Traveling further south, Robin and Lucina eventually made their way into the poorest region of Ylisse. It was also arguably the most important as that was where the vast majority of the farmland was located. This one region produced the majority of the continent's food.

It also happened to be where Robin joined the Shepherds. In fact, Lucina insisted on visiting Southtown which Robin was more than eager to oblige. It would be nice to see the town again. Preferably not on fire this time.

The town itself had done a good job of rebuilding. Robin smiled seeing all the friendly faces, but more than anything, he smiled watching Lucina point out all the little things he had missed or dismissed. She had a love of life that was just contagious.

"Flowers for the miss?" Robin looked sidelong at the older lady selling flowers, "I'm sure she'll love a nice little gift."

Robin smiled and approached, "I think you're right. What do you recommend?"

"Hmm," The lady picked out a bouquet of white flowers, "I think these would work."

The tactician smiled and handed her some coin before taking the flowers and hiding them behind his back. Catching back up to Lucina, he found her watching some local children.

"They're so carefree. It really makes all that fighting worth it to know they can be that way for even a day longer."

Robin smiled, "It does. Though I'm sure the castle will be filled with kids before long with everyone getting married."

"I suppose we might be joining them sometime soon," Lucina smiled up at Robin, making him flustered.

"Er, well, no rush. Whenever you're ready. Here!" Robin held out the flowers, "I got you a little something."

"They're lovely!" Lucina smelled them, "For some reason, flowers make me really happy. Thank you, Robin. That was very sweet."

"Oh, it was nothing."

As the day progressed, the pair found themselves walking toward the inn, "The duke shouldn't be far from here. We could probably be there in two days. Might be nice to tour the fields. I wouldn't mind seeing some farming first hand."

"Yes, sometimes it's nice to get your hands dirty. Perhaps we should help out."

Stepping into the inn, Robin put down the money, "Two rooms please."

"So, what do you think everyone back home will think of our little development?"

Robin chuckled, "For some reason, I don't think they'll be too shocked."

"Perhaps not. Still," Lucina gave Robin the sweetest smile he had ever seen as she grabbed her key, "I'm happy all the same. See you tomorrow."

"See ya," Robin shook his head as he was staring. He had it bad. Thinking back to their previous conversation, Robin swallowed. He had some shopping to do before bed.

Some hours after leaving town, the two were making good time, but Lucina spotted something in the distance. Drawing her rapier, she spoke without taking her eyes off the commotion. It was nice to have both available to her at least.

"Trouble. Looks like bandits chasing a villager."

Robin glared. He had hoped this would not happen anymore, but some men were simply reprehensible. He likewise drew his shortsword as he grabbed his mount's reins, "Up for a little intervention?"

Lucina answered with a shout as she spurred her horse forward. Making up ground quickly, Lucina lept from her mount - it not really being a combat horse - and quickly disarmed one of the brigands. Before his pal could even swing at her, Robin had shocked him with a quick spell.

"Oh wow!" The village boy ran up to them, "Thank ya so much!"

"Mind telling us what that was all about?" Robin asked, noting the boy's strange taste in headwear.

"Bandits, sir! They attacked my village. They're ransackin' the place! Please, I can't fight them off, but I'm all that got away. Please, milord and lady!"

All it took was one look and the two knew that they would help, "Where is your village?"

"About twenty brigands," Lucina spoke on her stomach, "They also seem to have rounded the villagers up in the town hall."

"Hostages complicate matters," Robin adjusted his glove, "But they at least seem to have the bulk of their force outside the hall. Makes our jobs a bit easier. Lucina, sneak around back while I distract them."

"Yer gonna take them all on alone?" The villager, Donnel, asked in a mix of awe and fear.

"Don't have much of a choice," Robin unsheathed his blade, "Lucina needs to sneak back and rescue the villagers."

"I…can I help?"

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, Donnel," Robin put a hand on his shoulder, "But you really should leave this to the professionals."

"I…" Donnel looked down before he had an epiphany, "You wanna distract em, right?"

