A/N: THIS TOOK FOREVER! I had such a great amount of writer's block on this, trying to come up with a unique idea was tough and I'm near certain that something like this hadn't been done before. Next chapter will almost certainly not take as long, I'm not the most creative person so trying to make things believable and not sound stupid in context. Now Reviews:
Zero Kami No Mu: Yup that's the idea, it'll be a while before I get back to that mind.
Mzr90: Thanks, this is getting tough. FFXIII was actually what got me back into the series, mainly because it was at the time when I could actually buy games for myself and it was just there really, I didn't live on the internet at the time so criticisms towards it were not known to me.
Cyrys the Reader: Panne is cool, though I just find her...boring at times, she can be funny but at the same time I cant really enjoy her character much. Donnel our lord and saviour and should be treated as such. Sir if you saw my Fire Emblem Heores file...hehehe.
thuff: You will just have to wait and see.
Kweh Viola: The idea is being done, its just gonna take a while.
Draen: I never really thought that that was explained well in the story, kind of a plot hole if you ask me. Parasol-Fu is OP, the head is the designated spot to hit. Tiki, just came to late for me, at that point I'm entering my end game stride of blitzing through chapters in about two to three turns. Cynthia is probably the most broken unit in the game outside of Morgan, no joke she has never not been weak for me and she has never died once in seven playthroughs.
Rihan K.A: You sir...are the reason this took so bloody long. This review really hit home, and I thank you for saying these critiques. I've taken your advice to heart and will try and slow things down a tad to allow more character development and such.
Matt Cyr: I will convert you by the end of this I swear. And yes, Troll Giaus is indeed best Gaius.
Blindknyttstories: Nice to know I have a fish...what you said hooked Hehehe. This pairing is a lot greater than what people give credit it too. Wish it was more represented.
Whew, those were a lot of reviews, been a while so they stockpiled. Now onto the chapter hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 9- The Coming Tide
"Chrom are you sure it's a good idea to have this many important figures in the capital at once, especially considering the events of last night?" Robin asked as they were making their way towards the council room.
The messenger pigeons had been sent out before they had even arrived back in Ylisstol the day before, Phila, under Robin's suggestion, had commanded one her underlings to fly ahead and relay the information so that the ones left in charge could fill out the necessary paperwork and have it sent out. Through some form of fortune the assassins had not intercepted any of them and had safely made it to their destinations, replies making their way back not long after the fighting had ended.
"I understand your concerns Robin, but we finished off all the enemies last night. There is no need to worry about their safety, besides we've increased security." Chrom answered, waving him off.
"While I agree with there being more guards on patrol, I still don't like this. Anyway, I thought you hated the nobles of Ylisse." The tactician stated.
"I do, except for Maribelle and her parents, the majority of them are brown nosing bloodsuckers out to save their own asses, pardon my language. As long as it helps and works for them, they'll accept it." The prince replied.
"Politics, sometimes I can't help but think that Ferox has it right." Robin chuckled.
"You got that right." Chrom returned, joining in with his friend's laughter. "Just so you know, most of them weren't pleased when I told them I had hired a tactician for the Shepherds."
"Did you tell them you found me lying unconscious in a field, WITH amnesia?" Robin glared.
"Ummm…maybe." The prince answered, not looking him in the eye.
"Naga damnit, I don't even know them and I'm already on the back foot." The tactician moaned.
"Don't worry, I've got your back in there, we need to make sure Emm's safe." Chrom smiled, nudging his friend.
"While I agree that Emmeryn should be safe, is taking her away from the capital the best plan? The people could panic." Robin pointed out.
"That's what Emm said, but Ylisse needs her Exalt…and I need my sister, Lissa needs her sister. It may be selfish of me, but I'm trying to do what's right." The blue haired man voiced, determination thick in his words.
"Hehe, you're the leader, but I understand where you are coming from." The cloaked man replied. "Do you have any idea what some of the other noble's will think about the plan?"
"Most of them will be angry that we brought them into another war, while others will say that it's been a long time coming. The duke and duchess of Themis will be on our side as well as an old family friend, but the rest will just side with what can give them a profit." Chrom bemoaned.
"So, in other words, not too difficult then, just as long as we can convince them that keeping the exalt away from the capital will reduce the amount of total funds spent on her safety." Robin summarised.
"Knowing them, they would've brought their accountants to double check the numbers. This could take a while to win." The prince sighed, stopping outside a set of arching doors, the large brass handles waiting to be opened.
"Trust me, I've got this." The tactician smiled, motioning for the royal to open the doors.
The creaking sound of the opening door alerted all that were in the room of the new arrivals, many of the nobles had already arrived and were talking amongst themselves, more than likely forming their own factions. One set of them looked extremely portly and seemed to be struggling to even move, requiring canes that seemed more like they could be used as makeshift clubs.
