"Robin, I say this only because I consider yourself to be my friend." Zulas said. "TAKE. A. BREAK."

"We move the 6th Legion to the south. That takes care of those routes. The fifth and fourth will eliminate the Roseanne forces there." Robin's quill flew over parchment, as he dictated orders. "Pheros will take charge of western Roseanne. Cervantes's job is to suppress their guerilla strikes."

"Vermil?" Zulas said.

"Aye, sir?"

"Light it up."

"Aye, sir!"

"Gah!" Robin tumbled backwards as his desk lit up in flames. He hit the floor behind him, groaning as he watched all the paperwork burn. Then a gust of wind shot alongside it and blew it out. "Why-y-y-y-y?"

"You've issued those orders already. Four times." Zulas said. "Argeni, you're up."

"Robin." The silver-haired troubadour looked at him with kind eyes. "You're overstressing yourself, you see. Emotional trauma will do that to a person."

"I'm fine."

"We get it. We're all sad about what happened to Yen'fay." Argeni said. "But we've dealt with it, whereas you've just pent it up. You need to focus on something else, alright? Take a break. We can handle this just fine."

"No. Go away."

"Vermil will light your documents on fire again if you try to write." Argeni said. She looked at him. "Robin, please? You usually trust our judgement."

"Fine." Robin said. "There's scouting that needs to be done, so I suppose I'll do that."

"No." Dant stood in front of him. "I've picked you a nice little seaside town. You're going to stay there for a few days, so you can work things out."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope." Zulas shook his head. "We'll drag you their unconscious if we have to. You need some rest. We all do."

"Technically, I can order you all out of my way."

"And we'll listen to that order once we get the Robin we know and love back." Argeni smiled.

"...Fine." Robin said. "If it'll satisfy you, I'll do it. I've got two weeks until we need to march anyway."

-Idyllic Seashore, East of Valm-

They weren't so wrong. Robin reflected as he inhaled the sea air. He sat at the edge of the vast ocean. Beyond it lay the continent of Archeneia. First warlike Plegia, and then peaceful Ylisse, locked in war with the Feroxi northerners attempting to tip the scales to Ylisse's side. Personally, Robin doubted that even the combination had a chance for a decisive victory, and, if anything, the war would be so pyrrhic in nature, it'd be a mercy for the Conqueror to sail across the ocean and conquer them all. But that seems far away.

Water lapped at his toes. His boots were off, sitting in the sand behind him, with his cloak on top of it. His spear was planted in the ground, and a thunder tome lay open in the sand beside him, though Robin hadn't glanced at either of them for at least half an hour.

I can't escape that moment. Despite Robin's best efforts, his mind turned to Yen'fay again. He'd buried himself in work to avoid it, but that carried its own penalties. All the clues were there. I just didn't put them together in time. Yen'fay was blackmailed by Excellus to betray his own people – if not, Excellus would hunt and kill Say'ri.

The ebony samurai had killed himself shortly after dispatching Excellus. Robin had attempted to stop him, to no avail. Calling Say'ri's name had made him stop for an instant, giving him time to cast his magic. Yen'fay withstood the shock, and moved past him, slashing his tome in half. Robin resorted to the Luna spear he had stolen from Excellus, attempting to cut Yen'fay's blade in half. That hadn't worked. Yen'fay deflected with his odd branched sword, and then committed seppuku.

"May you have your honor, Yen'fay of the Chon'sin." Robin said, talking to the waves. "Vermil would never forgive me if he learned the truth. Neither, I suspect, would Zulas if he learned the other truth of what I did. Thankfully they believe the story I gave the court."

But that is not why you are upset, is it?

"No." Robin sighed. "If I continue on my path, I might lose all that I can trust. It's the sad truth of someone who spends their days dealing in deception. But I knew that from the onset, and I don't regret it. It's necessary."

You regret that which you did not know from the onset.

"Blasted sand! Sun-bleached bones!" Robin swore. "No! I owe Yen'fay my life. And his death is on my hands. They are stained with blood."

They are stained with the blood of countless individuals. You have killed many. You have caused many more to be killed. Your very scheme to depose Excellus caused more to be killed than if you had not tried it. The voice in his head wouldn't shut up. Aren't you getting a little self-righteous about your hands right now, crimson tactician?

"Silence!" Robin spat. "Soldiers die. That's how wars work. If you prepare to end the lives of others, you can hardly complain when they end yours. Besides, it may sound callous on my part, but I control life and death, because I'm the best at it. My job is to minimize casualties and maximize victory overall. You can't win a game of chess without sacrifice. Why would war demand anything less?"

If that were true, you wouldn't feel unsettled. Perhaps that's because you know your choices directly lead to Yen'fay's death?

