To say the situation was dire, would have been an understatement. When they were not marching at an intense and, frankly, unsustainable pace, they were sitting around in dark camps barely uttering a word. Well, everyone except for Owain and Cynthia.
Robin knew it was of the utmost importance that they reach that bridge as soon as possible. He did not tell the others, but there was a good chance they would have to try and fight their way through it. They had been played so far, and Robin would be surprised if this was not where they would find the other general. That was why he had a contingency. A plan he had not shared with the others.
Looking the plan over, he just was not sure if they had the firepower to pull it off. The bridge would be warded against magic. They would need something powerful to get through that. That, or destroy the warding.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he looked out over the Shepherds huddled together to eat. He would find a way. He had to find a way. They needed him to. If he failed then they…then she could…die. They could all die, and it would be his fault. Like those he essentially sent to their deaths.
"Hey," Robin looked up to see the prince looking down at him before joining him in the grass. They did not set up camp these days unless it was raining. It wasted valuable time.
"Hey."
The two sat in silence for a while before Chrom sighed, "Have you talked to her?"
Robin looked at his friend incredulously, "I hardly think it's the time, Chrom."
"Then when would be the time?" Chrom raised his brow, "If not before an uncertain battle, then when?"
"I…I don't think she wants to talk to me."
"Won't know until you try."
"I…guess." Robin looked over to Lucina. He knew exactly where she was. Even if she hated him, he would protect her. He had not forgotten their vows. "Do you and Sumia ever fight? If this can even be called a fight."
"We don't always agree. She was a terror while pregnant believe it or not. Be glad you weren't there," Chrom smiled, "You're not always going to see eye to eye, but that's just part of the package. When you work through it though that it'll all be worth it."
"I…hope you're right."
Lucina sat alone. In and of itself, nothing out of the ordinary for her. Though that had started to change while she had amnesia. Now, though, she did not feel like she deserved the company in addition to her general tendency to keep to herself.
Her thoughts kept drifting to Robin. She was supposed to be focused on saving her father and the world, so then why was he consuming her thoughts so? She loved him. That had not changed, but she had a duty. One she believed had to come first. A belief that had hurt Robin dearly. One that had hurt her dearly.
Beyond that, she knew he was in pain. The plan to leave troops behind to cover their escape was tearing him apart. Even if he hid it from the others, she knew better. His weak, empty stare after they left Steiger. His almost obsessive planning which made his normal work ethic look downright sluggish. The stress and guilt were eating at him, and all she did was make it worse.
Looking in his general direction, she wondered if she should have just disappeared. No, he would have chased her then, and the war would be truly doomed. As it was, she feared he was the doomed one as he seemed intent on working himself into an early grave if he survived covering people in battle. If they lost someone in the Shepherds, she feared he might not recover.
"Um, hello."
Lucina's head shot up seeing Robin standing before her and her mouth went dry. She had been so lost in thought that she had missed his approach, "R-Robin."
"I, uh, I'm not really sure what to say, but…I was wondering if we could talk. About all this."
Lucina bowed her head, "I'm sorry, Robin. I've been a horrible wife."
"No. None of that. I know you must have your reasons. I just…I wish I knew what they were."
"I…" She almost told him. About the portal, the other world, Grima, all of it. But she did not. She was afraid. Afraid of what may come of it, of how he might react, and how that if she had to pick between him and the world…she was not sure what she would choose. Either option left her feeling horrible, "I'm sorry. I can't."
"I see. Well, I don't need to know. It doesn't really matter. I just want you, and for you to be happy. Do I…not make you happy? Do you regret your choice to marry me?"
Lucina felt the tears welling up. She could not meet his eyes, "Robin…please…I can't. Not…yet. I can't…be what I should." Standing up, she looked away, "I'm sorry, Robin. I'm so sorry, but you deserve a better wife."
"Lucina!" Robin reached out, but she was gone. All she left was a confused and broken man staring blankly. Her regrets she carried with her as she ran. She did regret marrying him, because if she had not, he would not have had to suffer this pain at her hand. He would have been free to find a wife that did not have this mission. A wife he deserved rather than the wretch that she was.
The weather did not match the mood as they approached the Bridge of Deliverance. They had made good time, but it came at a cost. Morale was dangerously low as they raced for the bridge, but it had been a gambit to get there before reinforcements could blockade it.
They had failed.
"How many?" Chrom asked as the two armies stared off. They had a numbers advantage, but the Valmese had a stronger and easier to defend position. Not to mention, they were masters of the defensive. The only man to ever break his defense was Walhart himself.
"Thousands," Cordelia informed, "Mostly stationed on the other side of the bridge. If there is any good news, it's that they've just started to set up."
"So our speed wasn't wasted at least. Robin, what do you make of this?"
"Unfortunately, it was a very possible outcome," Robin answered, dark circles under his eyes, and his face pale, "If we're going to have a chance, we have to deal with this now."
"Agreed. Send the word. We fight."
Robin sat alone as he awaited his appointment in the war tent. Fortunately, they were on time. Miriel and Ricken entered and stood at attention, both wondering why they had been called. Especially considering what a recluse he had been the past few days.
