Chapter Eight: For You

Word Count: 3,508

Focused Characters/Pairings: (RobinxOlivia), Lon'qu, Inigo, with a dash of Lucina

Summary: Everything I do is all for you.

"I want to learn how to fight."

Olivia's words echoed through Robin's mind. She was normally so soft spoken, but back then her words cut him like steel. There was only fire in eyes with no blush on her cheeks or a coy glance to the side. It was rare to see her like that, but did she have to be dead set on this?

'No, calm down Robin… This isn't the time to focus on your marital spat. You're in a battle for Naga's sake!'

Guilt flooded his mind. The Shepards deserved his attention now. He mustered a mental map of the battleground, a deserted village. He inserted dots where a Shepard's last location was known. The locations varied from destroyed homes, back alleys, and cracked stone roads. Smoke from burnt crops could be seen along the horizon. Luckily all this collateral damage was the worst of it, the residents were already evacuated by the battle's start. Nothing would get in their way to finish off the bandits.

Robin crept through the eastern district, searching for enemies. Once it was clear then he could signal the healers to pass through and reach further parts of the village. Olivia would help them cover more ground. Yes this was the safest decision, the smartest decision. There was no need for her to put herself in danger. He didn't understand… Why was she so insistent on fighting?

"Tell me why at least."

"You're a dancer, not a myrmidon."

"B-But that won't matter to an enemy! I want to help!"

"You do. Your support to the healers is crucial for their movement. Taking up the sword because you feel useless isn't the answer!" His voice rose, shocking them both. He never yelled at her before. On the other hand she was never stubborn like this. It led to a standoff of stares, hoping they could make the other understand. Words were no longer effective. Robin pleaded silently, begging for her to agree with him. However she didn't waiver. She wouldn't yield. In desperation he took her hand, bringing it to his lips and spoke. Now his voice was like a sail losing wind, slowly coming to a stop. Now there was no more anger, but desperation. "Don't worry about fighting. You there is all we need. You're safe where you are. Please…"

As much as Olivia wanted to hold his hand, to brush it against her cheek, she refrained. Of one of the many qualities she loved about her husband was his selflessness. He always thought of others before himself-to do otherwise he said was inappropriate for a tactician… But with the way his body slightly shook in fear, she knew this was the one thing he wanted so desperately.

Olivia got up, forcefully taking her hand from his weak grasp. The separation made her heart ache. As adamant as he was, she couldn't give this up as well.

"I can't stay where you want me to, not anymore."

"Robin!" Cynthia came up to him on her pegasus. "I finally found you! Our group's found the last of'em. My mother sent me to get you. They're holding them there now."

"What's everyone's condition. The enemy's?" There was no time to waste. He got on her mount and the scenery of destroyed homes flew by.

"They're good. Maybe a few nicks and scratches, but the bandits are worse off. From what I saw, it's the typical bandit baddie group."

"Feeling useless… That's not it. If there's anything more I can do, I want to! Libra fights, Lissa's learning magic… I want to get stronger too! I want to help the Shepards… and you!"

"Alright. Drop me off and go get Maribelle's group. They should be in the western district. The path should be clear."

"Roger Robin!"

The moment his foot touched the ground Robin charged into battle. He didn't need a moment for composure; his frustrations were enough to finish his foes with one or two strikes. Beyond him he could see Sumia in the air providing aerial support to Gregor and Donnel.

"Hey Robin! We've got these guys under control!" Sumia yelled out. "Go help Lon'qu! He's behind those buildings on his own."

Finding Lon'qu wasn't hard. All Robin had to do was follow the trail of dead bodies-like some sort of twisted fairytale. Each corpse had a slash across the chest or stab in the stomach. The depth of the cuts proved the victor's strength. If Robin weren't so angry, he would've been impressed.

"Is that why you were with Lon'qu? Because I wouldn't teach you?"

Olivia stayed silent; looking at the iron sword she was practicing with earlier on the table.

"You. I-Gods! You went behind my back… When I asked and you said nothing I could only assume …" His voice trailed off. He couldn't bear to face her.

"You thought I was… unfaithful?" Olivia asked, tears welling in her eyes.

"What else was I suppose to think?! Everyone keeps speaking nonsense and you're never in your tent when I go to see you!"

Robin's reasoning his Olivia like a slap across the face. She was expected his logic but not the impact. "You really don't trust me do you?"

"With all this sudden talk about you fighting, I certainly can't understand you!"

"Well neither can I."

