A Young Exalt's Trouble

by TheKeldeoFromCanada

After her own timeline is destroyed Lucina faces many trials ahead of her. Now something she wishes not to face looms over her as she must kill her own Mother, Robin to avert a terrible future. Though people stand in her way. Wasn't she in the right? Why don't they understand? Who will she have to fight? Will she able to do it?

The sun had nearly set. Its dim light softy edging onto the smoky horizon. It was late, anyone could tell. But Lucina had business to be done. She paced through the forest ever so slowly, she was trying to avoid it. Her bottom lip quivered, she stopped. 'No, this—this has to be done… I can't let it happen again.' When did she become so brash? She had to become like her father, she had to be a great leader. She had to fill in the hole that the kingdom was left with. But she couldn't, she felt her hands shake then a heat building against her face. The cobalt-haired girl straightened as she curved her hair away from her face. She rose her head up to the sky, almost silently cursing herself. 'This will be done.'

With agile steps she slid from the forest and saw the last person she wanted to see. Her own Mother, Robin who was sent out on patrol.

She was around her age, still…still… brimming with life. She couldn't bring out words once she saw her. Of course, Lucina had seen her many times in both future and past. But, she couldn't enjoy her time with Robin now. The sun was almost asleep, almost dead.

"Robin—"

The young woman turned not alarmed but a bit taken back. "Oh Lucina, it's just you." She gave back a weak smile. Lucina recalled that her mother was tired after their recent battle. But—she wasn't her mother. It hurt to think that way but it was her only option, she had to think another way. It pained less. "You can call me Mother, Lucina. We've been over this, no need to be a stranger." Her hands reached out to her daughter's—smiling as she did so.

"Ah—yes, Mother… I need to talk to you about something."

"Hmm? Alright, what is it?" the tactician questioned.

"It's about father." It hurt like an Arcfire down her throat, "I have memories about him, when I was little…" she ebbed at falchion. "Before he…died."

Robin's small smile fell at this. She held her daughter's hand closer. "Yes, I see…"

"He was courageous, and kind, and everyone spoke fondly of him." Despite the falling light laminating Robin saw her daughter's eyes shine—brimming in memories. "They say he was brave… till the very end."

At around this time everyone would be preparing for tomorrow's march, but… Lucina had to get this over with. "I-I always yearned to know him better. And now that I do…" she paused giving off a slim sigh, "That the world will be robbed a very great man…"

Robin knew her daughter was very grim about things, she did come from a bleak future. She was hope. She had to change things. Lucina then looked straight to her mother. "—And I won't allow that to happen."

The fair-haired tactician felt the passion and admiration flowing from her. She was a perfect plane of glass—parallel to her father. Robin couldn't help but smile. "I understand. You love him… As do I."

"Mother, I-I" the cobalt-haired girl choked out under her breathe, "Please, please forgive me…"

With a swift motion Lucina unsheathed her blade. She then swung it to her lead. Her blue eyes burning with twisted emotions as her hands shook unconsciously. Robin bounced back, her back arching into a battle stance. The tactician then tightened her grip on her daughter's arm and pushed her to her back.

She was defending her. "N-N-No… Robin… No… I…" Robin looked to her sides anxiously, her eyes unreadable. "M-Mother, I…"

"Where do you sense them Lucina?" Oh, no. The tactician grasped her shining hair back. "I-I was so tired after escaping…I must've not noticed if they followed us back. If anything happens… I'll stay, you need to go back to camp and—"

Lucina didn't let her finish as she threw her sword near her Mother. The young exalt growled out through her teeth. "Lucina?!"

Lucina whipped back as she pointed her sword to her mother. "Stay where you are, Mother!" 'She's not your mother.' "I have no choice. I have to kill you."

"W-What?! Lucina!" The young princess held it closer to her Mother—trying to silence her. The young Exalt's eyes glowering in heartache and despair as she did so.

The tactician had to get through. "What! That's insane Lucina! Why would I kill Chrom?! Why would I kill your Father…?"

Lucina pitched her bangs back as she tried focusing on her Mother. "I wasn't certain myself, until now…But… He was killed by someone close to him." She gave a weak grin as tears formed around her eyelids, "—After witnessing your bond with him, I doubted it could be so…But today's events made it clear."

Robin looked down somberly. She knew what she spoke of. When she became Validar's puppet. She was at his mercy. Honestly, Robin cursed her blood. She wanted no relation to that monster but at last it was true. The tactician was afraid—afraid she'll kill. Could Lucina be right…?

"I suspect it's he who forces you to take father's life, and very soon…"

"Lucina, wait." The tactician ordered but to no avail.

