The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 35

Stand Back Up

Robin sat awake in his cot. He was exhausted. But he could not rest. It was cold at the Longfort. The rudimentary supplies the Feroxi had, including the thin blankets, did not help that problem. Soldiers were milling about the walls and barracks at all times. The clanking of their arms and armor made it nearly impossible for Robin to actually shut his eyes and rest.

The march back to Feroxi territory had been a long, painful journey. But it was quiet. No Plegians ambushed the strike force as they retreated. No bandits waylaid their sentries or scouts. It was smooth travel through the desert sands. Well, as smooth as it could get. It was still rough going. The stops for the wounded were frequent. And the sense of defeat hung over everyone's head like a black storm cloud. Morale was low. Which was another factor that compounded the ever growing problem, and headache, for the Shepherd's Tactician.

What surprised Robin the most during the march back though, was not the endurance of Flavia's weary soldiers, nor the stunning work of the healers and Libra (who had proved to be an invaluable caregiver on more than one occasion). The thing that surprised Robin the most was Ben.

First he managed to pull of what was possibly the most insane miracle he had accomplished yet. He managed to convince the Plegian general, Mustafa, to let their Strike Force pass unharmed in exchange for information on the coming Feroxi invasion. He still needed to debrief Ben on the full negotiations that took place. But he wanted to save that for when Chrom was back to his normal self and in command of the Shepherds.

And that led Robin to the second most surprising thing he witnessed from Ben. He expected the swordsman to be crushed after Emmeryn's death. The romance the two held for each other, while not overt in any way, was not unnoticed by most of the Shepherds. In fact, it had been a point of major gossip among Sumia, Lissa, and Miriel; and a point of much laughter and teasing by Sully, Vaike, Virion, and Robin as well. Robin expected Ben to be as devastated as Chrom was. But somehow, the man showed a sense of strength and resolve that far surpassed anything Robin had seen yet. He took command of the Shepherds during the retreat. Once he returned from the negotiations, he worked closely with Robin to reorganize, determine their supplies, rations, as well as plotting the swiftest course back to the Longfort. And, while he did not debate much, he sat in with Robin and Flavia as they dissected bits and pieces of the disaster that had occurred.

In short, he acted like a commander. And a damn effective one at that. It sparked both admiration and questions in Robin. Was he always that adept at commanding men and just chose to let Robin, Chrom, and Flavia take the lead? Was his sudden change in behavior a result of Emmeryn's death? His own way of coping with the sudden loss? And if he was always capable of this kind of authority, why did he not exercise it? Why did he not display his skill as a leader of men earlier? Naga knows, it would have saved Robin a lot of time and energy to be able to rely on someone with that kind of efficiency and ability.

Then there was the last question, where did he learn all of that from? Hell, where did he learn to be such a skill swordsman from? He had a master of some sort. Any master that could teach a student to become that skilled, that young, had to be someone of enormous renown.

Then there was Ben's puzzling relationship in regards to Maul. It almost looked like a disturbingly intimate relationship. Maul knew Ben. He knew him very well. That much was apparent due to their intense rivalry, if Robin could call it that. Ben gave them some details about the now deceased monster. He detailed his abilities, both physical and magical. And along with that, Ben divulged a few details in regards to his many encounters with Maul.

But none of it explained the pure cunning Maul displayed. And they definitely did not fully explain the obsession he had with Ben. Robin frowned before rubbing at his tired eyes. There were too many unexplained events. Stories without any context or details. And as a tactician, he wanted to know all of the details. He needed to know the details. From what he had seen so far in this war, even the tiniest of details could determine victory or defeat.

He yawned then blinked as small rays of sunlight began to creep into his room from the window. Through his bleary vision, Robin looked outside. Pale sunlight began to stream ever so slightly through a thick blanket of grey clouds. He frowned. It was going to snow again.

Still, snow was better than sand. Robin sighed and got to his feet. He would not enjoy the comfort of sleep. Not now. He had duties to attend to. Responsibilities that had to be taken care of. The longer Chrom was out of commission, the more the Shepherds and Khan Flavia relied on him to be the mouthpiece for Ylisse. A role he did not relish.

Early in the morning was one of the few times he had to himself anymore. And so, he decided that since he could not sleep, and no one else was awake to bother him, he would train. It had been awhile since he went through the exercises Ben taught him. The fighting form he had been learning proved to be very effective on the battlefield. And he wanted to master it.