'Cocky bastard… He doesn't even thank me for showing up.' Robin watched as three bandits charged towards Lon'qu.

The first man to charge Lon'qu was skewered through the stomach. The second one, just a bit intimidated charged forward, only to receive the same fate. Not wanting to be outdone Robin ran to the last one to block the attack. Lon'qu took the moment to step behind the bandit, striking him through the back of his neck. The bandit coughed up blood, splattering onto Robin's face.

"Was that necessary-" As the corpse fell Robin used his cloak to wipe the blood off his forehead, peeved. Although at the corner of his eyes he saw a flash of silver. Instinctively he pulled his sword out to block. "Lon'qu? What in Naga's name? Have you gone mad?"

His reply was with action, not words. All Robin could do was block. However there was too much momentum from Lon'qu's attacks, he was losing ground. Even when Robin tried to launch his own attack Lon'qu dodged everything: fast strikes, slow strikes, slashes, thrusts...

'What's with him? He's fighting harder than he was with the bandits… Shit.' Robin's brain spun, pulled by too many thoughts. Nothing was processing. His actions were now reactive, not based on information. He knew everything he should do, stay light, keep moving, but the confusion slowed his movements. It only took time until Lon'qu swept Robin's feet. He felt the impact with the ground and the tip of a blade on his cheek. Then a trickle of warm liquid.

"My blade speaks for me."

"… So you're angry?" Why? Everything today didn't make sense: Olivia fighting, her stubbornness, and now this? Robin gripped the spine of his wind tome and pulled it out. He casted a spell towards Lon'qu. There wasn't enough time to channel the spell properly, but it put enough distance between the two for Robin to regain his bearings. "Well so am I."

Lon'qu scoffed. He should've seen that coming. But it didn't shake his confidence. This was a fight he couldn't lose.

"There's too much emotion in your strikes." Lon'qu grunted in between attacks. Did Robin always have this much strength? The swings left Robin open, in ways he normally would never allow. Yet Lon'qu couldn't follow up on those spots, Robin was skilled enough to compensate for his rash attacks. Yet while passion was essential for a fighter, too much was fatal. Again Lon'qu knocked Robin on the ground. "You told me you'd protect everyone with your sword and tactics… Look at you now, you're pathetic."

Robin couldn't look Lon'qu in the eye.

"You know I speak the truth." If Robin wouldn't face it, Lon'qu would force it into view. Taking the flat of his blade he used it to hold up Robin's chin. The very tip of it pricked Robin's neck. "Leaving Olivia to the rear won't protect her. You know that's true."

"I…"

"I respect your skills, as a fighter… and friend. You're letting your emotions dominate you. Trust her." Lon'qu pulled back his sword. He looked up towards the sky. "In Ferox Khan Basilio appointed me to escort Olivia between venues. If danger broke out I would protect her. She would thank me. I only did my duty."

Robin stayed silent. It was rare to hear Lon'qu speak so much.

We normally travelled in silence. But her kindness still showed through. When we met again in the Shepards she had changed. She became stronger. Why does she wish to fight? You gave her the strength to do so."

Robin still sat on the ground, stunned.

"When she asked me to teach her… I felt obliged. Khan Basilio and I couldn't help her like you have. It was not my intention to steal her away… Those rumors are nonsense." At the very word Lon'qu's eye twitched. He put out his hand to help Robin up. "You know what's right. Do it."

"I'm sure… Olivia wants to protect you too." Robin said, still gripping his friend's hand.

"Heh." The amount of contact slightly bothered Lon'qu but he still allowed it.

"Robin!" The two turned heads. The voice sounded urgent. Distressed. A shadow formed beside them getting large until Cordelia landed.

"Cordelia? What's wrong?" The smile on Robin's face started to distort the longer he looked at Cordelia's troubled face.

"We set up camp at town hall to take care of the injured and someone's been hurt… Badly." Robin's heart sank. No. It couldn't be. Were the gods that cruel?

"Please it's not Olivia is it? Tell me."

"… It's not." Relief flooded through Robin's system. Everything was okay. He could still apologize. His screw up wouldn't become a lifelong regret. But when Cordelia still did not meet Robin's eyes, it was like lightning struck his body. The relief he felt was gone, washed away with guilt in an instant. His body felt heavy. He leaned onto Lon'qu for support.

"Don't tell me it's…" The last words escaped him. How could he have been so happy earlier? Someone was still hurt.

"I'll take you to him."