"If father is right, then our future can be changed. If this dark future is to be averted, sacrificed must be made." The princess shot her head back up and in tears yelled, "I am sorry, Mother!" Robin felt broken. She was teared. 'This was the trouble Lucina had all along…'

"Lucina…"

"I know this is matricide, I… I know that…" the girl stuttered as she clung onto her sword as if it was she had left.

"Lucina, you don't have to do this…!"

"Don't make this harder! It… will be swift and painless." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke on, "If you still hold any love for Chrom… Father, then let this be done…"

Robin felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. Lucina wasn't letting this go. What kind of choice could she have left? Fight her own daughter to live? Or take her death in honor? 'N-No… No child of mine will have to face this… This isn't right.'

The pale tactician didn't shift as her smile beamed on more. As Robin turned to her daughter as tears bowed down, then she began to mouth out; "I—"

"Lucina!"

A familiar voice shot through. The voice filed closer to the scene in full sprint. "Lucina! What do you think you're doing?!" The figure was shrouded in a cloak that still revealed his dark navy bangs.

It was Morgan. His usual bright face then being contorted to confusion and grief. "Morgan, stay back. This isn't any of your business—"

"None of my business?" he questioned in a low voice, "None of my business!?" he repeated again in utter misery. "I knew it." He cautioned, "I knew you had something planned!"

He looked down feeling betrayed. "I-I didn't want to believe that you'd try a stunt this like this…"

"This is no 'stunt'" she glared. "I have to change the past. Our past… For our future!"

"Our future…?" he called like a broken song bird

"Yes, exactly. This is for us—"

"That's crap and you know it."

Robin was a bit taken back with that. Never had she thought she'd heard her son say anything like that.

"Look at yourself Lucina! You're trying to kill Mother! Doing it won't change anything!" his voice was loud and almost leader-like. "You're not thinking straight!"

Lucina tightened her sword's grip. "It's not like you'd know." She growled, "You were too young to recall anything… You didn't see the pain and death around…" The young Exalt then begun to whisper, "B-But when you did grow up…"

"I tried to kill you." Morgan spat bitterly

"H-How did you know?!" Lucina stuttered out, "You aren't—"

"I know… I'm not your Morgan. I'm from another timeline…" He looked towards his Mother who had collapsed on her knees, "But… this isn't right, we still need her. She's our mother."

"No, you still don't get it."

"Still don't get it? Lucina, I'm glad I don't know the whole story." Morgan said. "I'm sure that if I did then I'd turn out like you."

"Lucina… Morgan… Please…" the Mother croaked out

"What did you say?" Lucina called as she tried to mask her anger

"If I heard right from the others then I join with Grima in your timeline. Then I go berserk and try to kill you all…"

"Shut up Morga—"

"But in my timeline things don't go the same." He says in monotone, "No, I don't join Grima there but instead everyone dies." Lucina and Robin look on as he continues, "That's why only I come to this past… That's why I chose to forget."

Lucina still glared on. "Morgan, I didn't know…" Robin sniffed through tears

"This is why I want Mother to live… For us, and even for tiny us…"

"I'm trying to avoid that future!" Lucina yelled, "Maybe we failed once sure, but I can fix this!"

"I… still can't remember my past, not completely but… I always remembered you using the word 'I' a lot…You fought alone… You tried to so hard to become Dad, that it—"

"Shut up! You don't know anything!" she cried, "Morgan, you're still the same… just like the other…"

Rain begun to tumble down on the clearing. Thunder clashed on the once bright sky. Dark clouds almost purposely circled around the junction.

Lucina then took the chance to strike. Her blade then bounced off another more curved one. "Stand back Lucina." The rain trailed over hair giving the boy a more mature scowl

"You just don't know when to quit, I'm doing this for us."

"You're doing this for yourself."

With quick words, Lucina bounded off the ground and onto her Brother as she aimed her sword at his. Though Morgan was quick to react as he shielded the thrust with a rebound of his Levin sword. Bright electricity crackled from his sword as it clashed against his sibling's. They remembered practicing like this when they were younger. Lucina would win all the time, but Morgan wouldn't mind. He admired his sister's strength, he wanted to help lead alongside her as her tactician. But now wasn't the time to be thinking about that.

The princess Exalt brought down the Falchion again, this time towards his torso, she was aiming to kill now. Blue orbs darted towards him as Morgan nearly dodged the blade's wrath. He stumbled back and returned a searing jolt of energy from his own sword. Lucina shot back as she rolled away from each beam and in return she charged from his blindspot that she so clearly remembered.

Knowing his own weakness, Morgan retorted with his sword once again. This time he had charged up his Thunder tome. In a bright whirr Lucina fell towards the ground. Her vision blurred momentarily as she stumbled to hold onto her blade. A trail of blood trickled down her lips as she held her abdomen which still crackled in with energy.

