The rain falling on the camp was an accurate reflection of the army's mood – disheartened and sorrowful after the attack on Fort Steiger. While the Shepherds and Say'ri had managed to take out the Valmese commander with a tactical strike, it had been a Pyrrhic victory as the majority of the Valmese Resistance had turned on them. Only their lax motivation when out of imperial view had allowed the coalition force to escape, and as a result the army's morale was at its lowest since the campaign had begun.
Robin sat alone in the command tent, poring over his tactical manuals with an almost frightening intensity. He was so absorbed, in fact, that he didn't even notice the presence of another in the tent until a voice reached his ears. "You're still here, Robin? You must have read every book on strategy we own by now."
Shaking his head, the tactician wearily replied, "I have to commit every last detail to memory if we're going to avoid another disaster like the one at Fort Steiger. I hadn't anticipated the former Resistance to turn on us and nearly got several of us killed as a result. My tactics have to be better than that." He made to flip the page of his manual when Chrom grasped his wrist firmly.
"Enough, Robin. You're working yourself ragged, and with Yen'fay's division active in this region we cannot afford to have you at any less than your best. Take the rest of the night off." He cut off Robin's ensuing protests with a stern, "That's an order from your commander. I won't have my brother risking himself and everyone else for the sake of a few hours' extra reading."
As he'd learned from several incidents since joining the Shepherds, there was no winning an argument with Chrom. He reluctantly closed his book and rose tiredly to his feet, pulling up his hood against the rain as he exited the tent. He briefly debated going to his tent and sleeping but put the thought from his mind; he knew he must look awful from spending nearly every waking moment not on the march with his nose buried in one manual or another, and he didn't want Cordelia to see him like that. She had enough to deal with just enduring the strain of carrying Severa.
With his mind lost in a mix of tactical thinking and worrying about his wife, he barely caught himself in time to avoid walking into another soldier. "Sorry." He muttered as his comrade looked at him strangely.
"It is no trouble." Say'ri acknowledged before asking, "And what, pray tell, is our master tactician doing wandering amidst this downpour? And with such a dazed expression, at that."
Robin shook his head and sighed. "Just… thinking of our next move. I would rather still be reading, but Chrom unfortunately put a stop to that. But what brings you out in this weather yourself?"
The Chon'sin native chuckled softly, her lips quirking into a rare smile. "Since I was young, I always found that training in the rain improved my performance. I cannot allow myself to be lax in my practice, after all." Her expression turned more serious when next she spoke. "You look unwell. Perhaps you should rest?" Her dark eyes watched him with an almost disconcerting insight, as if she could see into his very soul.
"I'm afraid I must decline. There's still more I have to do…" He quickly found his refusal growing weak under Say'ri's cool gaze.
"Your spirit can certainly carry on, true, but your body will give out if you push yourself so recklessly. We are all relying on you to guide our swords to victory – an ill leader will not only be ineffective on the field but damage our fragile morale even further. The determination you bear is an asset, yes, but it will mean our ends if not tempered with reason."
The woman's words ignited a spark within Robin that would have died quickly if not for his fatigue. As it was, he gave her a sharp look and stiffly responded, "Thank you for your concern, but I know my limits quite well. I can't afford to squander time that could be spent ensuring our future victories."
Say'ri remained impassive as he brushed past her brusquely, only speaking when he was several paces behind her. "Then let us speak no more of battles and leadership. Say you continue to push yourself beyond what your body can take and fall ill. Say that somehow, some way, we are able to achieve victory without your tactics while you lie unconscious and feverish under the care of the army's healers. Can you envision this scenario in your mind's eye?"
"What point are you trying to make? If Chrom and the others can overcome Walhart without me, I'm happy with that. I'm not such an egotist that I must claim the credit for our victories."
The Chon'sin woman's voice was as even and calm as ever as she continued. "Keep that vision in mind, of your illness posing no hindrance to our ultimate victory. Now imagine the consequences on a smaller scale than that of armies and nations; imagine Lady Cordelia at your bedside, endlessly fretting over whether her beloved husband will wake and stand beside her again. Imagine that you do not recover and she is one day forced to explain to little Severa why she never knew her father. Imagine-"
Robin cut her off, fire burning in his eyes as he held his hands behind his back to occupy them, snarling, "What right do you have to say such things?! You're a skilled ally and have earned our trust, but what gives you the right to speak to me of my family like you know anything?!"
"Perhaps I know more than you think, Robin. Since I joined you at Port Valm, Lady Cordelia and I have spoken at length when not occupied with other duties, exchanged stories and hopes for the future. Though I have not known her as long as the rest of you, I see in her a kindred spirit, a sister I never had, and it is out of respect for her that I take it upon myself to return you to your senses." Say'ri's eyes flashed forcefully before she turned on her heel and walked away. "I shall take my leave."
There was no sound but the rain pounding on the ground and the myriad tents of the camp. Robin stared dumbly after the swordswoman's retreating back until she was lost amid the haze of falling rain, then clenched his fists so tightly that only his gloves prevented him from drawing blood. He wanted to hate Say'ri for condemning him with such words, for her barely-veiled implication that he was neglecting his family for his role as tactician, but he knew she was right. He wasn't fighting this war to defeat Walhart and crush the Valmese Empire; he fought it to protect those he cared for. The Shepherds. Chrom and Lucina. Cordelia and Severa.
Cordelia was lying on the bedroll when he entered, her eyes fixed on the needlework she was engrossed in. She finished the final stitch and looked up at him, softly murmuring, "Robin, my love."
He dropped to his knees beside her, taking her hand and pressing his lips to its back regretfully. "I'm sorry, Cory. I've been so obsessed with planning our battles that I've been remiss in my duties as a husband. I can only beg for your forgiveness and ask you to trust that I won't make the same mistake again."
"Say'ri spoke to you, didn't she?" The pegasus knight wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. "I know you want only to create a world where war's shadow no longer hangs over us, where Severa can grow up amid laughter and music rather than clashing swords and war drums. But such a world would be less heaven than hell if it meant you wouldn't be at our side. Less than peace, Severa will need her father, and I will need the man I love." She nuzzled into his neck softly as she spoke, her voice gentle and soothing with every word.
Robin's fingers trailed through her silky red hair, his eyes closing as he held her gently. "I remember what's important now. I won't make the same mistake again, Cory. I swear it."
AN: Okay, this chapter was a lot more difficult than the others. The part with Say'ri guilt-tripping Robin was always there, but it originally played out completely differently, with her calling him out on the consequences of him failing on the battlefield. I ended up changing it because A) I wanted to explore Say'ri beyond just her issues with the war and Yen'fay and B) Because I can actually see Cordelia and Say'ri getting along pretty well and thought it'd be cool to have them bond at least a little during the Valmese campaign. Hope you're all still enjoying this!