Robin always had time to listen and provide some input.
What she didn't understand was why. Why did all the Shepherds seem to go to Robin? Even Chrom, venerable leader that he was, often came to Robin's tent for some reason or another.
Say'ri sighed. Perhaps it would be easier just to talk to him. Yes, that might be an option. But she was a princess; someone of her station didn't just talk to someone. Although, she wasn't really princess of anything at the moment she thought dryly as she sought out Lon'qu.
She needed a spar to clear her mind.
"Stand back woman," Lon'qu shouted, eyes wide in panic as the pink haired Wyvern Rider, Cherche, approached him.
"My my Lon'qu, I didn't go to the trouble of trapping in you in the laundry tent just to let you go," Cherche chided, a threatening gentle smile on her face.
Say'ri blinked. She certainly didn't expect this when she went looking for the swords master.
Lon'qu sighed.
"What do you want woman?" He demanded, although with none of his usual vitriol.
Cherche smiled, "Surely you didn't forget our last conversation did you?"
"I don't like talking about Key'ri," Lon'qu mumbled, folding his arms.
Say'ri furrowed her brow. Key'ri was a Chosin name.
"But it has helped with your fear of women no? I believe you've been speaking with our new arrival, Say'ri?" Cherche said.
"Yes. She is an adequate swordswomen," Lon'qu admitted quietly.
"Glowing praise from you," Cherche said teasingly, although careful not to touch him.
So Lon'qu had a fear of women? It did explain why so many had been staring at him when he had been speaking to her.
There was a quiet pause.
"Does she remind you of her?" Cherche asked finally, like she was dreading the answer.
"Aside from being Chosin?" Lon'qu said with a bark of laughter.
"Not really."
There was a pained pause.
"Key'ri was far kinder and full of energy. Say'ri has none of those traits," Lon'qu murmured.
"I suppose not many can compete with her, can they?" Cherche asked.
"Not many… but perhaps a few," Lon'qu replied.
"Oh?" Cherche said with an amused smile, "Like who?"
"I may have my eyes on a certain Wyvern Rider," Lon'qu said, quickly turning away to hide the flaming blush on his cheeks.
Say'ri smiled to herself from behind the laundry tent, it was probably best to give them some sp-
"You look like you're having fun," A voice said casually behind her.
"F- mmmph," Say'ri exclaimed before a hand went over her mouth.
"Perhaps we should discuss this elsewhere," Robin said casually, tugging her behind him and into his tent. He released her before tiredly sitting in a simple cloth chair. Robin quickly procured a teapot and some tea leaves.
"Tea?" Robin inquired, a flame sparking to life from his fingers.
"If you would," Say'ri said quietly, feeling oddly like she was six again and her father had just caught her sneaking sweets into her bedroom.
They sat in silence for a while. The silence was almost painful and for a moment, looking at his cool slate eyes, she thought she was looking at someone else entirely from the pleasant tactician that she had come to know. The silence was broken by a shrill whistling as a battered old kettle announced its readiness.
The boiling water was transferred to a teapot, equally worn and battered as the kettle, before silence prevailed again.
Say'ri was uncomfortably aware of the man watching her, like how a hawk watched its prey.
A teacup was presented to her and she took it. A quick taste revealed the pleasant earthy notes of green tea. Say'ri shifted uncomfortably. His eyes were still on her.
"So… Princess," Robin said finally, emphasizing her title, "Mind telling me why you've been following me for the past week?"
Say'ri sipped quietly at her tea. It would besmirch on her honor if she were to lie now, especially if she had been caught red-handed in the act.
"I was curious," Say'ri began.
"Curious?" Robin asked dryly.
"Did you know that the Shepherds have a reputation, Robin? A reputation for being the one fighting force that has never lost a single member, but for also being the army that ruthlessly destroyed King Gangrel's force in a single day," Say'ri said, remembering all the reports that the Cho'sin spies had managed to scrounge up from across the sea.
"But just," Say'ri smiled wistfully, "And kind."
"And…?" Robin said, silver eyes boring holes into her own.
Say'ri swallowed, subordinate or not, the man had an unnerving ability to unsettle her. She took a sip of tea, using to time to diplomatically phrase her next statement.
"Well… I merely wished to understand how such a series event might have occurred. It seems almost… unbelievable, like something out of a legend," Say'ri said, "So when I met you, you seemed so… normal."
A twisted grimace came across Robin's face at the word before his face smoothed out into its usual impassive plane. At the very least, he had stopped staring at her. A pensive expression came over his face before he sighed and gathered up the teacups.
"Dismissed," Robin said casually turning back to his books, "You may leave now."
The dismissal stung. She was a princess and she would be treated with all due respect! She was about to inform him of that before she was casually shoved out of the tent with a gentle gust of wind, far too forceful to be natural. The tent flap was knotted shut behind her and an indignant sort of rage began to bubble inside of her.
