Lucina paced back and forth. They'd finished their assault and were now waiting for news of Basilio and Flavia. The wait was killing her.

"Ugh, Lucina, sit down already." Chrom groaned. "Watching you is nauseating."

"Then don't watch her, dumby." Robin said not turning his attention from the chessboard he and Morgan were playing on. "Checkmate."

Morgan let out a frustrated noise throwing his hands in the air. "How do you keep winning? I get close and then BAM, you turn the tables."

"You need to think outside the box. Your thought process is too linear. I can read you like an open tome."

"Seriously, Lucina." Chrom covered his eyes with a hand. "Stop."

"She gets it from you." Robin started to reset the chessboard.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You paced the entire time Tiamo was giving birth." He looked up at Morgan. "Your father even asked 'what's taking so long?'. Lissa laughed so hard she fell off her chair."

Morgan grinned. "Luci paces all the time! Back in our timeline she."

"How can you all be so calm?" Lucina snapped.

Three sets of eyes started at her. She hung her head, ashamed of her outburst. "I'm sorry. I already failed once. If we lose another key figure." She trailed off. She should have tried harder to convince him to stay.

"Lucina." Chrom's voice was firm, but gentle. "None of this is your fault. You can't force a man like Basilio to do something he doesn't want to."

"I know, but."

The door burst open and a soldier hurried in huffing and puffing. "Milord! Khan Basilio, he... He has been killed in battle!"

Chrom sprang to his feet. "Damn it all! You're certain?"

"I am." Flavia limped in past the soldier shooing him away with a gesture. "He's gone, Chrom. I saw him fall myself."

"Flavia! What happened?" He noticed her favoring her right leg and the dried blood on patches of her skin. "Wait...you're hurt! Lucina, fetch a healer, at once!"

"I'll be fine, gods damn me." Flavia waved her hand dismissively stopping the girl. "Gods damn me for outliving that one-eyed clod! That big, bald oaf! That...that." She let loose a loud frustrated cry.

Lucina bit her lower lip clenching her fists. That was twice now that she'd failed to save a life.

A hand covered her's. She twisted her head. It was Morgan and he was wearing the most serious and determined look on his face she'd ever seen on him. He nodded slightly. The fight was far from over. The expression vanished in an instant and his trade mark grin returned. "I didn't realize Flavia was older than Basilio. She must be like, in her fifties, maybe even sixties. She looks really good for her age. I should tell her that. I bet it'd cheer her up." He made a move towards Flavia.

Lucina yanked him back by his coat collar. "Are you insane?" She hissed.

"Insanely smart." Morgan bopped her on the nose with a finger. "It got that doom and gloom look off your face."

At that moment, Lucina couldn't decide if she had the best little brother in the world or the worst.

"I'll kill him!" Flavia roared. "I'll cut that dastard Walhart down myself! I swear it before the gods!" She took a step forward and her knees buckled.

Robin caught her before she could crumble. "No, Flavia. You need to rest and to heal."

With Chrom's help, they managed to half walk and half carry her to a seat.

"When the time is right, we will avenge Basilio. You have my word." The Ylissen prince promised.

"Then know that I will hold you to it." Flavia winced. "Perhaps I'll take that healer after all if it stops the four of you from acting like I'm on death's door." She forced a smile Morgan's way. That boy was the most up beat ray of sunshine she'd ever seen. Nothing seemed to bring him down and she'd be damn sure he wasn't sad on her account.

"I'll get Libra." Robin offered. Out of all of them, he'd be less thrown off by Flavia's sorry state.

He left the room with Morgan on his heels.

"Mother, hold on."

Older turned to the younger.

"Are you okay?"

Robin cocked a white eyebrow.

"Basilio died because of your plan. I mean, I'm not blaming you, Mother, he knew the risks, but." Morgan blew out a breath. "Are you blaming you?"

A soft smile spread across Robin's face. He placed a gentle hand on his son's head. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. There'll always be that little nagging feeling of guilt in the back of your mind that asks, 'did I do enough?'. That's the sign of a good tactician. A great tactician takes that feeling and uses it to propel them forward, to keep fighting as hard as they can. They must never forget all those that died under their command." Morgan's head lowered and Robin moved to tilt his chin back up. "But more importantly, we must never forget all those we've saved. That feeling of guilt is a good thing. It keeps us grounded and it keeps us humble. When we lose that feeling, it's time to put our maps away."

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Morgan gave the tiniest of nods in understanding.

Robin took his son into his arms and held him close. "It's okay to cry."

Morgan buried his face in his mother's chest, gripping the excess of his coat tightly.

A pang of guilt far greater than ever he'd experienced before ripped through Robin's heart. He hated seeing Morgan like this, but the less people who knew, the better.