"Those bandits are worse than trash. We cornered them. They had surrendered. Were we careless? Were we too kind? It doesn't matter now does it? They took advantage of us. By the time we saw the grins on their faces, their hidden archer already took his shot."

Those were the only words in Robin's mind. As he made his way to town hall, none of the Shepards came up to him. He could only feel their consoling stares as entered the building. If they spoke, he didn't listen. His concentration disabled him from seeing someone running down the stairs.

"Lucina?" Robin gripped the railing to keep them from falling. He had a hand on her shoulder, she was shaking.

"Robin! I-I…" It was all she could manage to say. Once she looked at him her voice cracked. It was only a moment but Robin could see tear streaks down her cheek, with her eyes slightly red. She ran off without saying anything else.

Despite his concerns he continued on, there was no use chasing after her. The upstairs was partially destroyed with holes in the walls. In one room he saw Sumia fixing Frederick's bandages on his wrist. The sun shining through the windows made them both sparkle. In another room a half-standing door allowed him to see Tharja watching Stahl as he slept. She toyed with his hair and stroked his cheek, all while Stahl had a smile on his face.

Robin's destination was the room furthest down the hall, the one that provided the most privacy.

"Oh Robin."

"Lissa! How is he?" She closed the door behind her. There was sweat beading on her face. Her breaths were heavy. There was a bloodstain on her dress; the size of it scared Robin.

"To be honest it was lot worse than we thought. That was why we all panicked." Despite her fatigue Lissa managed a smile. "Sorry to send Cordelia like that, with only bad news. It's just that the arrow was in pretty deep. It kind of makes you assume the worst you know."

"So… Inigo's alright?"

"Well he's not going to in any fights anytime soon. But he'll be fine."

How many times had this feeling come over him? Robin's legs gave out on him and he could only manage to squat in the hallway.

"Do you need to be looked at as well?" Lissa asked, eyeing the cut on his cheek.

"No, I'm fine… Actually I'm great!" For the first time today he laughed. He grabbed Lissa's hand. "Thank you, Lissa."

"No prob! Inigo's a tough kid. He'll get back on his feet in no time. In fact he should be waking up any second now. I bet you're dying to see him. I have to go check up on the others anyways."

The room smelled like iron. Even if Lissa said everything was okay, the sight of Inigo so weak still worried Robin. Inigo looked lifeless and pale in bed, yet he still had a smile on his face. Was that his face's natural expression? Even now Inigo was trying to fool everyone. Robin sat in the nearby chair and gripped Inigo's hand. Even if there was no strength, feeling some warmth was reassuring. With the other hand Robin gently pulled back the covers to see the damage.

He almost wished he didn't.

Most of Inigo's torso was bandaged. Just right below the ribs blood was starting to seep through already. He'd have to call Lissa back in to dress the wound again. The last thing they needed was an infection. Inigo's body shivered slightly.

"… Father?"

"Inigo! How, how are you feeling?"

"Great… Circumstances considering." Inigo tried to sit up but instantly clutched his injured side.

"Just lay down. You're the injured one here, don't try to accommodate for me." Robin pulled the covers back over Inigo. Then he got up to close the window and search the cabinets for an extra blanket.

"You're making me feel like a child tucking me in like this father." Nonetheless Inigo adjusted himself underneath the covers. His smile was bright.

"… How did this happen?" Robin asked, lightly touching his son's side. He couldn't smile just yet.

"I had those curs at surrender, no problem for my swordsmanship. Their backs were against the wall. We should've known. It was like time froze when I saw the archer… He was aiming for Lucina, father. I couldn't just stand there. I ran, ran as fast as I could and dove towards her hoping that if she would be okay… That's all that mattered."

Robin's mind flashbacked to the stairs.

"Mother would've done the same for you." Inigo paused. "Morgan and I didn't know what to do. You two never argued before."

"That's… Don't worry about that Inigo." First it was Lon'qu. Now Inigo? How many more of his loved ones noticed his troubles? Robin felt even more inadequate.

"I'm scared too you know. I keep putting a stupid smile on my face to tell myself otherwise… But there are times I'm scared I can't protect anyone. That I'm not strong enough."

"Inigo…"

"But when I saw that archer, I remembered: I would do everything I could to protect everyone. And then I also remembered: everyone would do the same for me too. We all want to help you too father, just as you do the same for us."

Robin chuckled, "Now I feel like the child. Have I always had such a smart son?"

