Author's Notes:
This is kind of a late post, referring to both the day of the week and the hour at which I am posting this chapter. Compared to the earlier chapters, my most recent chapters have all begun to become much longer. For example, this chapter, which isn't even the longest one, is about three times as many words as my first chapter in the story. As such, I've found that it requires a bit more time to write and proofread, meaning I won't be able to post as many chapters as frequently as when I first started. I'll try to get at least one chapter out per week though. Possibly more, if the chapters are a little shorter.
That's it for now, here is Chapter 29:
Command Tent, Shepherds' Camp…
Things were becoming quiet in the command tent. Maribelle was still working on Flavia's wounds, and Frederick was still standing guard.
Seeing as the mood was still pretty heavy from the revelation that Basilio had died, Robin decided to try his best and do something about it.
"I've got something pretty suitable for this occasion." he said.
"And what might that be?" Chrom asked.
Robin pulled out his last bottle of Feroxi wine.
"This." he declared as he placed the bottle on the table.
"Wine?" Say'ri asked. "How could you be thinking about drinking at a time like this, Sir Robin?"
"No, it makes sense." Flavia actually managed to let out a chuckle. "In Regna Ferox, wine is reserved for sorrowful occasions. It's entirely appropriate at a time like this. What's more surprising to me is that Robin has some of the stuff in the first place. I didn't think he was a heavy drinker."
Chrom shrugged. "Works for me. I could use a drink or two right about now."
He turned towards Frederick. "Would you mind getting some glasses or cups from the kitchen? Glasses would be preferred, but we can use whatever we have."
Frederick bowed. "Of course, milord."
"Get one for yourself, and Maribelle as well!" Robin called after him as the Great Knight was about to leave the tent.
"Me?" Maribelle asked in surprise.
"Oh don't be like that." Chrom laughed. "I know for a fact that this won't be the first time that you have had wine."
"Besides, drinking is better when there are more people." Flavia said. "And I'm thinking we could all use a drink or two right about now. If nothing else, think of it as a personal thank you for tending to my wounds."
"All right," Maribelle conceded as she just getting finished with dressing Flavia's injuries. "I suppose I will join you all for a drink."
Soon, Frederick returned with glasses, surprisingly. Apparently, they did have some of them in case there was a reason for celebration, which made it pretty ironic. Robin used the bottle opener Frederick had also brought with him to take the cork out of the bottle. He began to pour the wine for everyone.
"This is pretty good." Flavia commented. "It's been a while since I've had Feroxi wine."
"It's a little different from Ylissean wine, but it still is magnificent." Maribelle agreed.
Chrom raised his glass. "In honor of Basilio." he declared.
"In honor of Basilio." Everyone parroted back.
There was only one bottle shared amongst the six of them, so it wasn't enough to get anyone severely drunk. However, there clearly was a difference in how much alcohol they could each have.
Robin and Flavia felt almost nothing. Flavia has had a lot of experience drinking, and so the wine didn't really have much of an effect on her. And although Robin doesn't drink too frequently, alcohol doesn't seem to have too large of an effect on him either. After all, he had downed an entire bottle of wine by himself before. One sixth of a bottle was nothing compared to that.
Chrom and Maribelle were taking the drink relatively well too. They've both been somewhat accustomed to drinking the stuff since they were both considered Ylissean nobility.
However, Say'ri and Frederick were a different story. Say'ri hadn't really had alcohol before, that, coupled with her smaller figure made the alcohol more difficult for her body to handle. She wasn't necessarily drunk, but she was feeling more than just a little buzzed. Frederick, on the other hand, was more of a surprise. It seems that although the Great Knight was a battle hardened veteran, drinking was NOT something he was an expert at.
"A Knight usually does not drink, in order to keep his wits sharp." Frederick told the rest of them when he was questioned. "I'm simply not used to it, is all."
As they drank, they talked about a few things. But considering the situation, no one really was in the mood to talk too much about anything in specific.
"This has been nice," Flavia admitted, after they poured out the last drop from the bottle. "But it IS getting late as well. We should go rest up for tomorrow. I'm sure there's a long day's march ahead."
Robin nodded. "Yes, you're right."
The six members inside the tent left and returned to their own tents for the night.
Robin slowly made his way towards his own tent. The flickering light from a campfire lit up the darkness just enough for him to make out where he was going. His mind was still racing with thoughts about the previous day, and thoughts about how they will be able to take on Walhart in the near future.
"Robin!" A voice called to him.
Robin turned towards the direction the voice had come from, he squinted, and made out a figure approaching him from the shadows.
Eventually, as the figure drew closer, some light from a nearby fire was able to illuminate her face.
"Anna?" Robin asked. "Did you need something?"
"I just needed to find something out." Anna said, as she crossed her arms. "You warned me before the battle that I needed to be careful. I will admit, I might not have taken your advice as seriously as I probably should have. But that still doesn't explain WHY you knew in the first place."
"Oh, so that's what this is about?" Robin chuckled. "Well I kind of already told you. I had a dream, a premonition… actually, I don't even know if I could call it that. It was a vision of something that happened during Lucina's timeline."
"Wait… a vision from Lucina's timeline?" Anna asked dubiously. "How is that even possible?"
"I'm not sure either." Robin shrugged. "I've been having some lucid dreams lately. In the dreams, there's been a figure that talks to me… he says that the memories of the Robin from her future are beginning to intertwine with my own. And so I get these visions once in a while. I happened to have one of the battle with Yen'fay's troops."
"And… what would have happened if you hadn't known?" Anna said. Her face darkened and her gaze was downcast.
"You… you would have been completely caught off guard by that Griffon Rider." Robin admitted. "In my vision, you fell and burned to death."
"I… see." Anna whispered, still not able to meet Robin's eyes with her own. "I guess that means you've saved my life then."
"I suppose, but I wouldn't think too much of it." Robin said. "That's what we're supposed to do for each other, right?"
"So I guess I also was a shepherd in the future then." Anna concluded. "Lucina said she had never heard of me, and I initially thought that that meant I had never met you all in the first place… but I guess if I died in the war against Valm, Lucina would still have been extremely young at the time, right? So in other words, I died before she was old enough to meet all of the shepherds and remember them."
"I think you might be right." Robin nodded.
"And that's what you were trying to say, right?" Anna continued. "That the river of time favors its original course?"
"Yes." Robin said solemnly. "I have a feeling that, like Emmeryn, even though we prevented your death here, there's a good chance that you may still die in the future. This means, I will need you to continue being extremely careful. We don't know for sure that it will happen, but based on our prior experiences, I'd say it's definitely possible."
"Got it." Anna nodded. "I'll be more careful."
Robin smiled. "Good. That would put my mind at ease."
"But I still don't understand." Anna said, finally allowing herself to look up at Robin's face. "How come your memories are mixing with the Robin's from the future? Isn't that Robin already dead?"