"That's the idea."

"My pa did their leader real good. He killed im for it, but he's still angrier than a wild hornet over it."

"So you want to be bait. Sorry, but it's more dangerous than I'm comfortable with."

"I'm beggin' ya, sir!" The boy grabbed Robin's sleeve, "They got my ma. She's all I gots left."

Robin looked at him seriously for a moment before relenting with a sigh, "Alright, but stay close."

"What?" Lucina grabbed his arm and whispered in his ear, "He's just a boy!"

"And he's determined and stubborn," Robin sighed, "I'll do most of the work, and this way I can make sure he doesn't do something ill advised on his own. Just," Robin looked over at the boy, "Don't keep us waiting."

Lucina released his arm, "Very well. Stay safe."

Robin scoffed with a smile, "It's just some bandits."

"Hey, boss, who's that?"

"Huh?" The bandit leader stopped to see a man striding into the town wearing a lot of gold on him, "Heh, looks like some noble. Bet he'll fetch us a pretty penny in ransom. Hey…that's that brat that got away with em! Hehehehe, looks like fortune smiles on us today, boys."

"Greetings!" Robin spoke calmly as Donnel nervously clutched his makeshift lance, "I heard some scoundrels had taken these villagers hostage, and I would kindly ask you to release them and leave."

"That's some big talk for one guy in a fancy coat."

"I'm not alone," Robin raised his brow and the bandit leader laughed.

"Oh, yeah, how could I forget about the runt? Hey, boy, have you ever even lifted a weapon?"

Robin put a hand in front of Donnel letting him know he did not have to answer, "I take it that means you won't be leaving peaceably then, right?"

"I don't think so. You'll fetch me quite a bit in ransom I wager."

The tactician sighed and mumbled to himself, "I knew this getup was too gaudy. Ahem," Robin raised his voice as he drew his sword, "If you insist, but I won't go down without a fight."

"Perfect! Rough him up a bit, boys!"

On his command, two grunts ran after him with their shoddy axes. Really, did they not have a better standard for bandits anymore? Sidestepping one with ease, Robin pulled a page from Chrom's book and slashed through his abdomen in one swift movement.

"One."

The next brought his ax down on the man, but Robin disarmed him with ease and planted his own ax into his foot, pinning him to the ground.

"Two."

"Grrr," The leader growled, "Bring me his head!"

Three more tried to jump him. Literally. Robin easily slipped under and knocked one off balance causing him to faceplant. With a quick stomp, Robin broke his shin.

"Three."

Spinning, Robin stabbed his blade into another's shoulder, and before the last could react, the tactician swept his legs out from beneath him, giving him a knee to his chin as he fell.

"Four and five."

Barely looking behind him, Robin kicked and knocked the wind out of a charging brigand. Scoffing, Robin proceeded to knock him out cold.

"Six. Really, are you even trying? This is kinda sad, actually."

Just then, an arrow whizzed by, landing a few feet away. Terrible aim. Whipping out his tome, Robin took aim and summoned the electricity, "Here's how it's done. And that's seven."

About that time, they changed tactics and went after Donnel, but Robin was too fast. He broke one of their wrists, prying his weapon free. Another took a sword to his leg before another took a dose of electricity to his system from a range. One of them got a bit too close for comfort to Donnel, and he got a lance to his gut.

"Stay with me, Donnel," Robin pulled the boy's face from the bandit, "Focus."

"R-right," He nodded and steeled himself. Strong kid.

"Now, that's eleven, and…there we go."

A commotion alerted him to Lucina's success. That should be another five. Sixteen and not having to worry about the hostages. Robin smirked and started building up power in his left hand.

"Now! Is that enough, or do you need a further demonstration of how utterly outclassed you are?"

Robin heard three axes hitting the ground as the men dropped to their knees and put their hands over their heads. The leader was not quite so agreeable though. He charged Robin head long despite what he had seen.

"I won't go back to bein' a weakling!"

Robin narrowed his eyes and easily slipped past the man's sloppy defense, grabbing his wrist, "You already are." With one swift motion, Robin disarmed him and that was that.