Robin threw his coat over his shoulders, tied his boots up, and trudged down the stairs to the snow covered training yard below. He was not completely alone. There were several Feroxi sentries up on the wall. They were going to be relieved for a new watch in an hour or so. By that time, Flavia would probably come calling for him.

That gives me an hour to practice. Robin thought as he went over to a rack of blunted, practice swords.

He tested the weight and balance of a couple before settling on one. Satisfied, he made his way over to one of the wooden practice targets.

Robin closed his eyes. His hands felt frozen as he held the sword's leather grip. The cold was already beginning to creep into his fingers, through his hands, and up his wrists and arms. He shivered a little then began to move.

As he swung, lunged, and parried, his mind drifted away from the Longfort.

It was hot again. The sun was blazing over the sky, not lazily rising into a blanket of thick clouds. There was sand instead of snow. And all around him were Risen. Their mindless, malevolent forms writhing in a dark mass around him. The Shepherds were not with him. Neither were the Plegians. He was alone facing them.

His sword lashed out at the invisible opponents. And with each killing blow, his heart hammered harder. His strikes grew wilder. His eyes were wide as a Risen's blade raced towards his own.

Robin swung to meet it. Metal clashed in the air. The sound of steel meeting steel rang in his ears like a bell. His arm began to buzz. His hand stung. He stumbled backwards through the snow as he lost his balance due to the sudden, abrupt stop. The cold sensation of snow hitting his bare neck snapped Robin out of whatever trance he had been in.

The sun was hidden behind clouds again. Snowflakes were falling to the ground in short, lazy spurts. There were no Risen. Just a few Feroxi sentries at their posts, watching him, and-

Robin's jaw fell open, "What do you think you're doing?" He asked as he lay frozen on the cold ground.

Marth stared down at him as she leaned on a sword of her own, "At first I was content watching you flail around. But then the swordsman in me could not bear to watch it anymore. So I decided to intervene."

"Intervene?" Robin got to his feet, "You shouldn't be intervening in anything. You should be in bed. You know, recovering from death." He blinked, "How the hell are you even standing right now? Let alone knocking me on my ass with one strike?"

Marth shrugged, "I've always healed fast. Side effect of the magic Ben and I have. If you know how to use it properly, you can will some injuries to heal a little faster. Not all of them, obviously. But it can be done." She winced, "That being said, you swung really hard. And to be honest, parrying your strike was not the smartest idea on my part."

Robin's frown deepened, "Magical healing powers are still no excuse you know."

Marth glared at Robin, "Oh? Are you going to force me back to the infirmary? The guy who just got pancaked by a one armed, wounded girl?"

Robin felt his cheeks heat up a little, "I-you-" He stamped his foot, "Damn it all! For once, would someone please listen to the tactician!" He bellowed at the sky before sighing and letting his shoulders sag, "I need a nap."

"What you need, is instruction." Marth nodded at Robin's sword that was still lying in the snow, "Pick it up."

Robin shook his head, "I don't think sparring is a good idea."

Marth chuckled a little, "You have a long way to go before you can spar with me."

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Do I hear a challenge?"

"Hm?" Marth hummed, "Maybe. But if you and I were to seriously spar, well… the results would be the same. And if I'm going to spar someone, I want my opponent to be at least equal to me. Hence why I'm out here now." She nodded, "Get in your stance."

Robin frowned, "I still don't think it is a good idea for you to be out and about." He gulped, "Oh Libra is going to throw a fit. If you call deep scowling and somehow managing to make me feel guilty for absolutely nothing as a fit."

"You let me deal with that." Marth said, "Now get in your stance already."

Robin sighed. He got into the stance Ben taught him. Marth's eyes flicked up and down his body.

"Shii-Cho." She observed, "I see you have been getting instruction from Ben."

"The beginnings of instruction." Robin remarked, "A war interrupted our daily lessons."

"They have a tendency to do that." Marth replied, "First things first, your feet are too narrow. Spread them out a little more. That is why it was so easy for me to knock you off balance."

Robin did as she said.

"The sword is a little big for you." Marth said, "But you won't find much better for your size."

"I am not that small." Robin replied.