"That's what Lucina says." Robin nodded. "I still don't understand much about this whole time traveling thing, and I have had suspicions in the past that the Robin from the future is not actually dead, but in the end, I don't have any evidence to back up either conclusion. Given that we do not know exactly how things work, I wouldn't be able to rule out the possibility of inheriting a dead person's memories from the future."
"Then how come I haven't had any dreams or visions?" Anna asked. "And to the best of my knowledge, no one else had anything like that either. Come to think of it, wouldn't everyone in the world have that happen to them then?"
"I don't know." Robin grimaced. "It pains me to say it, but I really don't know. My guess is… maybe it has something to do with the fact that I lost my memories. That's the only thing really differentiating me with everyone else. But that's just it… that's just a theory. There's no evidence to back anything up. I'm just as clueless about this whole thing as anyone else. All I know is that these visions I keep having… they seem to have some truth behind them."
"Well, in any case..." Anna smiled up at the taller man. "I'm really glad you were looking out for me. Fighting under the command of someone like you… even though a soldier constantly risks their life on the battlefield, it feels as though I am perfectly safe with you as the leader. I think most of the other shepherds feel the same way."
"That's exactly what I strive for." Robin returned the smile. "And I will admit, it feels really good to hear someone say that to me once in a while."
"I'd be willing to say it to you every night if you wanted." Anna managed to say, even as she felt her face beginning to heat up. "If you don't mind, that is."
Robin didn't seem to understand what Anna was hinting at. Perhaps the alcohol was affecting him slightly at this point. "Yes, I'm sure I wouldn't." he casually said.
"Well, you're probably very tired." Anna giggled. "And I'd wager that most everyone is. So I'll stop bothering you for now and let you get some rest then."
She waved Robin goodbye and began to head over to her own tent. Robin watched her leave for a minute or so, before doing the exact same.
Robin found that he was indeed extremely exhausted. He dropped into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.
Hours later…
Robin, once again, woke up from a nightmare.
"I swear… I've had that exact same dream before…" he muttered to himself. "It felt familiar somehow…"
The unusual part was that he was not visited by Grima in his sleep this time, so there wasn't anyone he could talk to in order to clarify things. He vaguely remembered fighting against a sorcerer with the help of Chrom. The details were kind of fuzzy, but he distinctly remembered defeating the sorcerer, only to turn around and kill Chrom.
"Another vision of the future?" Robin wondered to himself. "No, it couldn't be. Why would I voluntarily kill Chrom?"
He shook his head, trying to remember anything else in the dream. He tried to picture the location, the other people that might have been there, the face of the sorcerer…
That's when it struck him. The sorcerer was someone he had met before. It was someone he had FOUGHT against.
"Validar!" Robin exclaimed, gritting his teeth. What was Validar doing in his dream, and why was he fighting the Plegian king? There definitely was something wrong, but Robin couldn't place a finger on it.
Robin eventually shook his head. "Worrying about such things is pointless right now." he eventually told himself. "Even if we need to fight against Validar in the future, that's a problem for when we return home." he reasoned. "For now, we need to focus on defeating Walhart. Then and only then will we make arrangements for dealing with Validar."
He rubbed his face with his hands. There really was no need for him to try and fall back asleep anymore. He had slept enough.
Robin got up and reached for his cloak. The piece of clothing was a part of him now. Besides when he needed to wash it, there was almost never a time where Robin could be seen without it.
He made his way outside. It was still dark out, and aside from the assigned guards that kept watch at a few of the camps, there was no one outside.
Robin hastily went to one of the fire pits, and began to light one for himself. He slowly nursed the flame until it was large enough to sustain itself with the help of the larger pieces of firewood.
Feeling satisfied with the fire he had created, Robin sat back and pulled out a book. Like many nights before, he utilized the several hours he had before everyone else woke up to get some more reading done.
The Next Morning…
The news of Basilio's death spread quickly through camp. He was someone important to many of the soldiers and many of the shepherds as well, so the mood of everyone was not the greatest that morning. However, this only tightened the resolve of everyone to defeat the Valmese empire in honor of Basilio's sacrifice.
The plan for the day was pretty simple. The shepherds will simply march towards the Imperial Capital of Valm. Assuming everything goes as expected, there shouldn't be any resistance on the way there.
The shepherds had a quick breakfast, and cleared down camp. Everyone prepared themselves for the long day of marching ahead.
Lucina decided that she had to do something. Standing by and watching from the sidelines won't work, after all. If she wanted Robin to notice her, she will need to take a little bit of initiative. Yesterday had not been too enjoyable for her, after all. She watched Robin hug and comfort Say'ri when Yen'fay died, and according to some of the other shepherds, Robin had sought out Anna before the battle in order to have a private conversation with her. To Lucina, these things were slightly troubling, and more than enough to make her a little jealous. Even though she had also shared several moments like that with Robin, Lucina unconsciously felt possessive and, deep down, wanted to monopolize Robin's attention.
Lucina walked up to Robin as they were marching.
"Good morning, Robin!" she greeted him.
Robin took a moment to register her presence. "Hmm? Oh, good morning Lucina."
"Did you… have something on your mind?" Lucina asked out of concern. "I hope I wasn't bothering you at all."
"I guess you could say that." Robin admitted. "I'm trying to figure out how to go about fighting Walhart. Based on what Flavia told me, we'll probably be at a severe disadvantage in terms of equipment, and possibly even skill."
"You'll definitely figure something out." Lucina smiled.
"Oh?" Robin raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you so sure?"
"Well," Lucina brought an index finger to her lips as she looked towards the sky. "It's what happened in the future, right? Not only that, but you managed to lead the shepherds to victory against Walhart even with Father being incredibly injured. Compared to my timeline, things are a little better for us now, right? Father is still healthy, and I'm also here to help."
"You're right." Robin smiled at her as he scratched his neck. "If I could do it then, then I should be able to do it now, right? Especially since I have more resources this time."
"And besides…" Lucina continued. "Even if I didn't consider the events of the future, I'd still have absolute faith in you to pull something off."
"And why is that?" Robin asked.
"Because." Lucina responded. "In the future, you were considered a miracle worker. Against all odds, you'd be able to find a path to victory. When I was little, there were stories of you all throughout the castle. After all, you were to one to lead the shepherds and defeat Walhart without allowing the shepherds to suffer a single casualty. I believe in YOU, Robin. I know you're capable of beating him this time too."
Lucina meant for her words to be comforting, which was why she was a little puzzled at Robin's sullen expression.
"That's where you're wrong." Robin responded. "There WERE casualties among the shepherds."
"What?" Lucina asked, quite confused. "What do you mean? I'm pretty sure there wasn't any. The stories said that you defeated Walhart and kept all the shepherds alive."