Later Vaike would find himself in the medical tent with Lissa complaining about their newest recruit. When asked Vaike would reply casually, "Ah… she's not bad in the sparring ring but Ol' Vaike can match with the best of 'em." Many of the observers found it hard to believe the statement, especially considering the number of bruises and cracked bones the man had.
Their suspicions were only confirmed when Say'ri had passed by with an angelic smile and Vaike hastily retreated with all the grace of a rabbit being chased by a fox.
Robin turned massacre into a work of art.
It was utterly ruthless, methodical, cunning, and everything that Say'ri thought a strategy should be. Flanks were perfectly executed and core units were carefully placed behind walls of armor like Frederick and Kellam. The healers were never even touched and the aerial units executed devastating surprise attacks from the sky with reckless impunity, as if they had no fear of the dozens of longbows that the Valm squadron had. As she watched, a line of flame and wind carved their way through the back lines of the Valmese archers, gouts of fire hungrily funneled by the gusts of wind. Miriel and Ricken discreetly shared a high-five as they pocketed their respective tomes.
But what was astonishing was the way that Robin seemed to flit around the battle field, belting out orders, fighting, and even using his own body as a barrier when needed. His strategies didn't remove the threat of death, and for Robin, it seemed that a cut on the arm was preferable to a cut through the heart for another.
It was a rather sickening sight to see him after the battle, coat covered in a layer of blood from either himself or his enemy's. Blood soaked as he was; Robin was still hoarsely shouting orders to rout the remaining Valm soldiers.
The rest of the Shepherds had promptly moved to execute Robin's orders and Say'ri was moving to join them before a lone figure collapsed in the corner of her eyes. Robin's eyes were staring flatly at nothing while they passed by, Say'ri felt a pang of unease.
'Weak', her mind whispered quietly, 'Unworthy of his position.'
Something in her mind nagged at her though, remembering the way his face, bloodied as it was, would twist in relief when no one had been injured. She remembered the way he had shoved Sumia out of the way of a wind spell, taking the hit himself, to prevent her Pegasus from getting crippled.
Weak didn't seem to match up to those images in her mind.
She remembered the few tactical meetings that she had attended with her father. She remembered a grizzled old general, sacrificing hundreds of his soldiers' lives to take a small port to choke the enemy's resources. She remembered the funeral procession that followed, the linen-wrapped bodies that passed through the streets, the mothers who had cried when their son's bodies had appeared at their doors, despite their best attempts to with hold their tears.
Not one Shepherd had fallen in battle, a feat that was a miracle to any other general or tactician. But no other general would have the number of scars that Robin had or the fatigue from too little hours of sleep and too much stress.
It was… admirable. She had used to think that Chrom was worthy of her admiration, but it seemed that it was Robin all along. After all, Chrom didn't have a body streaked with thousands of scars, a mind burdened with the weight of thousands of lives, all for one purpose: keeping his soldiers, no his family, alive.
"Robin," For some reason, she found herself standing in front of the tactician.
"Princess… Say'ri," Robin rasped quietly, leaning back tiredly against one of the Mila tree's sweeping branches.
Princess. He still insisted on her title?
"I find you unique Robin," Say'ri finally said after a long pause.
"No more admirable than I find you," Robin said quietly.
"Me?" Say'ri laughed a little, "I am nothing now Robin. Nothing, like falling cherry blossoms."
"I was nothing once," Robin confessed quietly in the voice of someone giving away something essential about them, "No name, and no family, nothing to my name."
Say'ri stayed silent. Was this his secret? He was… an amnesiac? She had heard whispers of the like around camp on occasion, more from the supplemental troops from the resistance than the Shepherds themselves.
"Chrom gave me everything," Robin said.
"Tis why you throw yourself in battle to save everyone else?" Say'ri asked.
Robin laughed, a sick little sound that seemed more broken than fitting for the normally cheery tactician. "I have nothing to lose after all, now Princess… I need to get to the front lines."
Robin staggered brokenly to the side; hand on a cut on his chest.
Say'ri felt herself move, hands supporting his side as she held him upright.
"Come Robin, you will move faster with my aid," Say'ri said quietly.
"Thank… you?" Robin said, slumping against her shoulder.
She understood now. The bonds that he nurtured and grew with the care of a gardener were so it would be easier to bleed for them, to take the blows that would otherwise seem unnatural to take.
"Foolish Tactician," Say'ri murmured as she changed direction to head back toward their camp.
When Robin awoke he was aware of a soft mass on the side of his arm. He groggily blinked open his eyes only to meet the dimmed rays of the morning sun on the canvas of his tent. His eyes drifted to the right; to the tactician's cloak that was neatly folded and set aside.
How had he gotten here again? Robin rose slowly from his position on the bed. Chrom still needed to give him a report on whether they had been successful liberating the Voice from the tree, whether there were any casualties to speak of, if the resistance needed any supplies, if they had run out of weapons from the troops.
Robin ran a hand through his disheveled hair.
He needed to get to work.