"Ahhh, Prince Chrom, a pleasure that you grace us with your presence." The apparent leader bowed, or at least tried too.
"Lord Bool, it is unfortunate that we had to meet so soon after the last council, how has your gout been recovering?" Chrom cringed, though was quick to cover it up, and had seemingly gone unnoticed.
"While the experience was painful, I was able to escape amputation, though I must now walk with a cane for the rest of my life." The noble grunted, raising the over jewelled object and slamming it down on the marble floor.
Robin frowned, he had decided to read a medical book the night before since he was stuck in the infirmary, the bandages around his side still restricting his movement slightly. Among one of the conditions he had read about, gout was one of them. Judging from the noble's size, it was obvious why he was suffering from the ailment, it was caused from overindulgence of red meat and certain alcohol. The pain it causes in one's limb is said to be debilitating, though it was far from the need to cause amputation, symptoms fading after two weeks at most.
"While I'm sure we are thankful for your leg's recovery, I think there are more pressing matters that we must attend to." The tactician spoke up, altering his poise and speech.
"And just who are you boy?" Another noble spoke from behind Bool.
"This is Robin, Duke Smahl, he will be leading the delegations for today. He has further cemented his right to be the Shepherd's tactician these past few days." Chrom voiced, introducing his friend.
"Hmmm, while I'm 'certain' his plans have worked, I don't understand how you could hire a random stranger when I have been talking about my extremely talented daughter, she would probably wipe the floor with your 'tactician'." Smahl challenged, pointing towards a slim woman chatting to some other nobles.
Robin saw her out of the corner of his eye, and while he would admit she was beautiful, he knew why she was getting so much attention, the low cut dress she wore and the open thigh left little to the imagination, no doubt Lord Smahl was only using the poor girl to work his way up the political ladder, though in Robin's eyes she seemed to be more than accepting of the role.
"While I'm sure Lady Jane would have been a fine addition to our cause, Robin takes an active role in every battle we have participated in so far, especially our latest ones against Plegian forces." Chrom argued back, embellishing his friend's achievements.
"Yes, I heard he took quite the role in the encounter at the border, saving Lord Traitor's daughter, was it." Bool snarled.
"Now now, what happened before was a mistake. We know that it never could've been him who could've plotted those heists before." The prince argued back.
"Hmm, even so, the fact that the thief that attempted to steal from the royal treasury named him is no mere coincidence, I'll be keeping my eye on him if I were you prince." The overweight noble turned away.
"More explanation's?" Robin asked his friend.
"I think that's not my story to tell." Chrom admitted, guiding the tactician over to another group.
For the most part it was relatively the same as the last batch, though these ones seemed to try and butter Chrom up as though they were making a prince turkey, Robin could see the grimace on his friend's face as he dealt with the horde of pompous prattle. The tactician just stood there and looked pretty, only speaking when he felt the need too. Most of the time it was to defend his position, most of the rabble argued that their child or some form of relative was more suited to the role. Robin thought that he would have to start accepting challenges.
"Honestly Prince Chrom, how can this no name nomad simply become the Shepherd's tactician, I have been suggesting my nephew Daniel to you for the past two harvest's, his skill is unparalleled, I demand a match of wits." One noble, by the name of Lord Nod, dared to speak, motioning towards a handsome man to his left.
"If you feel the need to test my capabilities first hand, I gladly accept, though I don't feel as though now is the time." Robin tried to argue, feeling that the need to go on with the debate was more necessary.
"Nonsense, now is the perfect time, the fate of Ylisse hangs in the balance and I refuse to leave that destiny in the hands of a low born." The man retaliated, clapping his hands. Robin felt extremely irritated at that remark.
Some servants acted quickly, as if they had expected it to happen, and brought forth a highly detailed chess board, and hastily set up the coloured pieces, as well as presenting a pair of chairs for the contenders to sit on.
"Are you sure you want to do this Robin?" Chrom asked him before he sat down.
"If it will satisfy their thirst for me to prove myself further, then it would be best to go through with this, also…" The tactician started, before leaning in closer. "This will get us more support for our cause." He smirked, before sitting down on the white side.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Daniel cried out, his voice breaking, clearly the man had never been second in his life.
"I was the one who was challenged, it would be only fair that I started would it not?" Robin smiled, daring the man to refute his claim.
"Hmph, whenever I've played in my undefeated streak, I have always gone first and have always issued the challenge, I feel it more fitting we keep it that way." The boy challenged.
"So be it, though there are times where you must learn that going second is the only choice you are given." The tactician glared, moving to the opposite side of the board.
"When I'm tactician that will never happen." Daniel smiled, as he moved his first pawn.
"Then what would happen if you were in an ambush, going second is your only option." Robin returned, moving his furthest left piece.