"Anna." Robin responded. "She died in the future during the battle against Yen'fay. I got a vision of it during one of my dreams. And I can't really explain to you why, but I KNOW that it was definitely something that happened."
"Anna?" Lucina asked.
"You mentioned that she wasn't one of the shepherds at some point." Robin continued. "But I think that's because she died before you were old enough to understand. The Lucina in this timeline is only a few years old after all. You probably just never heard of her in the future. It actually kind of disappoints me that I let that happen."
"I… see." Lucina said, feeling fairly sullen herself. Maybe Robin did like and want Anna instead of her.
"However, I remember that you said that fate always tends to follow its original course." Robin conceded. "This might actually work to our advantage then. It's possible that we'll defeat Walhart simply because we defeated him in the future."
"Yes, you're right!" Lucina agreed, eager to talk about something that actually brings her hope. "I'm sure that's what will happen!"
"I know you might have been young at the time, but is there anything you know of, maybe from a story or something, of how I managed to defeat Walhart in your timeline?" Robin asked.
"No…" Lucina frowned. "I've only heard the stories of you defeating him. As for how you did it, no one really specified."
"That's too bad." Robin sighed. "I guess I was hoping for a little too much. But it's fine I suppose. I guess I just have to figure something out from scratch…"
"I KNOW you can do it." Lucina smiled up at Robin while she grabbed his arm with both of hers.
Robin was a little stunned. He blinked a couple times and redirected his gaze down to his arm. Lucina followed his gaze, and finally realized that she was clinging to the tactician's arm. Her cheeks began to heat up furiously as she withdrew her arms in a hurry.
"S-sorry!" Lucina stammered. "U-um… I'll go now." she gave him a small bow before running off to find her father.
"No, it's quite all right…" Robin muttered, although the princess probably didn't hear him. His lips curled up into a slight smile.
With Sumia…
Sumia was planning on picking her daughter's brain during the march today. Well, that HAD been her plan. However, things did not go quite as expected because Robin had monopolized her time.
Technically, it had been Lucina who had been monopolizing Robin's time, and for some strange reason, Sumia felt that she shouldn't interrupt them. After all, they could be talking about serious things, such as the upcoming battle with Walhart. In comparison, what Sumia had wanted to talk about has much lower priority after all.
She decided to wait. She joined in the conversation with some of the shepherds around her, and looked back at her daughter once in a while to see if she was done talking with Robin.
Sumia giggled internally when she saw how earnestly and how eagerly Lucina seemed to be, talking to Robin. Robin, on the other hand, seemed to have something on his mind and only partially paid attention to the future princess.
What shocked her was when she looked back at the two of them… and saw Lucina holding onto Robin's arm.
Sumia was pretty sure she was seeing things. She blinked a couple of times and rubbed her eyes. However, her eyes didn't seem to be deceiving her. Lucina… her daughter… was clutching onto the arm of Robin.
This, however, didn't last for very long. Lucina immediately let go of his arm, and seemed to be extremely embarrassed by it. She hastily ran away, presumably to go find Chrom.
'Hmm…' Sumia thought to herself. 'Maybe this is something we'll have to discuss in the near future…'
Later that afternoon…
The shepherds had just set up camp after a long day's march. Robin had a meeting with Chrom, Say'ri and Flavia earlier, and they discussed some more details based on the newly acquired information their scouts got them.
Afterwards, Olivia had come to him to report on all of the progress she had made. She found that it was easier than she expected to be able to combine sword fighting with combat with daggers. Also, she apparently asked Virion really nicely during their down times to show her how to shoot a bow. All she had to do was beg him with as cute of an expression as possible, and the archer instantly caved.
Although she could certainly still use some practice, she has at least got the fundamentals down after a few hours of practice.
Currently, Robin was sitting by himself, becoming completely lost in his own thoughts. He vaguely noticed Tiki come sit across the campfire pit from him. At first, it didn't bother him at all, but he could feel the Manakete's intense gaze on him.
Eventually, Tiki let out a sigh.
"Can I help you, Lady Tiki?" Robin asked finally. "You've been… well you've stared at me for quite a long time."
"Oh, I'm sorry Robin." Tiki replied. "Was I bothering you?"
"I was more worried that something might be bothering YOU." Robin responded.
"Well…" Tiki began. "It's just that you look remarkably like someone I used to know."
"Really?" Robin asked.
"Yes." Tiki nodded. "Specifically, a man named Marth. Many ages past, this was. He was wise, calm and fair, but possessed an inner strength as resilient as steel."
"Marth?" Robin asked in disbelief. "You mean the warrior king of legend?"
"The one and the same." Tiki confirmed. "I had the honor of calling King Marth a friend. So perhaps you can understand why I gazed upon you with nostalgia and… longing."
"Sorry, did you just say…" Robin shook his head. "Nevermind. If you're talking about THAT King Marth, isn't he a distant relative of Chrom? Wouldn't he look more like him than me?"
"Chrom may be closer related to Marth, but they are not alike." Tiki clarified. "Chrom is much more direct, and committed to what he believes is right. Chrom might more resemble a different ancestor, from the age I was born in. Another great man from 1000 years before Marth…"
"I… see." Robin nodded. "So when you say I resemble Marth, you aren't talking about my appearance."
"No." Tiki agreed. "I was talking about your soul. Your aura is extremely similar to that of the wise King Marth."
"That's very flattering, I guess." Robin smiled. "Thanks Lady Tiki."
"Oh, Mar-Mar, there's no need to call me 'Lady', just Tiki is fine." Tiki told him.
"Mar-Mar?" Robin asked.
"Ahh!" Tiki immediately began to blush furiously at her slip of the tongue, which, Robin had to admit, looked extremely cute. "Forgive me! I was in the habit of calling Marth by that name… it slipped out by mistake."
Tiki let out a sigh of exasperation. "Gracious, the resemblance is uncanny, it's making me forget what millenium it is!"
"I suppose there are worse people to be mistaken for." Robin chuckled.
"Still, I must insist that you call me Tiki." Tiki pressed. "It feels weird to have you call me 'Lady'. It would be similar to if Chrom referred to Say'ri or Flavia as 'Milady'."
"Really?" Robin looked at her dubiously. "I'm pretty sure that's not an equivalent comparison. But… if it makes you feel more comfortable, I shall resolve to do my best… Tiki."
Tiki gave Robin a heartwarming smile. "Thanks, Robin."
"Lady Tiki! Sir Robin!" The two of them turned to see Say'ri approaching them. "Dinner is ready. Shall we go eat?"
"Yes, that sounds fantastic." Robin said as he got up. Tiki followed his lead.
The three of them made their way towards the dining hall.
One meal later...