Robin quietly tugged on his cloak and was about to make his way to his desk when a cool voice stopped him.
"Robin, Lissa says tis important that you rest for the week,"
"Princess," Robin said irritably.
Was she there yesterday? He vaguely remembered leaning against a soft form, the scent of fresh flowers, and an arm tugging him toward his tent before everything turned dark.
A wry look of amusement crossed her face before it vanished under her usual impassive expression.
"Tactician," She responded blankly.
'Now she wants to be sassy?' Robin thought.
"I don't think you understand," Robin began, grabbing a couple books from his desk, "There are several things I need to do in this army to keep it running. Otherwise we'll have drunk Shepherds in the streets and a massive harem for Chrom by morning. I don't even want to think about what will happen if I leave for a week."
"A harem?" Say'ri asked, cocking her head inquisitively, "I fear tis not an expression I am familiar with."
"It's nothing," Robin hastily redirected, shoveling all the books into his bag, "Now if you'll excuse me…"
A firm hand shoved him back onto the bed and his bag was quickly confiscated from him.
"I was informed to use all necessary force to keep you here by Lissa," Say'ri said seriously, "I was also informed that Laurent and Virion would take over all you administrative duties for the day."
Virion running his army? Now he really needed to get out.
Robin struggled against the firm hand against his chest. He noted, with no little disgust, that he was as weak as a kitten. He flopped back against his bed with an exhausted gasp. Say'ri's eyes pinned him neatly to the bed while she settled on the rug on the floor in a perfect lotus position.
"Rest Robin, tis admirable your concern but your health holds importance also," Say'ri said.
Robin settled with a grunt of exasperation against his bed. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the soft look in Say'ri's eyes, almost reverent really, but it moved him to collapse against his bed with a resigned sigh.
Women.
"Say'ri, you need to sleep," Lon'qu said quietly, even as he passed the sake saucer back to the Cho'sin Princess.
Say'ri calmly sipped at the alchoholic beverage before passing it to the final member of their little circle outside of Robin's tent.
Cherche took the saucer demurely and downed it like she had been drinking it for life, although it was her first time drinking the rice wine.
"Lon'qu's right you know," Cherche said, hand easily wrapping around Lon'qu's despite the man's sudden tensing at the action, "It's really not healthy to go so long without sleep."
"I shall not abandon Robin at his tent without a guard," Say'ri said easily, the saucer cycling again around the circle. It was lunch time and while most of the Shepherds had heartily congregated in the mess tent, Say'ri had taken to having lunch outside of Robin's tent.
It was almost fanatic, the way the woman had taken to the Tactician. When Lissa had assigned the princess to prevent the Tactician from working and to keep him in a state of rest, Say'ri had taken to the task with a single minded determination. Most hours, the Shepherds would find her sitting in the grass outside of Robin's tent with a book to improve her grasp of the common tongue or meditating with her katana in her lap.
She had even managed to fend away Tharja from the tent with an air of grace that Maribelle dreamt of achieving. It was a complete one-eighty from her otherwise frosty attitude to the Tactician a week ago.
"I can't imagine Robin would be content sweltering in a tent all day though, no?" Cherche inquired.
Lon'qu smirked, he could imagine the man going stir crazy with Say'ri boxing him inside the tiny canvas tent.
"How has Robin been spending his time?" Lon'qu asked, breaking his silence to satiate his curiosity.
"Reading, mostly," Say'ri said, "Tis true that he has worked his way through much of his own collection and he often sends me to Sumia to get others."
"Although, Tis my belief that he is asleep now," Say'ri added, "He has taken to a strange sleep schedule in his attempts to escape me."
Cherche smiled. It would be just like Robin to weasel his way out of his guard. It would also explain why Say'ri hadn't gotten any sleep lately. She could almost imagine the Tactician concocting schemes to escape his confinement while Say'ri adroitly repelled him at every attempt.
A light tap on her hand and a raised eyebrow from Lon'qu asked the wordless question as to the reason for her smile.
Cherche shook her head quietly, a gesture for later in the silent language that the two had almost developed overnight. It was far easier for them to communicate through actions than words, especially since Lon'qu was a man fond of his silence.
Say'ri watched the silent exchange before placing the saucer on the grass.
"May I trouble you to bring me some food?" Say'ri asked, "My position does not allow me the luxury of fetching food at my whim."
Lon'qu wordlessly stood and left the circle, Say'ri called out her thanks before she faced the pink haired Wyvern Rider.
"Tis strange," Say'ri said finally, after observing the woman with intense slate eyes, "How quickly you have found your way into his heart."
Cherche started a little. But stony silence was Say'ri's answer.
"Keep him safe," Say'ri beseeched, "He is one of the few that I can call friend among the Shepherds."
"Of course," Cherche stammered, still a little shocked at how quickly Say'ri had picked out their closeness. She had thought they were being rather discreet about the whole thing, and Lon'qu was known as a gynophobe.