"Donny!" Robin stepped aside as who he presumed to be the boy's mother ran in for a hug, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"You should be proud," Robin stepped in, "Your son is brave. Braver than most. Hone that potential, and you might have a veritable protector. Well, sorry to run, but we do need to keep going. I'll send word to have someone pick up the bandits."

"Wait! Sir!" Donnel broke from his mother's hug and ran after Robin who stopped to hear him out, "Teach me to be strong like you! Please, your sirship, the way you handled most of those bandits with such ease. I want to be strong like that."

Robin sighed, "Look, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but…why do you want to be stronger, Donnel?"

"I wanna protect my village like you said. For so long, I thought I wasn't good for nothin', but you showed me I could be a protector! Please, sir, let me protect people like my ma."

Robin sighed and ran his head through his hair. He shot Lucina a look, but she was not going to help him. Instead, Robin grabbed some paper from his saddle bag along with a quill, ink, and backboard. Sitting down, Robin hastily jotted down a few words before sealing it in an envelope.

"If you're serious," Robin handed him the letter, "Travel to Ylisstol. Go to the castle and ask for a man named Frederick. Tell him Robin sent you and hand him this."

"Thanks a ton!"

"I should warn you, he's not an easy instructor, but he's the best one we have." Looking to the concerned mother, Robin smiled, "Don't worry. He's in good hands with Sir Frederick. We're not planning on another war, but if he wants to get stronger, Frederick will help his potential to shine through."

"I suppose I can't stop ya if this is what you want," She sighed before pulling her son into a hug, "But you had better write."

"I will, ma," He smiled back, though Robin was a bit surprised he could actually write.

"Good. Now go and get you some glory."

"I ain't doin' it for the glory, but if I find some, I suppose I'd better bring it on back to ya."

Nodding and seeing his job was done, Robin met up with Lucina and prepared to leave.

"I wonder if I did the right thing."

"He wanted to fight. Protecting others is a noble goal," Lucina replied as Robin helped her onto her horse out of courtesy.

"Perhaps. I guess maybe I would have liked to protect him from this life. At the very least, I hope we don't have another war anytime soon."

"Let's hope," Lucina smiled back, but it was hollow. For some reason, and she had given up on trying to figure these feelings out, she felt that would not be the case. She hoped this time it was wrong.

"Go forth, and bring glory to Valm!" Walhart bellowed as his fleet set out from the harbor. His top generals all watched the fleet leave. It was just the first wave. Once they dropped off the vanguard and the main force, they were to return and pick up his elite squadrons so that they could wash over the continent.

Turning back, the Conqueror called for Cervantes, "I have been told that the princeling may try to set up a resistant defense. I want you to test his defenses once we land. See if his mettle is worthy of joining our ranks. If not, crush him like any other foe."

"I will relish the opportunity, milord," The man bowed as best he was able in his bulky armor and Walhart looked back at his advancing fleet.

"Soon."

The princess in hiding panted as she closed the door behind her.

"I take it that it did not go well," Cherche asked with folded arms.

"Alas. Hardly anyone trusts me because of Yen'fay. Even if they did," Say'ri plopped ungracefully in a free chair, "Most are too selfish to unite."

"I fear I have bad news as well. Walhart has launched his fleet."

"And what of this prince?"

"I am not sure if he will be enough to save us. I fear no one can. Still, we have to try. I plan to fly ahead and warn them. What will you do?"

"I will keep trying to build an alliance."

"Then I suppose this is farewell," Cherche offered a hand, "Despite what some may say, you were a true ally. I wish you the best."

"Aye," Say'ri took her hand, "And you as well. I wish you luck in Ylisse."

"I fear we may need more than luck, but thank you all the same."

"Till our paths cross again, friend."

"Indeed."

A/N: Had to relocate Donnel's recruitment to fit it in, but there ya go.

Also gave the DC seal to Severa. Still needs a C skill though. Brave Robin could have worked with it, but I like him with the fierce breath.