"You are not small. You just are not very built." Marth replied, "And that matters in swordplay. You need to choose a weapon that fits you. Unfortunately," She glanced over at the weapons rack, "We don't have many options at the moment. So the one you have will do. Adjust your grip so it does not feel so awkward. Get comfortable."

Robin kneaded the leather between his fingers then choked up on the grip until his hands were near the guard of the blade. He smirked over at Marth.

"This is like trying out a saddle."

"If that helps you get in the right mindset." Marth muttered under her breath before nodding, "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Start your routine."

Robin nodded and began to go through his exercises again. As he did, Marth silently watched. She did not offer any critiques or praises. She was just quiet. Content with observing him work. And that caused some concern to grow in Robin. There was no way he was that good that there was nothing to criticize. Surely, there was something he could improve upon. He stopped abruptly.

Marth raised her brow.

"Are you going to say anything?"

"Hm?"

Robin sighed, "You know. Um… instruct the novice?"

"I was gauging you, Robin." Marth replied, "I have never focused on how you fight before. I was simply observing and evaluating before offering my criticism."

"Oh." Robin chirped, "So, what did you think?"

Marth pressed her lips together. She was quiet for a moment.

"Perhaps you should stick to magic."

Robin's jaw hung open and his heart sank. Was he really that bad at swordplay? If he was, then how on earth did he survive every battle so far? He mentally smacked himself.

I have relied on my magic and not my blade in battle so far. Robin thought, That is why I'm aren't dead yet.

He uttered a frustrated growl, "Well, unfortunately that is not an option for me."

Marth gave him a surprised look.

"I'm the tactician. And I'm not a tactician that will sit to the rear of the battle and just watch as men die on my orders. I will be in the thick of the battle with them." Robin said firmly, "And if I am going to be in the front lines, I need to know how to defend myself should my magic fail me. If you aren't going to help with that, then I'll go to Ben or Frederick."

He turned on his heel and started to go towards the sword rack. Maybe there was a better sword for him to use there. He grumpily replaced the blade and began to study the others. But none of them were to his liking. All of them were either too bulky or too heavy for him to use. Frustration began to bubble up in him.

Marth hobbled up alongside him. Instead of going towards the swords, Marth turned to a rack of daggers. She plucked one of the longer daggers from the rack and held it out to Robin.

Robin eyed the blade carefully.

"Take it." Marth said, "You want my instruction right? I'm going to give you some."

A small smile crossed Robin's lips. They both strode back into the center of the yard.

"Alright, so, how does uh, Shii-Choo work with a dagger?" Robin asked.

Marth let out a light, raspy chuckled, "Shii-Cho, Robin. And while it can be applied to a dagger, that might not be the wisest decision."

Robin arched an eyebrow.

"I'm going to teach you the basics of a style that is typically used by dual wielding fighters."

Robin gave Marth a puzzled look.

"But I only have one weapon."

"Do you?" Marth nodded at his coat, "Last I checked, a spellbook could be considered a weapon."

Robin's eyes widened, "Magic and swordplay at the same time?"

"It will require precision, focus, and a lot of practice. But it is very versatile. And it will make use of your greatest strength." Marth noted.

Robin's heart thumped in his chest. Excitement built up in him. But another thought entered his mind. One that tempered his eagerness for the moment.

"But… I need both hands for my magic. One to hold the spellbook, the other to cast the spell."

Marth kicked at some snow, "Then I guess you are going to have to learn to use magic without a spellbook."

Robin stared at her for a moment. Then he began to laugh. He let out a small sigh and shook his head.

"I wish that were possible, Marth. But a spellbook is essential for magic. It is the conduit that magic is funneled through in order to be controlled and concentrated. Without it, magic is… not… possible."

He trailed off as several swords began to float off of the rack and rotated in lazy, shaky circles around Marth. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated hard on maintaining the flight of the blades. Robin could see some sweat beginning to form on her brow. With a tired sigh, she relented. The swords all drifted down into the snow at her feet.

"You-," She gasped for a breath, "You were saying."

Robin looked at her in awe. She definitely had to have the same teacher as Ben. No only did she fight like him, she used the same magic as he did. The same magic as Maul too.

"Not fair." He said.

"Hm?"

"You and Ben are cheating!" Robin pointed at Marth.

"Cheating?"