The dinner wasn't anything too fantastic, but it did the job of filling them up. As the sun began to set, and the day drew to a close, rain began to fall. It started with just a light drizzle, but eventually grew to become an extremely heavy downpour. Fortunately, the ground they set their camp up on was extremely resilient to downpours. The falling water began to collect itself and began to flow towards the various rivers and tributaries throughout the area, leaving the ground relatively dry, despite the intense rainfall.
Many of the shepherds elected to simply return to their tents for the night. There wasn't much more they're able to do. The rain made it impossible for them to have a campfire. However, there were some that decided to say in the dining hall to converse, or play cards.
Robin and Lucina both went back to their own tents. Robin didn't mind, because it meant he had plenty of time to read and plan for the following day. And Lucina did so because she still didn't feel comfortable enough to just casually sit and converse with the the other shepherds in the dining hall.
"Why did I do that?" Lucina muttered as she rubbed her cheeks. She was sitting on top of her bedroll. "I grabbed his arm without thinking. Oh Naga… I've never been more embarrassed! And his reaction… I'm pretty sure that's not a good sign…"
Lucina let out a quiet whine. "Why is this so difficult? Why does it feel like this is becoming more and more of a hopeless cause with every day?"
Suddenly, she heard a noise from just outside her tent.
"Lucina?" a female voice asked. "May I come in?"
"Mother?" Lucina responded in surprise. "Y-yes, come in."
Sumia unzipped the tent flap from the outside and stepped in. She closed her umbrella.
"Whew!" Sumia wiped her brow. "It sure is raining hard outside tonight!"
"Y-yeah." Lucina agreed. "Did you need something, mother?"
"Yeah… well, no." Sumia said, after thinking about it. "I just wanted to have a talk with you."
"Oh? And what shall we talk about?" Lucina asked.
"Lucina…" Sumia asked. "Do you feel comfortable talking to me?"
"Yes." Lucina said without hesitation. "You're my mother after all. There's little I wouldn't be able to talk to you about."
"Good. It makes me happy to hear you say that." Sumia smiled. "So then, there's something I need to ask you, and I hope you'll give me an honest answer."
"Of course." Lucina returned the gesture. "I'll do my best."
'She's probably going to ask me about Father in the future or something.' Lucina thought to herself. 'I just need to give an answer to the best of my ability.'
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Sumia asked.
"Eh… what?" Lucina asked. She didn't think she heard her right.
"You know what a boyfriend is." Sumia stated. "I just want to know if you have one."
Lucina blushed furiously, as she was completely caught off guard.
"Aha! So you DO have one then?" Sumia concluded. "Is it one of the boys you came back from the future with?"
"No, mother, I DON'T." Lucina protested. "I don't have anyone like that."
"Really?" Sumia asked. "Then why were you so embarrassed?'
Sumia gasped in understanding. "So there's someone you LIKE then."
Lucina fidgeted around nervously from on top of her bedroll. Her blush never faded. Sumia took this as a sign of confirmation from her.
"Don't worry, you can tell me." Sumia told her. "And I'm a little curious as well. What sort of man is my daughter interested in?"
Lucina frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. Although this was something her friends knew, and even though the Sumia of the future had an inkling of it, for some reason, she felt extremely nervous about admitting it to her mother from this timeline. Perhaps it's because Robin was still alive here, after all.
"If you're not willing to tell me, would it be fine for me to take a guess?" Sumia asked.
Lucina slowly nodded. That's a little less stressful for her.
"You have to tell me if I'm right, OK?" Sumia half demanded. "Is it Robin?"
Lucina's eyes went wide and her face managed to somehow turn even redder, giving Sumia the only answer she needed.
"Yes…" Lucina finally admitted. "I… I really like Robin. But that's because when I was little, he spent so much time with me when you and Father were busy. He was so nice to me… cooking for me, playing with me, reading to me… he even carved a wooden Falchion for me to play with… Over time, I began to develop a crush for him. And when I returned to this timeline, it was a feeling that only grew stronger."
"D'aww…. That's so cute." Sumia giggled. "I'm happy that my daughter had someone like that in her life I guess."
"H-how?" Lucina asked. "How did you know?"
"Oh, I noticed you grabbing onto his arm earlier today." Sumia giggled. "And so, that's why I chose to guess him. Besides, there's not many other people I think I COULD guess."
"That was an accident!" Lucina protested. "I didn't even mean to grab his arm!"
"Yes, but it would never have happened, even by accident, if you didn't see Robin in that way." Sumia winked. "Don't worry about it, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Robin's a fantastic man, after all. I wholeheartedly approve."
"You're not mad?" Lucina asked. "Robin is Father's… and your friend."
"True, it would be considered extremely awkward normally, but the thing is, even though you're our daughter, you are about the same age as us." Sumia told her. "I don't think there is anything wrong with liking someone around your age, especially if that someone is Robin. He's quite a catch after all."
"Except… he'll probably never see me that way." Lucina said dejected. "He's probably more into someone like Anna."
"You never know!" Sumia comforted her. "How will you find out if you never talk to him about it? Even if he doesn't feel the same way about you, I'm sure he'll try his best to make sure he doesn't hurt your feelings too much. And who knows, maybe he feels the same way."
"But he probably doesn't!" Lucina exclaimed.
"Then is it better to just wait and do nothing?" Sumia asked. "And what if he isn't strictly against you? What if he's indifferent, but because you express your interest in him, he'll begin to notice you more BECAUSE of that?"
Lucina paused to think about that. It wasn't something that had occurred to her before.
"And…" Sumia continued. "We ARE at war right now. Even though things happened one way during your timeline, there could always be changes. None of our lives are guaranteed. If you, or Robin for that matter, were to die in the upcoming battle against Walhart, wouldn't you feel miserable about not ever telling him how you truly felt about him?"
Lucina sat there in silence, because she had nothing to say. She could only think and reflect upon her mother's words.
Sumia got up and prepared to leave. "Still, I'm very glad I came to talk. If he is someone you intend to pursue, I'll gladly support your choice. And I think Chrom would feel the same way." Sumia giggled. "He'll be surprised at first, but I'm sure he'll come around once the idea settles in."
"Please!" Lucina begged. "Don't tell Father! Not yet… at least."
Sumia winked at her daughter. "All right, I promise."
"Oooh! This is so exciting!" Lucina heard her mumble as she exited the tent. "This feels like something straight out of a romance novel!"
With that, the Dark Flier left the tent, and left Lucina alone to reflect upon the conversation they just had.
She eventually fell asleep with a lot on her mind.
Meanwhile, with Robin…
Robin was busy studying the map that Chrom was able to get of the Imperial Capital. In order to be successful in the upcoming battle, he'll need to be as informed as he could possibly be. The lives of the rest of the shepherds were in his hands, after all.
Usually, there weren't many people that looked for him while he was in his tent. Most people take that as a sign that he didn't want to be disturbed. Robin didn't explicitly say that, but he did admit that most of the time, this was indeed the case.