A muffled groan from the tent broke the uncomfortable silence that developed between the two. Say'ri sighed and pushed back the tent flap.
"Finally awake Tactician? I believe there is still food in the mess hall should you desire to eat," Say'ri commented.
Robin's reply was unheard by Cherche but the duo soon emerged from the tent.
Say'ri stood just slightly behind Robin and the two progressed to the mess hall, Robin occasionally making an attempt at conversation that was rarely taken up by Say'ri. Cherche sighed, before Lon'qu appeared bewildered with a plate of bear meat in his hands.
His raised eyebrow was answer by a short gesture toward the duo's general direction. Lon'qu rolled his eyes and plopped down on the grass next to the pink haired Wyvern Knight. The plate was set just next to her, and Cherche smiled appreciatively before taking a furtive glance around. Seeing no one, she leaned into Lon'qu, head affectionately resting on his shoulder.
The strained gasp was indication of his discomfort, but to her delight, he didn't push away like he usually did. Cherche could just imagine the shade of red spreading across his face. Cherche sighed in content before she languidly fell into his lap.
Two fingers hesitantly ran through her rose hair. Cherche smiled, she was used to more blatant displays of affection in her country of Rosanne and Lon'qu's more reserved ways of expressing his feelings were far less obvious than she would like. In fact, she would like nothing better than to kiss the man full on the lips in the mess hall if only to stop Lissa from staring at Lon'qu like a piece of meat.
Cherche could feel Lon'qu tense nervously, an observer probably. Cherche raised her head from her comfortable position to watch a certain blond haired Kahn strutting away with an amused smirk on her face.
It was the middle of war and men and women died on the battlefield every day, but despite that, she couldn't help but feel… happy. She snuggled further into his warmth, ignoring his ill natured grumbling at the action.
Cherche sighed. She was supposed to report to training. But quite frankly, Frederick could go screw himself.
"So uhh… what do you do around camp?" Robin asked cautiously as he sat across from Say'ri. The Cho'sin princess was sedately eating her meal of bear meat, bread, and wild vegetable salad. He had the same concoction on his plate, and he had to admit that whoever was on mess duty was doing their job quite well.
"Tis my fear that I do little, I contribute to strategy meetings and watch after you for most of my time," Say'ri said calmly. A hand brushed her curtain of hair to the side before she resumed eating.
"Is it that much different from before you joined us?" Robin inquired.
"Tis my fear that leisure time is scarce when you are 'on the run' I believe is the expression?" Say'ri said.
"Yeah, that's right," Robin said, "But I was assuming you were also organizing the resistance movement right? I mean they didn't just organize themselves into an army."
Say'ri raised an elegant eyebrow.
"Many of our resistance movement are warriors trained from youth to fight. They did organize themselves into an army by themselves with only me to command," Say'ri said.
"Am I right in assuming you have never had any experience with tactics and formal command?" Robin inquired.
Say'ri bristled a little at the comment.
"I sat on many of my Father's war council meetings and I was trained to rule," Say'ri said coolly.
"It is not a sign of weakness to admit your faults," Robin chided quietly, slate gray eyes piercing into her own. He was frighteningly observant when he wanted to be, a fact that she often forgot when he joked easily around with the other Shepherds or joined Gaius on his candy sprees.
"All things considered it is no wonder your resistance movement failed as it did." Robin commented.
"Fie! And what would you know of me?" Say'ri hissed, his comment probing to areas too sensitive to openly share, "What would you know of having to save a nation that doesn't even believe in you?! A nation that believes that a false king is just in his rule?"
Robin's cool eyes pierced her like arrows and a sad smile crossed his face.
"Enough to know that you believe the only way to save your nation is by yourself, enough to know that your pride is the only thing preventing you from asking to leave the Shepherds to save your people, enough to know that the only reason you asked for our help was sheer desperation," Robin observed clinically.
"I…," Say'ri said, lips about to deny each statement that he made.
"Say'ri," Robin sighed, "I'm not trying to offend you, just trying to understand."
"Why?" Say'ri asked. "Why do you insist on understanding my failures?"
Robin's brow furrowed. Then after some quick deliberations, he understood. The Shepherds were here now; they were all the resistance could speak off these days. Everything would be fine now, no one would care that she had failed. No one but Say'ri herself.
His heart pulsed sympathetically. He inwardly sighed, he knew he was far too kind for his own good. A bleeding heart, Frederick had once commented wryly when he had given half their food supplies to a town in need. But even so, he could not help but feel sorry for her.
"Because, my dear princess," Robin said, "That is the first step in becoming friends."
"And I would very much like to be your friend," Robin finished with a warm smile.
He could see her face flushing at his proclamation before she replied back her own smile, somewhat shy, with all the aloofness of her upraising and a tinge of shame. But it was a smile none the less.
And quite a beautiful smile at that, Robin reflected to himself.