"I did not force him, did I? I tried to stop him. But he chose to do it." The words sounded hollow to Robin, despite the fact that he was correct. For all his skill and planning, the pieces in his plans had free will to choose. "He chose death."

If you knew, would you have abandoned your plans?

"No." Robin said softly. "I can't have done that. Yen'fay choices would not have tipped the scales overall. I would have gone through with most of the plan."

But you would have done something different?

"Yes." Robin said. "Yes! I would have! I might've killed Excellus and pretended that he had escaped. I might've told Yen'fay that I had taken up the role of Say'ri's executioner in place of Excellus. I might've captured her myself, as part of the plan."

You failed. That is why Yen'fay died.

"Failure." Robin said. "That's what this is. If I hadn't been so confident in my own skills, this might not have happened. I suppose a perfect victory is not yet within my grasp – or even if it is possible. But I have failed Yen'fay, though my own hubris."

Mercifully, the voice in his head fell silent. Robin sat like that for a while. Coming to terms helped, but not as much as he would have liked. He sat there, in silence, watching the waves.

The sun had moved through at least a quarter of the sky when he heard a set of soft footfalls in the sand approaching him.

Robin turned to look. A young girl, no more than ten was standing there. Like him, she had shock-white hair. But their similarities ended there. Her cheekbones were different, a softer shape in her face, as well her eyes. Robin's were dark red going on black. Hers were a light hazel.

"Hey. You've been here for a while by yourself." The girl sat down next to him. "Are you like me?"

"Maybe." Robin looked at her. The girl met his glance. "I lost a friend because of something I did wrong. And he'll never come back."

"Oh." The girl sighed. "Then you aren't. I never had one of those. Are friends nice to have?"

"I guess." Robin said. "Though we never really were friends. His duty stopped him, I think, from becoming my friend. His duty is also what killed him."

"Duty is stupid, if it gets you killed." The girl flung her hand. A smooth rock skipped across the ocean. Robin counted at least seven. "Someday, I'm going to be that rock. I'm just going to skip out to sea. Then I'll be free."

"If you have nothing to die for, can you really be said to have something to live for?"

"Who cares?" The girl turned to him. "Grown-ups like thinking things too much. Who cares whether you have something to live for if you aren't even living?"

"Is that what I am?"

"I asked if you were like me." The girl threw another stone, sending it skipping as well. "Well? Do you live?"

I would set this world so all who follow me receive it better than I. Robin's own words rang in his ears. And why not? It's a noble goal. One that I think Yen'fay would approve of. I choose to believe he didn't sacrifice in vain. Yen'fay must believe his sister to be more important than him. If I gave up now, or just settled in, it would be a blight against my honor. There's no shame in trying and failing. The shame is when the attempt wasn't good enough.

"I live." Robin said. He reached to his hair and felt it. Luckily, it escaped his mind to have it cut. Another month or so, and it'd be long enough to set in a similar style as Yen'fay. He glanced at his cloak. A bit of armor wouldn't hurt, and the lacquered style of Chon'sin armor would keep up his mobility. "Thank you. Who are you?"

"I am the Witch-Child. They call me an omen of dark tidings." The white-haired girl shrugged. "If you believe in those kinds of things, I guess. Who are you?"

"Count Robin Obsidian."

"…" The girl stared at him. "A noble? Don't you have some castle of servants to go back to?"

"Technically, yes." Robin sighed. "Seriously? You don't know who I am?"

The girl shook her head. "News doesn't travel well here. And when it does, everyone's around. No one likes me, so I say away."

"Fine, I'll tell you. Maybe boasting of my accomplishments will get me out of my rut." Robin stood up. "I was appointed my title my Walhart himself, despite my foreign status. I was instrumental in the capture of several major Chon'sin fortresses and won the final battle of the campaign. Then I fought within the Rosanne campaign, and, although no one can prove it, everyone thinks I was somehow involved in Excellus's eventual betrayal of Walhart. Oh. I'm also a gifted strategist, competent tactician, skilled spearman, and I'm quite the powerful mage."

"Is that all?" The girl skimmed another rock. "Do you feel better?"

"Are you always this mouthy to complete strangers?" Robin demanded. "And no, I don't!"

"I'm mouthy to the ones I know won't hit me. They're few between, so I kind of have to get all my frustration in." The girl smiled and raised her hand. "And I can one-up what you can do. Azerath!"

A dark sphere materialized above the girl's palm. Dark magic, also known as elder magic. Robin had read about it, but it wasn't used in Valm's theater of war so he really didn't have firsthand knowledge. Experts were far and few between, it offered little practical benefits over traditional anima, and it was countered the same way, with pure water and barrier staves. His tactical mind shut off, and Robin just stared openmouthed.