However, there was a tap at his tent this evening, despite the heavy rain.
"Who is it?" Robin called.
"It is I, Say'ri." A female voice replied. "Prithee, may I enter?"
"Yeah, sure." Robin said in surprise.
Say'ri soon was inside the tent. She noticed what Robin was working on.
"Please, have a seat." Robin gestured to his bedroll. Unlike the rest of the shepherds, Robin had a table and chair inside his tent, which made it a lot more convenient for him to study or make battle plans. He'd offer Say'ri the chair, but that would make it impossible for him to study the map. Whatever Say'ri wanted, it shouldn't take too long, right?
"Would it… really be all right for me to sit here?" Say'ri asked dubiously.
"Yeah, it's no problem." Robin replied. "There's no reason for you to stand, after all."
"That is most gracious of you." Say'ri smiled, and accepted the invitation.
"So what brings you here tonight?" Robin asked.
"Well… I was worried." Say'ri admitted. "Aye, we've made it quite far in this campaign, but Walhart is a whole 'nother beast. The thought of fighting his personal forces… well it's been keeping me up in the nights."
Robin looked at her, and she indeed have an extremely worried expression on her face, and he could see a couple light bags underneath her eyes.
"We'll do it." Robin comforted her. "We'll accomplish what others deem impossible. I'll make sure it happens."
"Aye, I believe in you, Sir Robin." Say'ri let out a melancholic smile. "But… still, I feel as if my worries are completely rational."
Robin sighed and got up. He made his way around Say'ri, and knelt down behind her. Say'ri tried to turn her head, but Robin placed his hands on her shoulders.
"You really have been stressing yourself out too much lately." Robin noted as he began to lightly rub her shoulders. "Your muscles are all knotted up."
"Sir Robin, there is no need for that!" Say'ri protested. "After all, you must be just as tired as the rest of us!"
Robin laughed in response. "You carry the burden of your entire homeland. In comparison, I have little to worry about. I just plan the strategies for our battles, and the rest is up to Frederick and Chrom. And I'm sure even they are doing fine. They both have a warm bed to return to, after all."
Robin continued to rub her shoulders as he spoke. At first, Say'ri winced in pain, but soon, it became extremely relaxing for her. Although she felt comfortable, Say'ri couldn't help but let out a sigh at what Robin had also reminded her of.
"Sir Robin…" Say'ri began. "Might I be able to ask you a question?"
"Sure." Robin nodded.
"I'll just say it directly." Say'ri told him. "Is there a woman you're interested in?"
Robin momentarily stopped moving his hands in surprise, but he quickly recovered. "Why, Say'ri, I didn't think you were the type to be into gossip." he smirked. "Nowi, Maribelle, even Sumia maybe, but not you!"
"You mistake me, Sir Robin." Say'ri shook her head. "I had no intention of spreading such delicate information among the others. It was strictly due to personal interest."
"I… see." Robin slowly responded, beginning to suspect Say'ri's true intentions. "Well, yes. There is."
"And that woman…" Say'ri continued. "Prithee, answer me honestly… she is not me, is she?"
Robin sighed, his suspicions becoming true.
"No. She is not." he finally said. "Although… I suppose you are flattering me with your thoughts and intentions."
"Fie!" Say'ri let out a sullen sigh. "I understand that I couldn't possibly be that fortunate. However, even though the result is not what I want, it still feels good to know… in a way."
"Sorry…" Robin said sheepishly. "I-"
"Nay, Sir Robin, don't say that." Say'ri shook her head. "Don't say anything. I completely understand. We haven't known each other for very long, after all. However, I am morbidly curious… This woman… could she happen to be among the shepherds?"
Robin narrowed his eyes. "...Yeah. She is." he finally responded.
Say'ri let out a sigh of relief. "Then I am satisfied."
"And what do you mean by that?" Robin chuckled nervously.
Say'ri reached her hands up and pushed away Robin's hands from her shoulders. She turned to look him in the eye.
"I understand that I have no place in your heart, Sir Robin." she told him seriously. "However, this is something I must say. Whoever it may be that you're into… I will respect them, regardless of my feelings towards you. However… if something does not or can not work out between the two of you, know that you will always have a place and be welcome in MY heart."
Say'ri leaned in and kissed Robin on the cheek.
Robin blinked twice, but was otherwise speechless.
Say'ri pulled back and wiped away a tear beginning to form in her eye. "Sorry, Sir Robin. It seems I've distracted you quite enough. I will be taking my leave now."
She got up and picked her umbrella up from the floor. "And thank you. Thank for you the shoulder rub, but more importantly, thank you for giving me hope. From this moment on, I will do my best to treat our friendship as strictly platonic."
Say'ri gave Robin one last melancholic smile before she exited the tent.
Robin knelt there dumbfounded for yet another moment. Finally, he slowly touched the area that Say'ri's lips had contacted his face with his fingers. A wistful smile formed on Robin's face.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." he muttered to himself. "I know this wouldn't be what you want, but I honestly hope it doesn't come to that."
He shook his head to clear it. "Refocus, Robin. You have an important role to fill tomorrow."
It was only after she left Robin's tent before Say'ri finally allowed tears to freely fall off her face. They mingled with the raindrops, and even if someone were to chance upon her, they wouldn't be able to tell she were crying in the dim light of the moon.
"Even though there may be still a sliver of hope… it's better if I assume that my chances are gone." Say'ri murmured to herself. "However… I don't regret for a second what I did."
She slowly made her way back to her own tent and retired for the evening.
The Next Morning…
The shepherds got up feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Today will be the day they reach the Imperial capital, and possibly take down Walhart. After a hearty breakfast, they tore down camp once again and began to march.
Lucina had thought about the conversation she had the previous night with her mother. However, she still didn't have the courage to be able to talk to Robin about it.
'I'll tell him after we defeat Walhart…' Lucina thought to herself. 'Maybe… maybe I'll be able to work up the courage by then.'
Soon, the Shepherds continued to march towards the northwest. There wasn't quite as much conversation, and the mood was a little more serious. A great battle was about to unfold after all.
Soon, the Imperial Capital came into view. The shepherds, surprisingly, were able to approach the gates without too much resistance.
"Where is his army?" Chrom asked.
"No sign of them yet, milord." Frederick responded immediately.
"Hmm…." Robin looked slightly puzzled.
"I don't like it." Flavia stated. "They could be buying time."
"For what?" Lissa asked. "Do they even need to do that? Why not just take us on directly?"
"Maybe there's something going on that we don't know about…" Robin muttered.
Meanwhile…
Cervantes watched as the Ylisseans approached from inside the Imperial Capital with glee.
"The fools have no idea what they've just stepped into!" he cackled happily.
"Mmm… the anticipation before a battle… My hairs stand on end!" Cervantes exclaimed. "Every one of them! Makes it difficult to brush, I must say… But today's struggle will set the course of history once and for all."