Say'ri tapped hesitantly on the flap to Robin's tent. She was bored, for lack of a better word. And it was quite interesting what boredom could do for a person. At first she had sought out Lon'qu, looking for a spar, before she had caught a glimpse of pink hair entering the sword master's tent. She had made a hasty retreat after that and then attempted to attend one of Frederick's training sessions.
After watching a sweaty Chrom and Lucina lugging around small boulders she had quickly reconsidered and went back to her tent. There were very few Shepherds she could call friend, and after a quick mental check of the people on that list, Say'ri had found herself at the tent of her newest friend.
"Come in Say'ri," Robin said cheerily.
Say'ri slipped inside the tent with her usual grace, only to see Robin ambling about with several tactical manuals while seated at his desk.
"Should you not be resting still, Tact-… Robin?" Say'ri asked. It had taken a while to get used to dropping the formal titles. But Robin had insisted, saying that friends most certainly did not call each other by formal titles, even if they had just become "friends".
"Lissa said it was alright for me to move around, just no magic or combat training for me," Robin said with an offhand wave, peering at the three tactical manuals in front of him.
"So I've decided to look at some strategy," Robin said, quickly jotting a note down on a piece of paper, "I don't plan on losing to Virion the next time we play that Naga forsaken game."
Say'ri remembered those rather intense games from when she had observed Robin. It was a rather furious and competitive atmosphere for a game meant to be played for enjoyment.
"Anyway, was there something I could help you with?" Robin asked curiously.
"I believe it is customary for friends to spend time together, is it not?" Say'ri asked, eyes looking bashfully downwards incase she had misread Ylissean social customs. She knew full well what an unaccompanied woman walking into the tent of another man in Cho'sinwould have been interpreted as.
"Of course!" Robin said with a warm smile, waving her towards a cloth chair while he sat at his desk.
"Are you settling in well?" Robin asked politely, while he bustled around to grab all the necessary ingredients for a pot of tea.
"I'm fine, yes," Say'ri murmured, "I only wish that we could move sooner against Walhart."
Robin gave a wry smile, "I'm afraid I can't recover any faster."
"Oh, I didn't mean it… like that," Say'ri said abashed, eyes flitting downwards. If thing weren't uncomfortable already… now she just wanted to leave with her dignity intact, which she might actually do now that she thought about it.
"Fie! Tactician," Say'ri said quickly, unconsciously using his title again, "I'm afraid Lon'qu wants a spar with me so I must go."
As she arose to keep her crumbling dignity intact, fingers neatly caught her wrist and tugged her back down to her chair.
"It's fine," Robin said with a warm smile.
Say'ri sighed quietly and sank back down into her chair. She couldn't very well leave now could she?
"So what do friends do with each other in Ylisse?" Say'ri asked, for want of things to say.
"Well," Robin said cheerfully as he poured her a cup of warm tea, "They talk with each other, prank each other, have fun together."
Well that sounded a little too much for her, Say'ri reflected with a hint of panic. She was about to make a hasty retreat for the second time before she saw Robin look at her with an amused look.
"But I personally can't do any of those," Robin said with a laugh, "So I just like reading… if that's fine?"
"Oh, of course," Say'ri said eagerly, quickly pulling out the book that she had been reading to improve her grasp of the common tongue. It was perfect actually, since there were a lot of words that she did not know and she had been looking for someone to help explain them to her.
But there was something odd about using reading of all things to build friendship. It wasn't like reading was a group activity by any means.
"Robin, I fail to see how this is supposed to help us become better friends," Say'ri commented.
"Well...," And Say'ri noted the hint of hesitation in his voice, "I was more thinking… we read the book… together?" Robin said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
Oh.
Well then.
She could feel her face slowly starting to heat up before she noticed that Robin looked almost as nervous as she was. Well she was the one who sought him out… and this was an excellent way to improve her common tongue.
"That is agreeable Tactician," Say'ri said quickly, flipping to the where she had left off in the book. Say'ri flipped the book around to Robin, showing it to him while standing a yard away.
"So… this might be easier if you were to sit… next to me?" Robin said nervously, motioning to the large bed in the center of the tent.
Well she had dug her own grave, and now she had to lie in it.
Say'ri cautiously sat down onto the bed before placing the book in front of her. She felt (as she resolutely refused to look at Robin at the moment) more than saw Robin move next to her. Her eyes were steadily fixated on the curves of the words on the text.
"It is a truth…, fie, tactician what is this word?" Say'ri said.
"Oh, universally, it means always or acknowledged by everyone." Robin said.
Ylissean was much more… weighty than her native Cho'sin Say'ri found. Every word seemed to have a certain magnitude about it that the superfluous honorifics and formalities of Cho'sin lacked.
"Universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Say'ri read slowly, feeling the contours of the words heavy on her tongue.
And so they spent the time like that for a while, Say'ri sounding the words out with her awkward lips and Robin carefully correcting her pronunciation when she stumbled.