"A good strategist will never fall into one." The boy argued back, moving his bishop to the centre board.
"Somethings are inevitable, what would you do?" The man retaliated, moving his pawn one space next to his last one.
"Take the nearest one down." Daniel claimed, moving his bishop to capture Robin's first pawn, earning an applause for drawing first blood.
"And be left completely vulnerable." Robin countered, using his second pawn to take the bishop piece.
"What?! How did you do that?" The boy shouted.
"Pawns can only capture pieces moving diagonally, but can only move forward normally, that's basic knowledge." Robin replied calmly. "And you just lost one of your strongest units to one of my weakest, suppose this were a real battle, you would have already failed."
"A minor consequence to the larger picture, a worthy sacrifice." Daniel answered.
"Imbecile!" The tactician shouted. "A single loss of life is a tragedy, have you or have you not been listening to a single word Lady Emmeryn says?!"
"Death is inevitable in war; no man can change that." The young noble replied.
"No one should have to die for another's mistakes." Robin retaliated, motioning for his opponent to make his turn.
The back and forth continued like this for a long time, Daniel sending out a lone force, while Robin countered with a legion of his own, the battlefield was littered with casualty's, though few were on the tactician's side, the few pieces he had lost were purely to teach the younger fool, and now his massive force was beating on the doors of Daniel's king, the lone survivor of the hellish battle.
"This is impossible, surely you must have cheated." Daniel argued, not believing his inevitable loss. "I've never lost before."
"Has it never occurred to you that the people you challenged let you win?" Robin replied.
"An absurd claim, my victories were legitimate, unlike this victory of yours." The youth challenged.
"Daniel, stop making a fool of yourself and dishonouring our house." Nod barked, shouting the boy down.
"But uncle, surely there was some form of foul play involved." Daniel bit back.
"Foolish child, there have been focused eyes on the match this whole time, if anything your claims are unfounded and moot, accept your loss." Nod growled as he moved to grab the boy away. "I apologise tactician, you have proven your worth to me, my nephew's attitude stands much to be improved however." The noble apologised leading his whining nephew away with him.
"It is quite alright Lord Nod, I needed to prove my worth to you, it's a shame that not all present can accept that." Robin replied, waving his arm, before feeling a hand on his shoulder.
"Good work friend, that should stop some naysayer's." Chrom congratulated.
"For now, they'll find something else to question my position eventually." The tactician sighed, the political battlefield was endless.
"Until then you can rest easy, now I must introduce you to the only nobles I can actually stand." The prince motioned, dragging his white haired friend.
"Bravo, a fine showing young man." A greying man with a stoic build applauded, he was wearing a smart suit with a giant chain around his neck to signify his title, an emblem in the centre of it.
"Robin, allow me to introduce you to Maribelle's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Themis." Chrom introduced.
"A pleasure to meet your acquaintance milord, milady." Robin bowed.
"My, what a gentleman. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the women of the Shepherds are already smitten with you." A blonde woman standing arm in arm with the man smiled, she was wearing a modest red dress, and little jewellery.
"I highly doubt that Lady..?" Robin began, waiting on a reply.
"Janet. Janet Stone. I must thank you Sir Robin, had it not been for you, who knows what could have happened to my darling daughter." The duchess thanked, resisting the urge to smother the man in a hug.
"Maribelle is a fellow Shepherd, I was merely doing my duty to make sure that she and the rest of us do not fall during this and any future military campaign." The tactician replied, honestly, as he was proving to the naïve noble, any loss of life is a failure.
"You have a wise tactician Chrom, I'm glad that you have been able to find a leader who upholds our nation's ideals too its fullest." The duke spoke, nodding to the prince.
"Thank you, Lord Stone. Robin has become a great ally and friend to everyone in the Shepherds, his sense of duty and forward thinking has saved many a Shepherd from injury or worse, I could not thank him enough for what he has done." Chrom answered back.
"You honour me Chrom, but truly, I am just doing my duty, and what your sister upholds is something beautiful and I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing else will happen to her or this country." Robin stated resolutely.
"Well said, I'm sad my daughter couldn't be here, she was adamant in keeping away from politics for a time, I believe the last battle with Plegia has put a negative opinion on her as a liability. As a father, that pains me, so I hope that you can do whatever you can so that this negative stigma is wiped from her slate. And how many times must I tell you to call me Arthur, Prince Chrom?" Lord Stone requested, of both the tactician and prince.
"As many times as it takes it would seem Lord Stone." Chrom chuckled in reply. "Enjoyable as this has been, I'm afraid that we must begin the meeting." The blue haired man added.
"Indeed, this has been a delightful discussion, but pressing matters like these must be attended too as fast as possible. I know I'm going to definitely have a headache at the end of this." Robin spoke, rubbing his forehead.