"Today's 'struggle', Cervantes?" Excellus asked. "I think you mean today's SLAUGHTER."
"That's the spirit, tactician!" Cervantes laughed.
"What? No!" Cervantes exclaimed in surprise. The chubby eunuch let out a sigh of exasperation. "I JUST finished explaining this to you! What is wrong with your ears? The Resistance will destroy itself… and you and I have no need to even lift a single finger. The Ylisseans probably think that the Dynasts no longer fear us… But what they don't understand is just how… persuasive my methods can be. They'll know once they see their former friends with their knives to their backs!"
"Chives and flapjacks, you say?" Cervantes asked. "Why, yes. I could go for some. It's important to be well nourished before a battle after all."
"This battle was won before it was even started!" Excellus continued, ignoring the mustached General. "And we have no need to risk for any further casualties! Brilliant, if I do say so myself. And really, no one is really capable of judging. So, General Cervantes? Tea? I have a stash of gray root blend here… simply divine!"
"Why Excellus, thank you!" Cervantes exclaimed. "It is quite a divine 'stache, isn't it? Eh wot!"
"You imbecile!" Excellus exclaimed angrily. "Stash! The tea! Oh… why do I even bother… If only there were someone with the intellect to appreciate my talents…"
As the two were in the middle of conversing, a large man in crimson red armor walked up to them.
"Cervantes." The man demanded.
"Y-yes, master Walhart!" Cervantes hastily bowed.
"Who is the pinnacle of man, in body, mind and spirit?" Walhart asked. "Who is greater than the gods?"
"Only you, my master!" Cervantes quickly replied.
"Why Excellus, that seems to contradict your last statement." Walhart glared at his tactician. "What say you?"
"M-master!" Excellus stammered. "I assure you, I meant no offense! I only celebrate achievements in your service, master. To your glory."
"Glory is won on the battlefield!" Walhart informed him. "Glory is meeting your opponent's eyes and watching the hope drain away from them along with their life. Glory is not won by being holed up in a castle with cowardly plots and schemes. And I'll be dead before I let some dynast farmer take today's glory in my stead!"
"Oh, why yes, of course!" Excellus nervously laughed. "And so well put, my master! I only meant that…"
However, Walhart ignored him and didn't let Excellus finish. He turned around and headed for the stables.
"That sick mind of yours sees much, Excellus. That much is certain." Cervantes conceded. "But for someone so clever, you can really be quite daft."
"What!?" Excellus exclaimed. "You DARE speak to me like some child!? Like you EQUAL!?"
Cervantes let out a hearty laugh. "Your equal? No, fear not. I would never think of you as my equal, worm. Now if you'll excuse me, I have preparations to make before the battle."
"Broom face twit!" Excellus muttered to himself at Cervantes's retreating figure. "To hell with you! To both of you!"
The round sage sighed to himself. "Now, Excellus, keep your wits about you. They're all you have, after all… besides good looks that is. Let Walhart charge ahead… that big stupid lobster! I'll end up on the winning side one way or another!"
He cackled to himself as he scurried away.
Outside…
"Look!" Lissa exclaimed, pointing at a new group of mounted fighters that walked out of the gates leading up to the capital.
"That's him, isn't it?" Chrom asked. "Walhart… brave of him to face us."
"Brave?" Say'ri asked. "Aye… but it's more likely he just wants to enjoy himself."
"Remember what we talked about!" Robin called to everyone. "As expected, Walhart's forces are mostly mounted. Those of you given one of the Beastslayers, make sure to use them to the best of your ability."
Fortunately, Anna was able to get her hands on some of these lances that are especially designed for combating against horses. Robin was hoping that this would help tip the battle in their favor.
"Those of you with heavier armor, we'll need you more than ever before to hold the frontline." Robin continued. "Fortunately, Walhart's forces seem particularly vulnerable to magical attacks, but our mages can only cast them as long as they're safe. We can take our time advancing towards the castle."
The shepherds advanced towards Walhart in a phalanx formation. A pair of Paladins charged them, but they were easily blocked by Sully and Kellam. Stahl and Frederick collapsed on them from their sides, and killed them with their newly acquired Beastslayers.
"Wow, these things are great!" Stahl remarked. "Makes me glad I'm not on the receiving end!"
A pair of Generals attempted to flank them from their sides. However, Tharja and Henry burnt the one on their right flank from the inside out with their dark magic. On the other side, Miriel successfully casted a perfect Bolganone spell, killing the General with her intense fire magic.
"Call in reinforcements!" the shepherds heard Walhart roar from the other side. "Let the calvary rain upon them like a blizzard of swords!"
"That's not good." Chrom muttered.
"Maybe he's bluffing." Robin smirked.
"Bluffing?" Say'ri asked. "Nay. I wager he has many soldiers still lying in wait."
"One can hope." Robin shrugged. "Now stay alert everyone. They're coming."
A wave of Great Knights began to crash into them. Fortunately, the shepherds' heavily armored units were able to hold the line. The mages fired spell after spell at the Great Knights. Although heavily armored, these soldiers were not well equipped to handle the beating from magical attacks. One after another, the Great Knights fell at the magic of the Ylissean mages.
Robin glanced towards their far left and right flanks. The soldiers located in these two locations were lead by mostly elected officers as well as Flavia. Their job was to simply not get completely decimated, and so far, they were doing a fairly good job. All they had to do was survive the onslaught, and await for Robin and the shepherds to claim victory by defeating Walhart. At least, that was their plan.
Suddenly, Frederick led out a cry of pain. An enemy Dark Knight had hit him with a Rexcalibur spell. Robin instantly dashed forward, out of formation. Out of the corner of his eye, Robin saw Lissa rushing forward to heal their injured Great Knight. With his mind at ease, Robin charged the Dark Knight and slashed him apart with his scythe. Just like with Pheros, the Dark Knight did not realize that magical attacks were ineffective against him until it was too late.
However, because Robin was out of formation, a swarm of Valmese Wyvern Lords zoned in on him and went for the kill.
"Sir Robin!" Say'ri exclaimed in alarm. The tactician either didn't notice his approaching enemies or didn't care. Say'ri was concerned it was the former.
However, the Wyvern Lords were unable to land a finger on him. One by one, they were blasted out of the air by a few well aimed spells or arrows. Only one of them even got close to him, but Chrom had rushed out of formation to block the attack. Shortly after, the Wyvern Lord was cut down by Lucina's Parallel Falchion.
The rest of the shepherds hastily advanced to encompass the three of them once again.
"More soldiers are coming out from the forts to our flanks!" Robin exclaimed. "Everyone be careful! Fend off any and all attacks as we continue to approach Walhart!"
The shepherds slowly continued to advance.
"Ahh!" Ricken cried out in pain. The short sage had an arrow protruding from his arm, presumably fired from their flank.