There was a gentle cathartic effect about the action, her worries simply bleeding away into the simple ink letters of the book. Her posture had also slackened, intentionally or not, until she carefully molded herself into Robin's side. She took notice of their position just as they were closing out the fifth chapter and as the day passed into night.
Torches were being lit around the camp now and their gentle glow, along with the soft murmur of soldiers talking provided an oddly romantic atmosphere. Say'ri closed the book with a soft thud as Robin stood from the comfortable position he had been occupying for the last few hours.
"Robin," Say'ri called, as the Tactician quietly began cleaning up his tea set, "I… enjoyed our time together."
The last sentence was said quietly, almost in a whisper, but she had no doubt that he had heard her. And she had truly enjoyed herself. Robin had been so gentle with her, handling her knowledge like a delicate gemstone, while they had been reading. It was an expression of fondness that she had never quite had the opportunity to enjoy before, and it was gently electrifying in its magnitude.
"As did I Say'ri" Robin replied, "I hope that I will see you here again?"
"Of course," Say'ri said, the rising blush in her cheeks betraying her eagerness.
She rose to leave but before she could make it out of the tent, two arms embraced her.
It was the first time that she had been offered such an intimate embrace.
Friends generally did not hug each other in Cho'sin, but now it just felt right to reply in kind, her own kimono clad arms tightening around him. Robin was pleasantly warm, and smelled like the green tea that they had been enjoying minutes before.
"Good night and thank you for looking after me," Robin said quietly, before tacking on teasingly, "Princess."
"You're welcome," Say'ri said, impressed at her own ability to say the words without stuttering.
They held the embrace a moment longer, before Say'ri elegantly swept out of the tent, heart racing and cheeks aflame. Had she turned around, she would have seen Robin with a similar blush and a quietly content expression across his face.
The war raged on, but oddly not many seemed that bothered by it, a testament to the omnipotent tactician who miraculously was still able to secure victory with no deaths, albeit with plenty of injuries. They were set to chase Say'ri's brother soon, and the thought sent quiet relish through her mind.
But otherwise the weeks flitted by with a quiet speed. Say'ri continued to visit Robin often, at first stating that she desired to improve her grasp of the common tongue, but as the words became almost second nature to her, she had dropped the pretense entirely. She simply enjoyed being around Robin, and he treated her with the same gentle kindness that he had always had.
Their little encounters were the highlight of her week, and sometime in between joining him and Gaius on their candy raids and telling him about the cherry trees in Cho'sin she realized that he was becoming far more important to her.
She always visited him when she had troubles on her mind, whether it was something as small as how flippantly Lady Tiki (Naga preserve her) treated her protection or insecurities that drew ugly fractures across her psyche. She had admitted how inferior she felt, how useless she was in the scheme of saving her country. How desperately she needed to be the one to kill Yen'fay, if only to bury away that small part of her heart that still loved him.
Robin in turn had confessed how desperately he clung to things, how his greatest fear was suddenly waking up (once again) and realizing that he had nothing. Sometimes, Robin confessed, he felt like he was being selfish clinging to his friends so much, saving them even, not for their own sake, but for his. After all, if someone died, it was one less person who would define the Tactician Robin.
And they grew comfortable with each other.
Formalities were easily omitted on Say'ri's part while Robin had allowed her to provide her opinion on his latest strategies (an honor, she knew, reserved only for those select few that he truly respected).
On a cold day, while she was huddled in his tent in front of his constantly crackling fireplace with a cup of Robin's green tea in front of her, she realized that she much preferred time spent with him than without.
Everything was much brighter when Robin was there, and she sought to discuss this with Lon'qu while they were absently sparring. After all, Lon'qu was in a very comfortable relationship with Cherche and they were the most spoken about couple among the Shepherds after Cherche had very publicly claimed Lon'qu with a harsh kiss on his lips after Maribelle of all people had commented on his rugged looks in the mess hall.
After she confessed, with no little shame and cherry cheeks, everything she felt when she was with Robin (how time seemed to bleed away into an incoherent mess, how every smile of his set her heart racing) he had given her an incredulous look, before flatly telling her that she was in love.
She had processed that revelation for a week, before visiting Robin again.
She was in love? It seemed such a ludicrous statement, a statement so utterly absurd but the words rang true in her heart. It was neither like a bolt of lightning, as the Rosanne people often likened love too, nor was it the raging flame that cast both duty and honor aside like her own people called it, but simply love.
Say'ri was mulling over the thoughts in her head while she absently raised her hand to knock on Robin's tent flap. Voices were quietly murmuring in the tent.
"Tharja! I said I wasn't interested!"Robin snapped exasperatedly, apparently reaching his breaking point.
"Well why not Robin?" Tharja's sultry voice said in response, "It's not like you're taken by anyone are you? And two skilled practitioners of dark magic would make quite a couple, don't you think?"
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Say'ri's heart. Tharja had known Robin for much longer than she had and apparently they were close enough that Robin had designed to use Dark Magic around her, something that she had never even seen him attempt to do.