"Your magic literally breaks all of the laws of magic." Robin declared.

Marth began to laugh a little at Robin's outburst, "I guess they aren't really laws then."

Robin's mouth opened then snapped closed.

"But we can figure all of that out later," She continued, "For now, you need the framework of the form. The good thing about this style of combat is that it incorporates the base elements of four forms."

"Wait, four forms?" Robin interrupted, "How many are there?"

"Seven in total. Not counting any hybrids or variants." Marth answered, "I will be helping you learn a bit of the sixth form, Niman."

"And which form do you prefer?" Robin asked.

"Me? Well… my master would want me to answer form three, Soresu. And yes, that is what Ben uses in battle. But I like using form four, Ataru, the most."

"The flippy one?" Robin asked as he recalled her duel with Chrom in Arena Ferox.

Marth let out a small laugh, "Yes, the flippy one."

Robin furrowed his brow. So the style she was going to teach him incorporated basic elements of the four of the first five forms? In essence, a jack of all trades style.

"Which forms are part of Niman?" Robin asked, the intellectual in him now thoroughly engrossed in learning from Marth.

Marth smiled a little, "Form one is part of it. A form you already know the basics of. So you have a solid foundation. It also uses parts of form three, four, and five."

Robin paled, "The fourth one too?"

Marth nodded, "What's wrong with that?"

Robin gulped, "I can't exactly do a flip."

That caused Marth to laugh out loud, "Well, I don't expect you to be doing any flips right away. The form mostly incorporates the aggression of Form four. Forms one and three are mostly passive forms of combat. Whereas forms four and five are more aggressive. It's more of a blend of philosophies and foundations."

"Ok." Robin nodded, feeling some fear go away, "But wouldn't it be better if I learned the basics of the other forms before jumping into this one?"

"Normally yes." Marth replied, "But we are on a time crunch. The next battle for Plegia is looming on the horizon. You need to be ready for it."

Robin's face turned grim. That's right, Plegia. He had been so captivated by Marth's teaching that he had forgotten for a moment the threat that was just to their south. Plegia was gearing up for war with Regna Ferox. They were also preparing for the final push in their campaign to conquer the rest of Ylisse. Time was very short indeed.

"I won't be able to get ready in time." Robin mumbled.

"But what you learn now may help save your life if the need arises." Marth countered, "So, get in your stance. We need to begin."

Robin smiled then nodded. As he executed the different moves and techniques Marth told him to do, he found himself enjoying her teaching more and more. She was a little blunt with how she explained and critiqued him. But he appreciated that. It allowed him to know exactly what was wrong and how to correct that mistake.

He lost track of the hours. And he did not care. For the first time in days the war was far away.

….

Ben had not slept a wink. Every time he closed his eyes, he was bombarded with nightmares. The horror of Emmeryn's death was a memory that would forever be burned in his mind. The pain of that memory, of that failure, would take years to fully heal. He had not even begun healing from it now. Necessity had forced him to call upon his years of Jedi training and push any sorrow away for the time being.

The Shepherds were in disarray. Chrom was a recluse. Especially now that they had taken refuge at the Longfort. The loss of his sister had hit him like a sledgehammer. He had hardly eaten anything, according to Lissa. And he still refused to speak to anyone. Preferring instead to isolate himself in his own quarters. None of the Shepherds could find the nerve to go and talk to him, except for Lissa and Sumia. The two had tried to gain entry to his room. But they were unable to do so. The door was always locked. Robin had tried to speak to him during the march north. But he was silent then as well. And the tactician decided it was better to let him grieve a little longer.

It was the chaos and uncertainty that resulted from Chrom's sudden fall that caused Obi Wan Kenobi to burst forth from the depths of grief and trauma. These men and women, they were not just Ben's comrades anymore. He could safely say they were his friends. They had stood by him through everything this world had thrown at him so far. Gaius, Panne, Marth, and Cordelia had even gone as far as to put their lives on the line helping him. They had refused to leave him behind to die by Maul's hand.

Ben let out a shivering breath. Marth had actually died doing that. How she came back to life was a mystery to him. He had felt her die in his arms. Felt her last breath leave her body. Felt the her spirit drift towards the Force. Then she came bursting back. She started breathing again. Libra worked his magic. And she was alive. And not only alive, but gaining strength with each passing day.