"I hope these over 'nobles' don't leave a negative impression on you boy. Poise, precision and chivalry is what a noble should be." Lord Stone quoted, before taking their leave.
"Words to live by those ones." The tactician chuckled, before feeling the pain he has become all too familiar with in his head.
'Remember, **ad*. Poi**, ***c**ion and ch***lry is what a noble should be. Remember those words whenever someone tries to argue against it.' The distorted voice sounded. Some of it was clear while other parts were hard to hear properly.
"Let's get this over with Chrom." Robin sighed, as his friend took the lead.
"Exalt Emmeryn must be remain in Ylisstol, her safety will be ensured here, we have guards in the palace at all times." One noble debated, he was quite thin compared to most of the other nobles that were there at the meeting.
"Last night proved that guards are not enough, had it not been for the efforts of the Shepherds, Lady Emmeryn would most certainly be dead." Lord Smahl argued against, while he was originally for the side of having the Exalt stay in the city, the proof that the tactician actually knew what was happening swayed his thoughts.
Robin sighed, they had been going on about this for hours. The Nobles had split into two different factions, those who were for the Exalt leaving Ylisstol, and those against. There were still some in the middle, undecided, which was the main reason for the debate.
"Gentleman, Ladies, please. We've been going around in circles for hours. We need to come to a decision." Chrom spoke over the rabble. He was already suffering from a migraine.
"Prince Chrom, with all due respect, surely you must understand why Lady Emmeryn should be kept in the capital. The expenses it would mean is surely too great for a country about to go to war." Lord Bool countered, he was one of the lords who had brought his accountant. "Mr Landon here has already run the numbers. Should Ylisse commit to her safety, we would be bankrupt in the better part of a year." The portly man continued.
Robin decided he had had enough, the man only cared about his own coffers. "Lord Bool, if I may be so bold. Why would you believe that the war would even take a year?" The tactician smiled.
"Simple, the Pegasus Knights are strong enough to withhold any Plegian assault." The lord smirked confidently.
"The Pegasus Knights are a reactionary force, they mainly serve as the Exalt's elite guard. Those stationed at the boarder currently are there on reconnaissance. There is also the simple that, that there just isn't enough Pegasus Knights for an extended engagement and time. Ylisse does not have a formal army, we would be besieged within days." Robin countered.
"That is why we must enforce conscription, if we did have an-!" Another noble spoke up before Robin quickly interrupted him.
"Conscription goes against Ylisse's ideals, if anything the people would despair even more if such laws were enforced. The people love Lady Emmeryn, to go against that love for her, and her for them would be a disaster." The strategist argued.
"Hmmph, then what would you propose then…'tactician'." The man sneered, spitting the word as if it were poison on his tongue.
"Very well. What I propose is that the Shepherds escort Lady Emmeryn to safety, along with only her most elite guard, which would include commander Phila. The rest of the Pegasus Knights will go to the border post and will be the line of defence for the country. Where to take the Exalt however, something I don't know about." Robin presented, being met with applause by the side that valued the safety of the Exalt rather than their own coffers.
"I believe I have an answer for that." Chrom replied. "There is a safe house in the mountains to the east, I do not know the exact locations, only the hierarch does and so he will be accompanying us. Now if there are no further arguments, we must put this to a vote." The prince finished.
"I told you Chrom, I had it." Robin smirked, it had been an overwhelming victory for their side, his plan along with the denouncement of the ideas of the opposition had brought them an overwhelming victory. "How did Emmeryn take it?"
"She wasn't happy, but she accepted the decision." Chrom answered, it was to be expected, she didn't like the idea of being away from her people, but she could not argue against the council's decision for her safety.
"I'm guessing that the Pegasus Knights has already been dismissed to the border post?" The tactician asked.
"The letters have been sent and they will be on their way tomorrow, we're planned for departure in two days' time." The prince replied.
"That's more than enough time to rest up, my side is killing me." Robin joked, he needed to head to the infirmary for his dressings to be re done.
"Indeed, we need you to be in peak condition, we need to be prepared for any occasions. We'll inform the rest of the Shepherds on the circumstances tomorrow. Until then go and rest up friend, you've definitely earned it." Chrom agreed, giving him a light punch in the shoulder, before sending him on his way.
A/N: And fin...another chapter in the books, I hoped you enjoyed this one I know i've been keeping it hanging for a while. Now some of you may not know this, but I will be putting 'A Princess Story' and 'A Robin's Final Fantasy' on hiatus for a bit, the workload began to pile up and multiple writing blocks hit hard. They will return in due time.
Now the Question for this chapter: What type of DLC are you expecting for Shadows of Valentia, it looks so good and I'm so hype? Leave answers in the reviews and all criticism is welcome...I'll see you all next time.