But she was Say'ri, Princess of Cho'sin, and not even the heavens would block her path when she wanted something. It was a sort of righteous, almost cleansing fury that boiled her blood now, whispering to send that harlot away from what she perceived was rightly hers.
Yes, Say'ri was a little possessive of those she considered precious to her. Zealous and fanatic were the words Cherche used while plain crazy was Vaike's choice when Say'ri wasn't around.
With such fire in her veins, Say'ri quickly swept into the tent, sweeping across like some righteous tempest. The sight of Tharja, cornering Robin at his own desk, greeted her. Tharja paled, just a little, before turning to meet her while Robin just look relieved.
"Pray, Tharja," Say'ri said, reverting back to her icy formalities of youth, "It seems quite clear to me that Robin has no desire of your presence here, may I suggest that you leave?"
Credit had to be given to Tharja, the woman was anything if not persistent.
"My my Say'ri, I was under the assumption that Robin's tent was open to everybody?" Tharja said silkily, "And I was merely offering my services to ease his tension before you interrupted, now if you wouldn't mind leaving… I would like to continue where I left off."
Tharja finished the statement with a wicked smile and a smirk towards Robin, stuck in the corner.
A dull gleam of metal and the shriek of steel exiting its scabbard was Say'ri's polite response to the statement. The katana sat between them like a naked flame, and it spoke all the words that Say'ri desired in a single second. Obviously it was a challenge and, in the narrow confines of the tent, hardly a fair one.
Tharja just peered down the length of steel owlishly before turning to Robin, "How about it Robin, would you mind leaving with me?"
Say'ri swallowed, but met Robin's silver eyes with her own onyx. It was quite possibly the only way that Tharja could have won, barring a point blank Goetia that would have consumed the tent and all of its occupants. She didn't plead or beg with her eyes, like she had seen some women do, but it was a simple urging to choose.
She could see those slate eyes that she had seen glimmer with affection, amusement, annoyance, and all the rest in her brief time with him, running through calculations in his mind. A gust of wind, far more forceful than the one that had ejected her weeks ago, sent Tharja flying out of the tent.
"Sorry Tharja," Robin murmured.
A muffled sound that Say'ri briefly recognized as triumph came from her throat before she carefully sheathed her katana and offered her hand to Robin with a wry smile.
"Were you having fun?" Say'ri asked, referring to his uncomfortable position when Tharja had him pinned. Robin laughed and allowed her to pull him up.
"Thanks for saving me," Robin said with his usual smile.
"Tis nothing," Say'ri said simply, just looking at him.
Well he certainly didn't look any different now that she was in love…
"Say'ri?" Robin asked curiously, fluttering his hand in front of her face, "You there?"
"Fie!" Say'ri gasped, completely unaware that she had been staring for that long, "Forgive me Robin."
Robin just laughed it off, "So why were you looking for me?"
Well that was an issue now… how did one tell another that they were in love?
"Robin," Say'ri began, thinking how to say this, "You are very important to me."
Important to her? What type of pathetic confession was that? Say'ri mentally berated herself, even as she ignored the burning flush on her cheeks and thought of what next to say. She hesitantly raised her eyes from her feet to glance at Robin.
He looked very… anxious. At least, that was what she thought that anticipatory look in his eyes was.
"I'm glad that you think so," Robin said quietly, "You're important to me as well, a precious friend."
Friend? Was that all she was to him? Say'ri despaired as she smiled half-heartedly, yes even if he did reject her, then they would still remain precious friends. It was a small consolation prize considering the quickly plummeting sensation that was tugging at her heart.
"Robin," Say'ri said, a little desperately.
Robin looked at her expectantly.
Naga above! Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her hands would. Not. Stop. Shaking.
"I…," Say'ri managed to choke out.
"I… I am so grateful for everything that you've done for me," Say'ri finally redirected. Gods, why was this so hard?!
She chanced another glance at Robin. He looked frantically worried now.
"Hey, are you leaving Say'ri?!" Robin said hysterically, "I mean, I know you said you wanted to go back to Cho'sin and rule, but I think it's a little early considering Walhart hasn't been defeated yet, and I really like your input in meetings… and gods!... No I mean I really like spending time with you and I would really like to spend more time with you and…"
"Peace Tactician," Say'ri said with a fond smile, a single finger on his deliciously soft lips, "Fear not, I am not leaving."
Robin was about to reply before Say'ri quickly cut him off.
The affirmation that he cared about her and that he enjoyed their time together galvanized her into her next action. Lon'qu had always said that actions spoke much louder than words ever could.
Say'ri hesitantly tugged Robin towards her, tilted her head ever so slightly to the left, and brushed her lips against his.
His lips were just as soft as she imagined. The sensation was electric, like a thousand and one lightning bolts coursing through her veins even as they clumsily moved apart. She could feel the heat in her cheeks as she looked at Robin. It was chaste but laden with quiet passion and lasted for a mere fraction of a moment.