He could not help but smile as he watched her instruct Robin down in the yard. When he first noticed her hobbling about, Ben thought about forcing her back to the infirmary. She was in no condition to be moving right now. But then he had to remind himself that she was far stronger than even he knew. The Force no doubt augmented her physical abilities. Whether that was in her control or not was up for debate. If she was doing that without realizing it, then her potential in the Force was greater than he ever realized.

There was no denying it anymore. She was a force sensitive. The first pure force sensitive he had encountered on this planet. She did not manifest her power through this world's peculiar magic. No, she had Jedi training. The evidence was irrefutable.

He rubbed his jaw with one of his cold hands. The stubble of his beard had begun to come back again.

She had called him Master. That was the one piece to this puzzle that confused Ben the most. So much of that revelation made sense. Her proclivity for forms three and four of lightsaber combat. Her cautious nature towards the Force. It practically screamed to the world that she had been taught by him. It was almost exactly how he tried to instruct Anakin all those years ago. But unlike Anakin, Marth apparently listened to most of his lessons.

Ben heard footsteps coming up beside him. He glanced over and saw Cordelia standing beside him.

She was not in her normal Pegasus Knight armor. Instead opting for a much more comfortable outfit of simple pants, shirt, boots, and a heavy coat to combat the cold. She did keep the wing ornaments that all pegasus knights wore in her hair.

Ben could see some concern on her face as they both watched Marth teach Robin. The blue haired girl was now sitting down on a small wooden stool. Her body still too weary and wounded to remain standing for long. But Cordelia did not move to intervene.

"She's got a knack for it." The red head noted.

"For what?" Ben asked.

"For teaching." Cordelia answered, "It sounds like she's a little blunt. That side needs to be smoothed out a little bit. But given a little more experience, she'd make an excellent master at arms."

Ben found himself nodding in agreement.

"The person who taught you two must have been an incredible teacher."

Ben blinked, "I'm sorry?"

Cordelia nodded at Marth then at Ben, "Your teacher? You and Marth fight the same way. Unless there is a style of fighting the weapons masters in Ylisse did not know about, which I doubt, you both must have had the same teacher."

Ben rubbed his chin as he tried to figure out a response.

"In a way we did." He began.

"In a way?" Cordelia asked.

"I can't be certain of who she was taught by." Ben continued, "But I learned under a great man named Qui Gon Jinn. He-" Ben paused a moment, "He was killed by Maul."

Cordelia lowered her gaze, "I read that."

"Hm?"

"In your initial report you gave to Robin." Cordelia brushed some hair from her face as a cold wind blasted the Longfort, "Commander Phila wanted me to read up on it before the journey to the Eastern Palace. For what it's worth, I'm sorry that happened."

Ben shrugged, "There is nothing for you to be sorry about. That happened a long time ago. And now… now Maul is gone." Ben snorted, "That is still difficult for me to believe."

"He has been a constant threat to you for so long." Cordelia said, "Of course it would be strange to finally have that burden removed."

Ben cleared his throat, "Well… strange is one word for it. Relief is another. Of the cathartic sort. He did manage to give both of us some rather deep scars."

Cordelia nodded in agreement. She still thought about her fallen comrades and sisters in the now annihilated Pegasus Knights. Maul had slain all of them, except for her. She still did not understand how or why she was the only one to survive that horrific day. It was a question that always managed its way into her thoughts. She should have died that day alongside Commander Phila. But instead, she lived. Maul let her go. Perhaps he was just that twisted. He wanted to have a survivor to tell the tale of how he slaughtered all of the Pegasus Knights as a way to spread fear among his enemies.

But why her? Was it because she had already been retreating on the Commander's orders? Or was it for some other reason she did not understand yet.

Before she could resume her conversation with Ben, a messenger came running up to both of them.

"Lady Cordelia." The Feroxi soldier saluted, "Captain Ben."

"Captain?" Ben echoed.

Cordelia snickered, "Captain Ben Kenobi. It has a nice ring to it."

Not the type of ring I'm used to. But it does work. Ben thought to himself.

"Yes?"

"Khan Flavia and Khan Basilio want to conduct a full debrief of the battle. They want you, Sir Robin, Sir Frederick, Lady Marth, Lady Cordelia, and Prince Chrom in attendance."