"As long as you realize, there's no harm… Now I'm feeling rather tired. Perhaps you could go find mother and tell her I'm alright? Apparently I was asleep when she visited."

With a wink on his face, Robin understood the underlying request. And so as Inigo pretended to yawn, Robin left his son to sleep.

He found her pacing in the backyard of a destroyed home. She always wasn't one to sit still. Movement was engrained into her muscles. Even as worried as she looked now, she still looked so graceful.

"Olivia… Can we talk?" She jumped. "Or rather, will you listen to my apology?"

"… Alright?" She wasn't angry or frustrated. Just happy knowing her family was alright.

He hugged her.

"U-Uh Robin?" As forward as it was, Olivia didn't push away.

"I'm sorry you have such a fool for a husband. You were right. Lon'qu was right. Inigo was right and in my mind, I knew I was wrong."

"I-It's fine." He pulled her in closer.

"No it's not. You were trying your best. I just hoped, wished, dreamt… You'd be safe if you never learned sword fighting. Instead I was putting you in danger."

"N-no. I'm sorry for being so rough towards you as well."

"I shouldn't have let my emotions get in the way as a tactician… But I still kept you hidden in the back. And when I learned you didn't get hurt, I was so happy."

"Of course you'd be!"

"But then I felt so guilty. I was happy someone else was injured, not you. I love you Olivia and I'm so glad you're not hurt… But I can't afford to be so biased." Robin chocked back a sob. His head was in the nook of her neck, trying to not cry. But when she felt wet tears running down her neck, she rubbed his back. "I'm a failure as a tactician."

"No you're not. We have a wonderful tactician, one that's gentle and kind and cares for everyone. I'd be worried if you weren't happy after finding out I wasn't hurt. In fact… It makes me really happy to hear that."

"Really?"

"Really." She pulled away from his hug to meet him in the eyes. "However, you have to trust me."

"I do. And you know after everyone who's talked to me, I've felt more and more silly. It's really quite that simple, isn't it?" Trust… Yes that was what he needed to move forward. It would make him forget any fear he had.

She giggled and suddenly Robin knew everything would be fine.

"Did you say you talked to Inigo?" She asked; her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Yes. He's fine love. Just resting. He told me to tell you he's okay. Although you still want to verify that for himself, don't you?"

"Well you aren't going to stop me there. I'm quite stubborn you know." The two held hands as they made their way to the town hall building, only to see in the distance Lissa opening the door for Lucina to enter.

"Uh, on second thought dear… Why don't we see him later? We can bring Morgan too. Right now it appears he's going to receive a very important guest."

"You mean?" She whispered, pointing to the blue haired princess.

"He's quite the charmer, isn't he?"

"Well you are his father."

"Say." Robin said, getting a bright idea in his head (perhaps the best one he had all day). He grabbed the sword out from his sheath and handed it to Olivia. "Why don't I teach you some basic steps?"

Olivia smiled, taking the sword. As Robin watched her swing, he already knew she had the talent for the sword. Her dancing made her movements fluid and natural. She would be tricky to hit and quick to strike. How could he have wasted such potential by having her stay in the back?

"Now with this step…" He said as he came up behind her, overlaying his hands with hers, gripping the sword. He could feel the arch of her back against his chest and the smoothness of her hands.

"… Robin!" Olivia said, surprised by the sudden increased contact (not that she didn't mind). They were known as the purest couple within the Shepards… Yet once Morgan showed up after Inigo some joked they were actually the lewdest, which always made Olivia blush.

"Hey I'm the teacher here, right? Just follow the downward motion." He helped her bring the sword up and swing straight down. "Then plant your left foot there, it'll help with your balance as you increase your momentum. Just like that!"

Within his hold Olivia turned to kiss Robin on the cheek, perhaps the most outward display of affection in public she performed yet. There was a light blush on her cheeks. However her happiness was soured when she saw the dried blood trailing down Robin's face.

"Wait… Robin?" She took one hand of the grip of the blade and stroked the cut on his cheek. "Who did this to you?"

"I'll tell you, if only you put the sword down first."

A/N: ... I'm here. This was pretty much halfway done for the longest time, then school started and... yeah. I got nothing to defend myself with other than that. I've seriously gained a newfound respect for those continuing their stories through work or school or other life obligations.

This was written for the request of Legacy Emblem and an anonymous review. It took a while, but it's finally done! I'm not sure what to pick next from my backlog of prompts, but if anyone has a request-I'll see if I can work on it next!