So...I'm not sure how I feel about this one. I think it gets a bit out of character towards the end, but I feel like what Robin says needs to be said. I mean, the fact you decided to join the resistance just like that and nobody says anything always bothered me.

The woman in pink walked towards the Ylissen royals wiping blood from her sword. "Mercy, friends! The tales of your strength were no exaggeration." With her sword sufficiently clean, she sheathed it. "I am called Say'ri, and I fight with the Resistance." She offered her hand.

Chrom took it. "So there is an organized resistance?"

"Aye, of sorts."

"What do you mean 'of sorts'?" Robin glanced over Morgan's shoulder to see what he was writing in his book. "That's a 'c' not a 's', sweetie." He corrected pointing to the word.

"Several groups formed to seek liberty for the states of Valm."

Lucina crossed her arms. "I thought the emperor had stamped out all dissenters."

Say'ri nodded. "He tries, but we Resistance are a slippery lot. We strike hard and then vanish again into the dark of night. Even now rebels ride to the banner of dynasts across the continent. United, we could pose a veritable threat to Walhart. And so, for some time I have struggled to bring us together."

"So then what's stopping you?"

"Greed. Jealousy. Sloth. All the old weaknesses of man." The swordmaster half-heartedly shrugged. "The dynasts all would have freedom, but on their own terms. Some refuse to take up arms unless their territory is threatened. Others thrive under the Conqueror's heel and will not join unless there is profit in it." She sighed heavily. "Liberty is a fine word, aye, but not always enough to rouse men from foolishness."

"What you need." Robin said. "Is a more convincing argument. A symbol or an idea everyone can agree on and would fight for."

"Just so, although my efforts thus far have met with meager success. I fear many distrust me because my brother fights for Walhart." Say'ri cringed. The mere thought pained her.

Morgan looked up from making notes in his book. "He must have some reason for siding with the weird lobster man. No sibling would turn their back on another."

She turned her gaze to him. "Yen'fay was a good man once, but he is my brother no more! If we meet on the battlefield, I would cut him down, same as any other imperial."

The boy took his sister's hand accidently transferring ink to it. "Siblings shouldn't fight." He whispered.

Lucina gave his hand a firm squeeze. "Never." She whispered back.

"Walhart is said to command a million men now. Perhaps more. Sooner or later he will stamp out the Resistance entirely, if we do not unite."

"A million?!" Father and children spluttered.

"Is said to'. It could just be a fabrication or a rumor gone out of hand." Robin tried to assure his family, but no one seemed to be buying it.

Say'ri laughed. "And what are one million men against the Ylissean dogs of war?! You stopped a thousand of their ships, did you not? Your daring strategy has awoken and inspired people across all of Valm." She held up a fist. "Together I know we can yet unite the Resistance and break Walhart's grip! Help me, Prince Chrom!" She bowed low at the waist, her dark hair falling over her shoulder. "I beg of you!"

Chrom frowned. "This is no easy thing you ask of me. I have my own causes: a halidom to save and a future to win." Lucian had mentioned the possibility of a great battle. Was this it? How was he supposed to know? "I admire your courage. Perhaps your mission is the best way to achieve mine. So yes, Say'ri." His gut gave him his answer. "I will join your cause with my own."

Robin pinched the bridge of his nose. He saw that coming a mile away.

"What will it take to unite your people?"

Say'ri shifted uneasily. "I do have one idea. Since ancient times, many of our people have worshipped Naga. More precisely, we worship the divine dragon's oracle, Lady Tiki. Though most know her only as the Voice. The Voice is trapped in her temple as Walhart's prisoner. But if she were freed."

"The Resistance could unite around her" Robin finished. "Where is the Voice being held?"

"There is a shrine built in the branches of the divine Mila Tree. She is confined there."

"Alright, as soon as everyone's prepared, we march for Mila Tree." Chrom assured her.

"Thank you, Prince Chrom. The people of Valm will be in your debt."

'And in no condition to repay it'. Robin thought bitterly.

Once Say'ri had left to make her own preparations, Lucina voiced her concerns. "I understand they require our assistance and under any other circumstances, I would help gladly, but if Grima is resurrected while we're here, the plight of the Valm people is moot."

"I'm with Lucina on this one." The tactician agreed. "I'm saddened to say it, but we lack the resources and man power for this. If we don't do this wisely, we won't have anything left for Grima."

"When we fought Grangel." Chrom started, but Robin cut in.

"This is nothing like when we went up against the Mad King. This will be a long, drawn out war against a man whose mind isn't clouded by petty grudges." He shook his head. "Even if we can get Tiki to help us, there's no guarantee people will rally to her. The fact that she's imprisoned by Walhart and people still go to him is proof enough that Tiki isn't going to be the end all solution. We won't be able to just walk away. By the time we reach Tiki and convince people to join her, our little army will be in too deep."

"What? Should I have just told her 'no' then?"

"That's not what I'm."

"What if Regna Ferox had told us 'no' two years ago? What would have happened to Ylisse?"

"Regna Ferox wasn't trying to prevent an unknown world ending catastrophe with time skipping future children!"

"But, Mother, we know the future." Morgan interjected.

"One out of an infinity number of possibilities." Robin raked his hand through his hair. "This might not even have anything to do with the large-scale war you know of."

Chrom crossed his arms. "And if I'm wrong, it's my life on the line. As it should be."

"Wrong!" Robin glared at him. "Everyone's life is on the line. You're dragging our army with you and I can tell, right now, that you're expecting me to perform some sort of strategical miracle. I'm all for stamping out tyrants, but you're asking me to do something I might not be able to do. A million soldiers, Chrom, and I'd bet all of Ylisse that Walhart has a strategist of his own, maybe even several."

"If you're so against this, Robin, then go back to Ylisstol!"

"I'm not entirely against this, I'm not against you, but there's so much we don't know. We don't even know how much we can trust Say'ri."

"And if I'd listened to Frederick when we first met, I would have made the biggest mistake of my life."

The husbands stood there glowering at each other. Daring the other to say something first.

Robin decided to give in first. He closed his eyes relaxing his stance. "I'm not the monster here, Chrom. I'm trying to keep this army together and with as few casualties as possible. You're not leading just the Shepherds anymore. You're leading a whole country." He held up a finger. "One mistake and all of Ylisse is done for. That's all it takes."

Chrom took Robin's shoulders in hand. "I know, but I can't just turn a blind eye to these people's struggle. It's who I am."

"I'd never ask you to change, just, next time, how about we try planning things out before running off? If plan A falls through, we have to make a plan B on the fly."

"I…didn't think about that."

"You saw someone in need and jumped to help, I know." Robin patted his wrist. "It's one of the many things I love about you." He leaned in and kissed his husband.

Lucina cleared her throat. "We, ah, we're still here, by the way."