Ben pushed his hands against the Longfort's wall as he leaned forward. His eyes were still focused on Robin and Marth down in the yard. Marth was barking at the tactician over some mistake that he failed to understand. Niman was a difficult form to master. Learning it this way would be a frustrating path for Robin.

I'll lend a hand when I can.

"Chrom too?" He thought out loud.

"Yes sir."

Cordelia grew grim, "He refuses to speak to anyone. See anyone. Not even Lissa or Sumia." She folded her arms, "This is not the Chrom I know."

Ben let out a breath, "This is not the Chrom any of us know. But we can not afford for Chrom to continue to be like this. Regardless of the situation, he is the leader of this company. He is now the ruler of his nation. A nation in crisis." Ben nodded and pushed himself away from the wall, "Inform Flavia I will be there in thirty minutes. I need to stop by Prince Chrom's quarters first."

The Feroxi soldier saluted then sprinted off to relay Ben's message. As he rushed away, Ben adjusted his cloak and rubbed his freezing hands together.

"What are you going to do?" Cordelia asked, "If Lissa and Sumia can't get through to him what makes you think you can?"

Ben gave her a wry, mischievous smirk, "Lissa and Sumia haven't been able to get through to him because they haven't been able to talk to him face to face."

"Well of course they haven't been able to do that. He's locked in his quarters. And the key is missing." Cordelia pursed her lips, "So how are we going to get in."

Ben chuckled and patted Cordelia's shoulder, "Watch and learn."

Cordelia arched an eyebrow as Ben strode by her towards the main barracks where Khan Flavia, Khan Basilio, and Chrom were staying.

"Since when did you start sounding like Gaius?" She asked him as he walked away.

Ben shrugged, "Maybe he's starting to rub off on me."

Cordelia watched him with both concern and confusion as Ben disappeared into the barracks. Her eyes then shot open.

"He's going to bust into Chrom's room." She squeaked, "With Lissa and Sumia in tow." She swallowed hard. Her feet began to move fast as she chased after him, "Naga have mercy on Prince Chrom."

….

She was gone. Emmeryn was gone. Chrom kept his head bowed as he sat on the cold, stone floor of his quarters in the Longfort barracks. His hair was knotted and messy. And he knew he smelled. He had not washed himself in… he could not remember how long it had been. His stomach was growling, but he did not feel hungry. He just could not stomach the thought of food right now. How could he? Emmeryn was dead. He had failed.

He did not remember much of the march back to the Longfort. And honestly, he did not care. All he could think about was those short moments that felt like they lasted forever. Those moments of complete horror and devastation.

Emmeryn's death replayed over and over in his mind. And the desperation and despair he felt multiplied every time he remembered it. The shock as Maul pierced Emmeryn's heart. The terror and denial as she plummeted down from the top of the cliff. The sudden stab of pain in his own heart as she lay dead on the ground in front of him.

At first, that memory would cause him to break down into a fit of sobs. Emmeryn had been the one who raised him. He did not remember his mother. And his father had been too busy with the first Ylisse-Plegian war in order to parent him and Lissa. Emmeryn was the one who helped him learn to read. She was the one who helped Lissa learn how to walk. Cheered him on when he first started training with a blade. Comforted both him and Lissa when the death of their Father happened. She was the rock of the family. Someone that was always going to be there for him.

He let out a small, choking sound. Chrom grabbed the bottled by his side and dumped it's fiery contents down his throat. He gasped and took a deep breath when he finally tore the bottle away from his lips. He could feel the alcohol burning down his throat and in his empty stomach. But it did not affect him anymore.

He looked at the now empty bottle in his hand and tossed it over with the others. That was the last one. Now what was he going to drink? If he left his room, he would have to face his failures all over again. He did not doubt that the Shepherds would be looking to him for guidance. For what to do next.

But how could he lead them? His own actions sparked this war. He was the one who drew first blood when Emmeryn went to parlay with Gangrel. He was the one who did not stay by her side when they retreated down the Eastern Road. He was the one who failed to reach her in time. And he was the one who led dozens of Feroxi to their deaths and nearly caused the deaths of all of his Shepherds in his mad dash to save his sister. What kind of leader did that? Not the kind that deserved to lead.

There was a small knock on his door.

"Chrom." He heard Lissa's voice, "Chrom, please open up."