"Ricken!" Maribelle exclaimed as she quickly rode over. "Let me take a look at that wound."
"They seem to have archers!" Robin called out as he attempted to locate them on his Hekseer.
"I'll take care of them!" Lon'qu offered immediately. "Just point me in the right direction!"
"Over there!" Robin pointed towards a couple of forts to their right. "Take Gaius with you, and be careful!"
The two nodded and immediately ran out of their formation. As the shepherds continued to advance and fight off their attackers, Robin glanced at their indicators on his Hekseer on occasion. Soon, he saw that the red markers that used to indicate where the opponent's archers' locations had disappeared, and the two familiar blue icons were slowing making their way back towards them.
"It seems they succeeded." Robin said with satisfaction.
"Are we actually winning?" Lissa asked in surprise. "I thought they were supposed to be impossible to beat!"
"They're much stronger, that much is certain." Frederick grunted as he blocked the axe of yet another assailant. "However, we have something that they do not."
"And what might that be?" Lissa asked.
"We fight as a single unit." Robin answered her as he fired a spell at a Wyvern flying overhead. "As a team. Walhart's soldiers may be stronger than most of us in a one on one, but they only are able to get in a single attack or two before the rest of us utterly destroy them. They are using human wave tactics, and charging us, more or less, one at a time. Their soldiers receive no outside support."
"But why?" Lucina asked even as she slashed out her sword towards an enemy Great Knight.
"Arrogance, probably." Robin responded. "My best guess is… they've never needed to win using clever strategies or ingenious planning. All they had to do was charge their enemy head on, and they would defeat any foe. Fortunately, that plays directly into our hands. Their plan won't work on us, but ours should be able to work on THEM."
"Right!" Chrom agreed. "We'll show him that a battle is not won on an individual's prowess alone!"
And the shepherds did indeed have a superior strategy. Even if the Valmese soldiers attempted to fight as a unit, they were being thrown into disarray by the various spells, arrows and breath attacks being thrown at them. Even the most disciplined of soldiers were finding it hard to just sit there and dodge attack after attack. Eventually, they all decided to take their chances and fight the Ylisseans head on.
The best chances for Walhart's forces were the Dark Knights. They had the great mobility of their famed calvary, yet they struck the shepherds' frontline extremely hard with their magic attacks.
However, Robin quickly realized this, and instructed the shepherds to focus this class of enemy soldier down first. If no one was able to do it, he'd rush out and kill them himself.
Suddenly, a large wave of Wyvern Lords crashed into the shepherds' formation, forcing Cherche, Cordelia, and even Nowi and Tiki into direct combat in order to attempt to fight them off.
"Shoot them down!" Robin quickly ordered. Virion and Gaius shot arrow after arrow at the enemy fliers. Some of them completely missed while others barely wounded the heavily armored beasts. Still, others struck true, and either hit a crucial part of the wyvern or killed the rider directly.
"Olivia, you too!" Robin commanded.
"Right!" the pinkette responded.
'Okay, Olivia. Remember what Robin told you before the battle started.' she thought to himself. 'Remember… you don't have to actually kill the wyverns to deal damage. If you can shoot down the rider, it is just as good. And even if you can't… just firing arrows at them means they'll be distracted and won't be able to fight the others as effectively.'
Olivia aimed her bow at some of the Wyvern Lords. She continually aimed and fired at them. Although Olivia didn't shoot down a single wyvern, she did manage to hit a couple of the riders, though none of them were fatally wounded. However, these wounded riders meant easy kills for the bloodthirsty Cherche and Cordelia.
And it was not only arrows that the enemy wyverns needed to worry about. Ricken and Maribelle launched devastating blasts of wind magic at them, shredding the wings of some of the wyverns and causing them to fall towards the ground.
Even the mages that did not specialize in wind magic did significant damage to the Wyvern Lords. They were equipped to fight against opponents that fought with metal weapons after all.
However, what the Wyvern Lords DID do was cause enough pressure elsewhere in order to put more stress on the shepherds' frontline.
"They is getting fiercer!" Donnel exclaimed in alarm as he defended himself against an enemy Great Knight.
"Oi! Mage friends are busy, yes?" Gregor responded. "We must hold on until they are less busy dealing with the flying lizards!"
"They're not getting any stronger Donnel." Frederick confirmed. "We're just not able to defeat them quite as fast with less support from the others. This is proof that Walhart's men are indeed strong. Likely stronger than us at least."
Robin immediately noticed this issue as well.
"Miriel, Tharja, Henry and Anna. You all focus on the land units. Leave the fliers to the others." Robin immediately instructed. "I'll focus on them as well."
They nodded, and began to aim their spells towards the Valmese calvary instead of towards the air. This shift in priority allowed for the shepherds to stabilize the situation.
"Hold on just a little longer, we're almost to Walhart!" Chrom exclaimed.
"Easier said than done!" Vaike roared back. "We're doing everything to not get run over by the lot of them!"
"It'll get better once we clear the skies." Robin told them. "Then we can direct our focus back towards the ground. The rest of our soldiers are doing their best to delay the rest of Walhart's soldiers, so we have to make their sacrifice worth it!"
Robin was able to keep his promise. There were a lot of Wyvern Lords, but they were not endless. Things got a little tricky when Cordelia got grazed on the arm by one of their silver axes, but it only took a minute or two for Lissa to patch her up. Under the heavy bombardment of arrows and magic, the skies soon became clear.
The shepherds, for a brief moment, were stuck in place so that they could defend themselves from the Valmese troops that rushed them from almost every side. However, as soon as they defeated the Wyvern Lords, they resumed advancing towards Walhart and his best men.
When they drew near, Walhart gave a signal and he began to ride towards the shepherds.
Although Robin didn't exactly like this, Chrom broke out of their formation and met Walhart. He blocked Walhart's initial strike with his sword, but was pushed back several meters due to the momentum from Walhart's warhorse.
"Why do you resist me, little prince?" Walhart demanded.
"You enslave the weak and kill the able." Chrom retorted. "You are the enemy of peace."
"I would end the reign of the gods, and you object on moral grounds?" Walhart replied. "Blood is spilled in any new birth. And in many a just cause, as you probably know."
"There is no justification for what you've done." Chrom replied as he swung his Falchion back around at Walhart.
Walhart easily blocked the strike. "By whose laws do you judge me? Yours? Your sister's? The gods?"
He applied pressure to his weapon and knocked away Chrom's sword. "Look at you! Are you not ashamed? Your mind is filled with nothing but secondhand beliefs. You dance upon the stage of your gods like a mindless puppet! THAT is what I reject: being a slave to tradition, to obligation. The old ways. Damn the gods! Damn their fates and their destinies! I will have true freedom! And man who offers less is my enemy."