"Dark magic?" Robin looked the girl over. She didn't have a tome. "That incredible."

"So I'm better than you?"

"Sure. But only for twenty-four hours. I'll be out of my rut by then." Robin plucked his spear from the ground and twirled it. "But I can do this. It's almost as good."

"I guess so." The girl stood up. The dark sphere floated above her hand.

"How do you that?" Robin asked. "Where you born with it? Did you learn it?"

"I was born with it." The girl turned away. "I don't know my parents, so I don't know if they have it. I've been on the run as long as I can remember. This town's not so bad, as long as I keep my head down."

"Then we are alike, you and I." Robin placed a hand on the girl's head and ruffled her hair, to her indignant protest. "My memories were lost. I don't know where I came from, and I don't know where my skills came from."

"Hey! Brat!" A rough voice interrupted them. Robin turned to see a crowd gathered by the far side of the beach. At least fifteen adults, most roughly armed, but some with real weapons. The girl squawked and dropped the dark sphere. The speaker, the de facto leader, pointed his sword. "You were warned to cut that out! We won't have you cursing the town!"

"Don't respond." Robin stepped in front of her, holding his spear. "I'll handle this."

"Stranger. You're a guest. Back away."

"Tell me why I should first." Robin challenged.

"She's a demon-kissed." The man's eyes turned violent. "She'll bring doom upon us if we let her continue with her foul arts. We have no quarrel with you, but she's from the evil dragons."

"Duma?" Robin guessed. Superstitious peasants.

"Exactly. She's one of them witches. Now back away." The man grinned. "We're gonna teach her to stop doing that."

"Sorry. I'm not about to back away." Robin bent down and picked up his tome. "This is your first and only warning. Back away, or you all will be hurt. And I'm not talking about the kind of hurt you walk away from."

"Who are you?"

"Count Robin Obsidian." Robin said. Electricity blazed up his arm, coalescing in an orb. A purple blaze shot to life around him. "Colonel. Strategist. Warrior. And this one is under my protection. Now, walk away or I shall inflict harm on you few have ever felt."

They did. More correctly, instead of walking, they ran for their lives, half stumbling and tripping over each other. Robin sat back and laughed.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I wanted to." Robin said.

"Why did you want to?" The girl looked at him, persisting. "Did you do it to protect me?"

"Yes."

The girl hugged him suddenly. It was an odd sensation, one Robin couldn't say he ever felt before. He didn't even get déjà vu from his forgotten memories. Robin stared. The girl looked up. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine." Robin said. "Are you alone?"

"Mostly."

"Do you want to come with me?" Robin asked. "I have a manor, and a few people who would be friends with you."

"Really?"

"Sure. Who doesn't want to be friends with a precocious ten-year-old?"

"Yes!"

-Training Room-

Zulas concentrated on the training dummy, repeating his strikes. He was reaching the top of his game as a spearman and would need to advance somehow. His old drill instructor would tell him to become cavalry. Of course, that's because his old drill instructor was cavalry. Robin never seemed to even consider the concept of being more mobile, which left him in a bit of a quandary. Maybe he'd ask Robin about it.

He'd never admit it, of course, but Robin left a lot to aspire to. Except for his loyalty. Zulas had given up on even considering what had happened with Excellus's 'supposed' betrayal. Dant apparently had been privy to more information, but Zulas wasn't going to pry at her.

"Help me." A voice sounded. Zulas turned to see a surprisingly out-of-breath Dant panting in front of the training room's doors. "Please."

"What?"

"Vermil." Dant shot a glance over her shoulder. "He's been trying to find me all day, and I overheard him talking about 'confessing' something."

"You think the half-pint in love with you?"

"I don't care to find out." Dant winced as she heard footfalls. "Just … see what you can do."

Zulas looked over her shoulder to see Vermil walking around the corner. He looked back and Dant was gone. Zulas sighed. "Kid!"

"Vermil!" The fire mage corrected. "Hey, have you seen Dant around?"

"Why are you looking for Dant?" Zulas asked.

"Private." Vermil glared. "And I haven't seen her all day. And I know she's not off on assignment."

"Makes sense." Zulas shrugged. "Maybe she's practicing avoiding you."

"Ha ha." Vermil crossed him arms. "No, I want her for something else."

"Like what?" Zulas asked. "Romance?"

"What!?" The fire mage sputtered. "No! Not that at all!"

"You can tell me." Zulas coaxed. "I might be able to help you…"

"Okay, first! I want to ask her to make me her apprentice." Vermil said. "And, second! You suck at romance, Mister I-Am-Alone-At-Thirty. I mean, jeez, you've have had a total of how many girlfrie- ulp!"