"We don't have much time so I'll keep this brief. Can you find out where the wards are for the bridge?"
"Shouldn't be too hard, but why would you…you're not?" Ricken swallowed when he realized Robin was.
"How long will it take?"
"A matter of minutes," Miriel noted, "However, I would be remiss not to mention that since the warding protects against magic, they are incredibly hard to damage without sufficient physical force."
"I am well aware. Just get me the locations. Dismissed."
Robin closed his eyes and sighed, flexing his right hand as he did so. If they could not break through, he would have to switch to his contingency. He had been practicing, but he did not know if it would be enough. He would have liked more time to hone it, but he had not been afforded such a luxury. It was do or die time, and he would not let his friends die.
It was risky. He would rather it did not come to it, but if the time came, he would not send anyone else to their deaths. He just hoped Lucina could build a new life free of whatever conflict he caused within her.
Cervantes lived up to his reputation. The bridge gave them a fairly narrow front line which meant they could deploy the Shepherds, but even they had trouble piercing the general's defenses. They had contained him to the great bridge, but they had yet to take either guard tower along its mouth. The statues of heroes of an age past watching the battle unfold.
At best, they were stalling, which was not good with two other armies after them, and the Shepherds would have to rest eventually. The regular troops would not do half as well against this force either. A long and drawn out fight was a losing prospect.
"Robin!" The tactician looked away from the battle as Ricken ran up to him, "There are two! One on each end of the bridge. Approximately five yards deep."
"Got it," Robin nodded, "Thanks. Now get back to your placement."
"What are you going to do?"
Robin looked back to the battlefield, "What I have to."
With Ricken doing as ordered, Robin swallowed and focused. If he tried hard enough he could trigger it, and he would need it to do this. In theory, Chrom might could do it, but he would never order the prince to do something like this. In part because he knew Chrom would try.
After a few seconds, Robin felt his body burst with power. Just like when they took Lucina, but with more control. It was a limited state. He was not sure why his body could gather so much more magic than most, but it had its uses. Perhaps his ability to channel energy was part of why the Grimleal seemed so interested in him, but that was a thought for later. Now, he had an objective, and he could not hold this for too long.
Pulling as much ambient power in as he could, Robin opened his eyes and rushed for the enemy line much to the shock of his allies. While his enhanced state was magical in nature, its explosive properties might have given him the edge he needed, so he would take it.
"Robin?" Chrom growled, "Of all the…what are you doing?"
The tactician ignored his prince and hurled himself into the enemy line. The powerful armor of the knights crumpled beneath his now explosive sword swings. Good. Their armor was warded, but they still crumpled. That was a good sign.
"What is he doing?" Cynthia asked, but Lucina's mouth was dry. He was overly protective, but he was not suicidal. He had to have some plan. That knowledge did not make her grip on her sword any looser as she cracked the handle in her grasp.
Using some wind magic, Robin vaulted off one of the armored knights, the enhanced magic crushing the helmet at point blank range, but Robin could not think about that. With his sword pointed downward, he channeled his power into the blade as he plunged it into the stone.
What followed was an explosion pushing out from his sword. With nary anywhere to go, it expanded and forced the stone making up the ward on that side of the bridge to shatter. It had worked.
Reigniting his enhanced state, Robin started charging energy, but he was cut short. He was fast. Faster…than he expected.
"Robin!" Lucina screamed, and the only reason she did not charge to her death was Owain and Cynthia holding her back, "Let me go!"
"No!" Chrom shouted, but was unable to disengage from the three knights blocking his path.
Robin oddly did not feel pain. Not at first. He looked down at the shaft in his gut in shock as the power around him dissipated before looking up at the owner.
"Hah!" The bearded man laughed, "That was quite a display, young man. Almost a pity to waste your talents."
Feeling faint, Robin mustered his strength and his fingers started tingling with electricity before lifting a hand to the knight. Cervantes balked at this.
"Still you fight? Do you think you can pierce my armor?"
"You…" Robin could taste the blood in his mouth as he pointed both hands downward, "Are not…my target."
The generals' eyes went wide as the flames reignited around Robin, and despite his weakness, the tactician smirked, "But you've lost!"
The sigils around his hands grew larger, "Then…we lose…together…
"Checkmate…"
In a moment, he unleashed everything he could muster towards the bridge itself. With the weakened warding, he was able to compromise if, if just barely. Time seemed to slow down as the bridge began to crumble under its own weight. Cervantes' armored corps falling to their watery graves below.
Lucina was oblivious to the carnage though. All she saw was Robin as he fell with the general into the ravine below. Time seemed to slow down as he looked at her. He was pale, but he smiled. He smiled at her. He smiled knowing he had bought them time.
Then he disappeared from Lucina's sight.
A/N: Hate me yet?
Okay, before people jump on me, no, Lucina was not acting rational. You might argue that she wouldn't let it get that bad, but she is very driven by her mission, so, at least for this story, I let it get bad.
On a lighter note, I'm surprised. FEH gave them a thing, and while it wasn't romantic, it didn't mention Chrom at all. So, good on them. Granted some other people tried to twist it.