How many times had she knocked now? He had lost count. He knew deep down he should open the door and be with her. He could not imagine the pain Lissa was going through right now. Chrom at least had some memory of their father. But for Lissa, Emmeryn was the only parent she ever knew. She had been just a toddler when their father passed. She must be shattered right now.

But he could not bring himself to move to the door. He stayed in his seat beside the bottles of liquor on the floor. He could not face Lissa. Not right now. He promised her that he would save Emmeryn. That their family would stay together. How could he speak to her when he had broken that promise?

There was another knock on the door.

"Chrom."

It was Ben. That was a voice he had not expected. And it was another person he did not want to face. Ben had done everything in his power to try and save Emmeryn. He had even gone as far as getting captured by Maul and Gangrel in his desperate attempt to save her life. He had done far more than Chrom to try and save her. He nearly lost his life. Meanwhile, Frederick evacuated Chrom before the Risen could even come near overwhelming him. How could he face the man his sister loved? That was almost as impossible as facing Lissa.

He was a failure. Through and through. He failed as a warrior. He failed as a leader. He failed as a friend. And he failed as a brother. He gulped back fresh tears before letting his head rest against the wall behind him.

He did not deserve to lead the Shepherds, much less all of Ylisse. That is, if Ylisse still existed. The Khans probably thought he was a weakling and a coward. His own men probably thought of him as a failure. Perhaps it would be better if he relinquished the responsibility of ruling Ylisse to Lissa. She at least stayed near the Shepherds. She tried to help where she could instead of wallowing in defeat. His little sister was far stronger than he would ever be.

Someone banged on the door now.

"Last chance, Chrom!" Ben barked.

Chrom did not move. They could not enter even if they wanted to. The door was locked and-

*Click*

Chrom froze. The door practically flew from it's hinges as Sumia surged into the room.

Before he could react, let alone blink, Sumia grabbed him by the shirt and yanked him to his feet.

"Captain, I apologize for this." She said.

He saw a fist flying at his jaw. Then he felt pain explode through his face as Sumia's fist smashed into him. He reeled out of her grip and collapsed against his bed.

"Sumia!?" Cordelia cried.

Behind her, Ben pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh.

"What?" Sumia asked. Her sudden, brazen attitude disappeared as she turned to face Cordelia.

"You're supposed to do that with an open hand." Cordelia said.

"I think she did just fine." Lissa harrumphed as she strode into the room and planted herself right in front of Chrom, "Are you awake now?"

Chrom rubbed his chin, "Lissa I-"

"Ah!" Lissa raised her hand, "Save it. You, mister," She jabbed her finger in to his chest, "Have some explaining to do."

Chrom sighed, "I know. I failed Emmeryn and-"

*Smack*

Lissa slapped him hard across the face.

"See Sumia. That is how you're supposed to do it." Cordelia said quietly.

Chrom blinked in shock. He looked at Lissa completely stunned. As he opened his mouth to speak again, Lissa's face twisted into a furious snarl. She slapped him hard across the other cheek.

"Lissa I-"

"Do not make me slap you again. Because if I do, I'll have to heal the bruise. And honestly, I've been so busy healing people that I'd much prefer to have a nap then do more of that." Lissa snapped, "You! Where in Naga's name have you been!?"

"I-"

"I know exactly where you have been!" Lissa cut him off, "Wallowing here in a fit of self pity! Well just… damn it all, Chrom! I've never been this mad, upset, and sad in my entire life! When we needed you the most you dissapeared. When I need you the most, you shut me out! How could you do that!?"

Chrom stared at her in shock. And as her words sank in, he began to feel ashamed.

"Am I crushed Emmeryn is gone? Yes, I am." Lissa's lips began to trembled, "I have been having nightmares about what happened every single night. And instead of being able to turn to you, my brother, for help, I've been shut out instead. If it wasn't for everyone else, I probably would be a complete wreck right now. It's only because of my responsibilities as a cleric and the strength of the other Shepherds that I am not in the same state as you right now. And while we all grieve and try to figure out what to do next, you do what?" She pointed at the bottles, "Drink it all away." She let out a disgusted growl, "I want to slap you again so badly right now."

"I would suggest not doing that." Ben said as he calmly inserted himself between her and Chrom, "I think the first two got the point across."