"Think very carefully about your next sentence." Dant advised. She shifted the grip on her dagger at Vermil's throat. "Because some women like men who don't go around trying to get with every woman they see. And you are dealing with one of those now."

"I – apologize – for – my – terrible – taste!" Vermil said. "PleasetaketheknifeoffI'llbegoodIpromise!"

"Fine." Dant whisked it away. It disappeared up her sleeve. "I suppose I can't fault you for wanting to be my apprentice, though. But why do you want to be my apprentice?"

"You have enough magic power to qualify within the elite of the elite mage corps." Vermil gasped, checking his throat. "I want you to teach me!"

"You have magic?" Zulas asked.

"Eh." The assassin shrugged. "My mother was supposedly from a tribe of powerful mages. I've only got enough skill to use weak spells, and my affinity is wind magic, of all things. I knocked the squirt around the other day when he was training his gale boomerang spell."

"Please!"

"No!" Dant said. "I can't teach you my bloodline. If you want, I'll show you a few tricks you didn't know with wind, but I can't make you stronger."

"Nah." Vermil sighed. "If you can't use B-Class spells, there's nothing you can show me. Thanks anyway."

"Arrogant squirt." Dant rolled her eyes. "And I spent all day avoiding you. But at least the practice was good. Get lost."

"Whatever."

Zulas watched Vermil leave and then turned to Dant. "You're that type, eh? Wouldn't have pegged you."

"Yes, yes." Dant shrugged. "Chalk it up to my upbringing. You're mildly attractive, I suppose, but even I can see that you and Argeni are doing nothing but throwing lovestruck looks at each other. Argeni, by the way, finds the idea of ripping you from an old love romantic, so even if you have an old skeleton, you don't have to worry about it."

"Thanks – and how would you know that?"

"We talk." Dant disappeared again.

Zulas shrugged and turned back to walking the dummy with his spear.

-Outside-

"Robin!"

"Hello, Argeni." Robin got off the wagon. "Glad to see there are no hard feelings between us over that incidence a while back."

"Well, I am annoyed at the reprimand, but I see where you'd be coming from with your ideas and your tactics." Argeni flicked her hair and handed him an envelope. "This came in for you, by the way. So, how was your vacation?"

"I sorted a few things out." Robin said. "I've got a clearer goal in mind, too."

"Oh, well that's good. You look better, too."

"I feel better, certainly." Robin replied. "Anything happen when I was away?"

"Nothing out of the usual, I would say." Argeni considered. "No, I can't really say anything happened, though you did get some orders. Why, did anything happen to you?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Yes, we're here." Robin turned back to the wagon. "Come on out."

"Finally!" A little girl rose out of it, draped in a black coat with a few white locks visible. She curtsied. "Oh, this is m'lady Argenita di Cratez."

"Oh, aren't you cute!" Argeni grabbed the small child. "This is adorable! Robin, I want one of these. How do I get it?"

"Put me down." The girl requested. "Now."

"Okay." Argeni put her down. "My name is Argenita, but please call me Auntie Argeni, OK? Who are you?"

"My name is Ravena Obsidian." Ravena stood up. "And I'm Robin's daughter."

"Adopted." Robin hastily interjected, stopping a look of delighted bewilderment on Argeni's face. "Please don't let your imagination wander. We decided it was the best course of action."

"We?"

"Both of us." Ravena explained. "Robin wanted to be my friend, but normal people think that's weird. Robin doesn't mind, he said he has enough rumors that more doesn't make it worse, but I thought that him adopting me would not only mean we could be friends but would also make him look good. So Robin agreed and told me I needed a new name."

"She's smart." Argeni commented. She knelt down. "Can I be your friend, too?"

"Okay." Ravena nodded. "I like having those."

"Good job, Ravena. That's two in one day." Robin opened the envelope. "Ah."

"What is it?" Ravena asked.

"Orders." Robin said. "I'll make temporary arrangements for you to be a ward at my manor. Argeni, we have two dawns to march."

"Where to?"

"Parise. Rosanne's capital."

-Report to Robin from Anna, XX/X/XX-

New customer, same contract. I won't ask how you got your hands on it, but I will ask for some help in not asking. The golden kind of help. You know what I mean. Anyway, your first bit of news is a doozy, and I mean a DOOZY. Emmeryn, Exalt of Ylisse, sacrificed herself. Chrom lead a strike force to rescue her, it failed, and Gangrel was going to use her as a bargaining chip to get the 'Crest of Flames', whatever THAT is. Emmeryn SACRIFICED herself to avoid conflict. I mean, wow, that's hardcore.

Anyway, all-out war between Ylisse and Plegia will start within days, if not weeks. I'll give you good odds for Plegia winning…