"Enough!" Chrom made a slashing motion with his arm that did not carry Falchion. "I don't require every detail of your twisted philosophy. You're a villain, plain and simple. And I am the justice you deserve."
"Much better, prince!" Walhart laughed. "Be not an agent of someone else, but justice itself! Now, let us fight as two great men, freed of their gods. I grant any challenger the chance to test his will against my own… But you too, shall be found wanting!"
Walhart was broken out of his blissful feeling by a bolt of Thoron that flew near his head. Although he dodged it, the Conqueror was visibly startled.
"That's where you're wrong." Robin told him. "Unlike you, Chrom has not abandoned everyone else in this world. While your men may fight for you, there are precious few that would be truly your ally. While you fight alone, Chrom fights alongside his allies."
Walhart barely had time to begin a retort before he was forced to block a strike from Say'ri's killing edge.
"Princess of Chon'sin?" Walhart looked at her. "It's a wonder you're still alive. But no matter, you are a mere pebble on my way to immortality, and you shall die now unlike before."
He knocked away Say'ri's sword, and prepared to bring his own down on her.
However, he didn't get the chance. Sumia launched an Arcwind spell at him, causing Walhart to lose his balance for a brief moment. This gave Say'ri the time to escape from his weapon's path.
Walhart looked up at the Dark Flier. The Falicorn that she was riding let out a loud cry, almost as if it recognized Walhart.
"What!?" Walhart's eyes bulged. "That Falicorn… could it be?"
He pointed his sword at Sumia. "What is the name of your mount?" he demanded. "Where did you find her?"
"That's not your concern!" Chrom exclaimed as he rushed Walhart again.
By this point, the rest of Walhart's most trusted men had arrived, and the other shepherds rushed to meet them. Like before, it seems that Walhart's men all fought as individuals rather as a unit, which allowed for the shepherds to work together and kill them off one by one.
Alone, Walhart may have been the strongest fighter in all of the continent. However, even he was no match against the three combined efforts of Chrom, Say'ri and Robin. Still, he managed to hold the three of them off for a long duration all by himself, which was a testament to his strength.
However, Robin eventually hit a lucky Thoron spell, and knocked the Conqueror back. Walhart looked up and spat out blood. Chrom and Say'ri charged him again, and Walhart countered their strikes. However, his strength was beginning to get sapped from the wound. Though Chrom and Say'ri didn't seem to be able to penetrate Walhart's special armor, the Conqueror could no longer push the two around as he pleased.
Robin joined the fray again and pulled out his scythe. When Walhart tried to block Robin's strike, the Ylissean tactician was able to knock Walhart's Sol away and out of his hands.
Weaponless, Walhart was beginning to feel much less confident. He didn't expect to struggle at all, so he didn't even bring a spare one, never mind his favorite axe.
"H-how!?" Walhart demanded. "This isn't supposed to be happening."
"We already told you." Chrom stood in front of him. "You fight alone, and so you will die alone."
The three of them charged the weaponless Walhart and prepared to kill him. However, they were intercepted by a few of Walhart's Paladins.
"Emperor Walhart! Please retreat!" they begged. "We'll secure your escape route. We believe that you'll be able to recover and turn the tides!"
Walhart gritted his teeth, clearly not enthusiastic about the proposal. However, he was not a foolish man, and realized when the fight was lost. Walhart turned around and left the battlefield for what seems like the very first time in his life.
"Get… out… of… our… way!" Robin demanded as he fought his new enemies. He was able to kill the Paladin, but by the time his opponent died, Walhart was already past the gates and about to enter the castle.
"Damn!" Chrom exclaimed in frustration.
"Worry about him later!" Say'ri told them. "He can't go anywhere. Let us first remove all of his troops from this battle."
"Right." Robin turned to help the rest of the shepherds. Immediately, he noticed Lucina struggling against a Valmese General. The problem was that she could not make a dent in the General's armor, but her opponent's clumsy axe also couldn't seem to catch her either.
Robin endeavored to end this awkward stalemate by piercing the General through the chest with a Thoron spell.
Lucina turned to his direction and wiped her brow. She gave him a heartwarming smile in appreciation.
Robin smiled back and gave her a thumbs up before raising his scythe again and running towards the other Valmese soldiers.
The Valmese clearly had much lower morale once Walhart had been forced to retreat. However, they knew that they simply did not have that luxury. While Walhart would be able to recuperate and rally the troops inside the castle, each of them knew that retreat meant execution. Walhart himself had made that extremely clear, especially when he beheaded a few of the deserters he had caught in front of the rest of his soldiers. Instead, they steeled themselves and prepared to take down as many of their opponents as possible.
Unfortunately for them, not a single one of the shepherds were killed. Once Robin was not occupied with fighting Walhart, he began to direct the shepherds once again, making it almost impossible for the Valmese soldiers to kill anyone. They didn't have a leader to guide their swords, after all. They put up a valiant effort, but everyone was eventually wiped out.
Once the fighting was over, the shepherds gathered back together.
"Walhart has retreated back inside the capitol!" Say'ri lamented. "Fie! Will this war never end?"
"His men gave up their lives to secure his retreat." Chrom noted. "They won't lay down arms until he does."
"Then we must pursue to ensure that the deed is done." Lucina suggested.
"We are all tired out." Robin noted. "Although it will allow Walhart to rally his troops again, we should lay siege to the fortress, at least for a few hours so we can rest. The troops inside will not be tired in the slightest, while we had to spend the past few hours giving it our all."
"Sir Robin makes a good point." Say'ri conceded, "Although it looks like we may not have that luxury."
There is a loud sound of thundering hooves and shouts of excitement. The shepherds turned around to find that a massive group of people appeared behind them.
"Damn!" Chrom gritted his teeth. "We're surrounded! The Dynasts ride against us!"
"Hold sir... " Say'ri raised her hand. "Look! This… this boggles the mind."
"Do you recognize them?" Chrom asked.
"Aye sir." Say'ri nodded. "They're from the southlands. States that betrayed us for the empire… or so I had thought."
"Well, their allegiance seems pretty clear now." Robin smirked.
"I can hardly believe it…" Say'ri said, almost moved to tears. "Theirs are the land my brother commanded. Finally, now they come to answer the call?"
"Finally is right." Robin nodded. "It took a lot of hard work to get here, Say'ri. A lot of sacrifice. From you, from your brother, from Basilio. Don't forget this moment."
"Aye, sir." Say'ri closed her eyes. "Aye."
"We should meet with them." Chrom said.
"Yes. They can help us with the encirclement of the capital." Robin agreed. "Then we'll storm inside after we tend to our injuries and get some rest. And as well as some food."
"They day is not over yet." Chrom said. "We'll defeat Walhart by nightfall."
He raised his fist into the air and the shepherds gave out a loud cheer. Their morale was unbelievably high at this moment.
Olivia:
Class Change: Assassin