"Chrom," Sumia breathed, "We all understand the need to mourn and grieve. But… we need you. Lissa and I need you."

"You are our Captain, Chrom." Robin said, "I'm not a leader of men. You are. And your men, your people, need you now more than ever."

Chrom swallowed hard. Before he could argue back. Ben spoke up.

"If you let this consume you Chrom, you will become someone you will not recognize." Ben's calm voice hit his ears like a thunderclap, "And you will hate that person." Ben let out a shuddering breath, as if he was also trying to convince himself on what he was saying, "We… we need to mourn, yes. But we also need to let go. Otherwise the grief will consume us. We will lose this war then. And everything Emmeryn stood for will be lost."

Chrom swallowed hard. Lissa let out a small sob then threw her arms around his chest.

"Please come back to us." She shuddered.

Chrom stayed frozen for a moment.

They needed him? They did not think he was a failure? They wanted him to lead them? He could scarcely believe it.

"Chrom," Ben continued, "It is when we are at our lowest, that we learn who we really are. Are you going to stand back up and face evil? Or will you let evil devour you?"

He closed his eyes. He could see Emmeryn again. But instead of her death. He remembered something else.

The first time she took him to see Captain Edward so that he could learn how to use a sword. She was so proud of him that day. He remembered her first address to the people of Ylisse at the very end of the war. How the crowd had booed and jeered at her the entire time. But she remained calm and serene. A beacon of light and peace. Pride swelled inside of him as he recalled that memory.

He remembered when he first broached the idea of the Shepherds to her. She was so excited about the idea. Maybe more than he was. She was so kind, giving, forgiving. A firm believer in peace and second chances.

This was his second chance.

He opened his eyes and wrapped Lissa in a tight hug.

"I am so sorry." He breathed as she cried in his arms.

He held his sister for a few moments before letting her go. She sniffled as she pulled away and stood beside Sumia. Chrom looked up at Sumia. The pegasus rider smiled at him and nodded. Telling him they can talk later. Chrom took a deep breath and glanced over at Ben.

"Together?" He asked.

Ben smirked, "Is there any other way?"

For the first time in a long time, Chrom felt a small grin on his lips.

"I guess not." He cleared his throat and turned to look at Robin, "Well… how-"

"We are a complete and total mess." Robin answered, "Stahl has eaten himself nearly into a coma. Frederick won't stop brushing the horses and cleaning the stables, despite all attempts to relieve him of that duty. Vaike is wearing clothes. Miriel is not reading a book. Maribelle is actually being nice to people. Kellam is… well Kellam. Virion is-"

Chrom chuckled, "I get it. I get it. I've got a bit of a mess to clean up."

"Oh that's not even the worst part," Robin continued, "Sully has taken on cooking duties.

Chrom's face turned ashen, "Oh gods."

"It's bad." Cordelia nodded.

"I've resorted to being a vegetarian." Ben joked.

"I've been looking forward to having bear again." Lissa laughed as she wiped away some tears.

"Thank Naga I know how to cook." Sumia said beneath her breath.

They all laughed together. And for the first time in days, Chrom felt something other than despair. He let out a long breath and got to his feet. He nodded to himself.

"What's the first step then?" He asked Robin.

"Meeting with the Khans." Robin answered, "They want to dissect the battle. Figure out what went wrong and correct it for any future engagements. Then-"

"Nope!" Lissa said.

She leaned towards Chrom, sniffed the air and recoiled. She pinched her nose shut and waved at the air.

"First thing's first." She said, "You need a bath."

Chrom let out a small laugh. Yes, a bath. He sniffed the air. His nose shriveled up.

Naga, he really did stink.

ANd chapter! A bit of a filler chapter before moving on to the next part of the story. That being, of course, the final battle between Gangrel and the Shepherds. And now, Gangrel does not have Maul or Kage to rely on. Maul is dead. And Kage has deserted the Plegians.

This was a fun chapter to write. Marth and Robin's interaction sort of just popped into my head and I decided to run with it. I like the idea of Robin learning Niman as well. In game he is kind of a jack of all trades combat type. He can learn pretty much anything. Seeing as Niman combines most of the fighting techniques into one, I think it makes sense given his style and personality.

I should have the next chapter up by next Thursday. Thursdays are my days off from work. So that's when I can actually sit down and put pen to paper so to speak. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!