Hey, all. Still me. Still alive. This one's mostly about feelings.

V: Screw your courage to the sticking place

"You know, I really do think that setting the mattress on fire might have been going too far."

Robin's remark filters through the canvas of her tent as she inspects herself in the mirror: hair braided and bound up in her usual crown-like style, uniform coat laced tight for the first time in half a week, breastplate and spaulders secured…she feels good. Battle-ready. Phila toys idly with a gold hairpin, the body of the pin carved into the shape of a feather, a gift from Lady Emmeryn when she'd come of age. She lifts her arms, pushing through the lingering stiffness from her wounds to slide the pin into place.

"She didn't really mean it, though," Phila points out, tugging on her riding boots, "That candle should not have been placed there."

She hears his low laugh as she gets to lacing her boots, but she's nearly done before he speaks again, "Today's the day. The day we make that madman pay for every atrocity he's committed," there's something dark in his voice, an anger uncharacteristic of his usual restraint, "You ready?"

"Of course, Grandmaster."

He chuckles, humor seeming to be revitalized, "Stop that. I swear to Naga I'm going to make Chrom take that damned title back."

She pauses, fingers lingering on the laces, plucking idly as she considers her words, "She meant to give you the title. When the war was over."

"Who meant—oh."

It's a small sound, but one that carries volumes. He falls silent, and for a moment she think she may have said too much, "Robin?"

"I'm here, I just…"

He's fumbling for words. He never does that with anyone else. She wonders what it means, "It's okay, you don't have to say anything."

"No, it's just…thank you," she can picture that little rueful smile of his, just by his voice, "I'm glad you told me."

She lingers there for a long moment, afraid he may only be reassuring her, "She had faith in you, Robin. She told me, the night after she decided to return to Ylisstol, that you and Prince Chrom would be the arbiters of change on this continent."

Another long pause, and this time his voice is stronger, and she can hear the rustle of his coat as he straightens his spine, "Well, then…I've got a lot of work to live up to that."

She smiles, turning and stepping out of the tent to see that he has indeed straightened up, newly resolved, "You won't be alone. You'll have the Prince and Princess, and Lady Sumia…"

"And you," he says, those golden eyes turning fully upon her, "We're all going to need your help to rebuild Ylisse."

She nods in assent, sparing a thought for her fallen sisters before she meets his gaze, "And me."