His eyes were slightly glazed like he couldn't believe what had just happened. Say'ri lightly tugged him into a hug.
"Robin?" Say'ri asked quietly, burying her face in his Tactician's cloak so that she couldn't see his expression. She couldn't bear it if he didn't return her feelings, if her display of resolve was all for naught.
"Say'ri," Robin replied happily, lifting her face from his so that she could see the pure happiness across his face.
"I had always hoped that …" Robin began, "But you were a Princess… and I was just…"
"Robin," Say'ri finished for him, "And that was all that I wanted you to be."
They met in another kiss, and she was so happy, so content. Naga herself could have descended from the heavens and she wouldn't have noticed.
Say'ri sighed happily before shoving Robin against his bed and cuddling next to him, arms laid possessively against him.
"Stay," She requested gently.
"Always," Robin said with a smile, still looking like he was waiting to wake up from a dream.
"I love you Robin," Say'ri finally said, pouring forth the sentiment buried deep within her heart.
"I love you too," Robin said, "Ever since you brought me back from the Mila Tree, I just never realized it."
They were quietly content for a moment.
"Robin?"
"Yeah?"
"If Tharja ever comes into this tent again, I'm going to kill her."
"That's fine dear," Robin said affectionately.
"Oh Brave New World full of wondrous things! " Say'ri murmured to herself quietly, absently quoting an author she had the pleasure of reading with Robin. The novel had blurred away from her mind (if she was honest, she spent much more time paying attention to Robin than the novel) but the quote had still stuck in her mind, and how apt it was now!
Say'ri was pleasantly sitting with Robin asleep on her lap while they had managed to steal away a small section of the meadow away from the rest of the Shepherds. She watched with keen eyes as Lon'qu and Cherche strolled contentedly side by side, a tall young man with a mask upon his face just behind them.
If one looked carefully enough, one could see the concern in his eyes, the way the man carefully watched their steps and gait, the Frederick to their Chrom and Lissa. As Cherche stumbled on the path, foot caught on a rock, Lon'qu had swiftly grabbed her waist, tugging her tight against him, as the young man frantically sprinted up to inquire about his mother's state of health.
"I'm fine Gerome," The woman replied, affectionately a hand gently ruffling her son's hair, even as she shot a fond look at the brown haired sword master behind her. She kissed him lightly on the lips when she thought no one else was looking.
Two people, one with a butterfly mask upon his face, and the other with a tactician in her lap smiled at the sight.
Further away, Say'ri watched as Lucina trailed behind Chrom and Sumia even as Cordelia fondly accosted the duo, daughter in tow. They had always been the best of friends after all, and the smile on Lucina's lips while Severa tugged her indignantly along was proof that the trait had been passed to their daughters as well.
A flush of pink crossed Severa's face as Lucina took the lead, stringing her along on some mad adventure into the nearby forest. An indignant shout and a muttered curse was uttered by the caustic girl, before she sighed and followed her friend, a exasperatedly gentle smile on her lips.
And there, just meters away, she could see the pride of her life.
Morgan, her wonderful daughter, laughed while she danced innocently with Inigo, rocking to some rhythm that only the two could hear. The girl had her father's mind, razor edged and keen, and his characteristic kindness, a sort of bubbliness that drew people like moths to a flame; but her face and bearing was all hers, all grace and statuesque beauty.
She had come across her daughter while they had been exploring ancient ruins looking for Naga's treasure. It had been one of the happiest days of her life, knowing that she had a daughter with Robin and seeing what a wonderful woman she would become.
"Mother!" Morgan cried cheerily, "Inigo wants to go dancing tomorrow night. Can I go?"
"Of course," Say'ri said simply, running a hand through Robin's down white hair. The man always did like his sleep. She gently pressed a kiss onto his forehead but making sure to discreetly ensure no one was watching.
Love.
If some had told her she would have fallen in love with Robin a few months ago, she would have called them crazy. But then again, an Ylissean author did once say that love made everyone fools, and she was the happiest fool of them all!
Robin wearily blinked his argent eyes up at her, as radiant as they were the first day she met him.
"Did I wake you?" Say'ri inquired softly.
"It was a pleasant way to wake up," Robin laughed softly, leaning up to kiss her lips with a casual disregard for any observers. It was such a blatant display of affection that she still wasn't used to, but it was pleasant nonetheless.
Say'ri quickly broke of her taste of heaven, spotting a smirking Miriel turning way to make an offhand comment to Ricken.
"Robin," She scolded, a tad irritably.
"Sorry," Robin replied, cheekily unrepentant.
Say'ri gave him an affectionate shove, before leaning gently onto him, allowing herself to relax as she slumped contentedly against his frame.
Yen'fay, Walhart, and all the rest were still out there. The question of Grima and the mark on Robin's hand still often pressed on her mind when she was alone at night. She knew she would have to confront them at some point, some indescribable point that was inexorably approaching on the horizon.
But for now, she was content.
Fin
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