Her breath shook as she wobbled back up. "You're… really something now… My dear Brother…" she hacked out

"Lucina!" Robin cried out as ran towards the fallen girl

"Stand back! Don't get closer!" The princess called as she wavered up, "I-I don't need help…"

"Please, Lucina. You're hurt…"

"No, Mother let her fight."

Robin whipped around to see Morgan lurching towards them in pain. He pulled out a small dagger from his right-side as blood seeped through.

"I-I, didn't even see that dagger… Smart play Lucina…" he murmured out

They both struggled to stand as they tried to fight once more. But Robin would have no more of this. "Lucina! Morgan!"

Both royal children turned. "Stop this." She said through bitter tears, "Stop this at once, both of you."

"Mother…" Morgan echoed, "We can't… You'll"

Robin twisted to Lucina. "She won't kill me." 'How can you be so sure?!'

"Robin, you're wrong. I will. I can." Lucina barked

The tactician smiled. "But you won't."

"I…"

"You're just afraid. You don't want to lose us… I don't want to lose you." She said as she tenderly held the princess's sword hand

"I…" she stuttered back

"Morgan." Her son jumped a bit. "You should trust more. You don't have to be afraid either." She spoke as she wiped away mud from his face

"Mother…!" both children cried.

Lucina couldn't hold it in any longer. Hot tears dripped along her cheeks as she fell to her knees. "I'm sorry!" she croaked out. She felt terrible, she covered her face with her palms and dropped her sword. "I'm sorry, Mother…"

Robin gave a flickering smile as she dropped to Lucina's level. "I don't fault you… So please, stop crying…" Lucina collapsed on to her mother's shoulder still sniffling away tears. She left safe. After so long, she finally felt safe.

"Mother, I—" Morgan didn't continue as he looked away and onto the ground. "I'm so—so sorry." He murmured

To his surprise she reached out a free hand towards him. "Don't think I'm just going to ignore you." She smiled as she pulled him into a hug. "You were just protecting me. In a way I should be thanking you."

"Oh, Mother I—"

"But!" she said in a booming voice, "I won't allow either of you to ever harm each other ever again!" the tactician poked at both of their blades, "And just look at you two!"

Both royal children turned to each other. Morgan had blood still seeping from his right arm as Tome after-charge seared his palms. Lucina wasn't fairing any better as her stomach was bruised with mud and blood. They didn't say anything to one another for some time until Morgan broke it with a small hiccup of tears. "I-I'm sorry Lucina… I… I don't know what went over me... I…"

Lucina quieted him as she touched his hand. "It's not your fault…" she looked at her knees, "I was being rash."

The boy shook his head. "You're wrong! I—"

Robin giggled a bit. "How about we don't blame anyone?" she mused, "We'll have to tend to your wounds once were at the camp, and it's awfully late…"

The sky had already been clouded by the night. Rain had ceased falling and left the ground mudded mess. "Come now, let's head back before Fredrick starts a sending search groups for us…" the tactician added with a sigh

With that said Robin pulled both children up as she held Morgan arm over her shoulder with Lucina being guided by her Mother's hand. "Do you think Father will be worried?" Lucina voiced with a hint of worry

"Hmm? Oh I don't think he'd be too worried."

"Of course I was worried!"

It was too familiar to forget. "Chrom?!" Robin held out in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking all you that!" he said trying to hide his voice, "And what happened here! Why is Lucina hurt? Why does Morgan—"

"Father, it's best you don't ask now, " Morgan responded

"Ugh, but you're all explaining once we head to camp! I need an explanation of why you two left patrol." He gave a hefty sigh, "I was afraid Fredrick was going to have heart attack once he heard the two royal children and queen went missing…"

"I understand." Robin breathed out, "It's been a long one," she noted to side eye the two children. "I hope we all get a well rest after today…"

Chrom jumped a bit once he rested an arm against Robin's shoulder. "Whoa! You're freezing!" he yelped, "Were you all under the rain? Do you all know how easily Morgan gets sick?" he rambled

Lucina was the first brave enough to interrupt, "Actually…" she said stopping in her tracks, "I wanted to get something off my chest for a while now."

"Oh I see, go on." Chrom said. Robin wearily smiled at her knowing how tough it was for Lucina to explain her own feelings.

The cobalt-haired girl sharply in took air. "It's been hard trying to trust people. As a leader it's really something I lack, so I really want to learn with you father, with everyone!" she looked down at her feet, "I may not yet be the best but I can try!" Lucina looked at her Mother who then nodded in confirmation.

In almost a second Morgan ran into Lucina's arms, "I'm so sorry!"

The Princess felt a bit shocked but easily comforted. "How much did I miss?" Chrom asked with a chuckle

Robin giggled through her hand, "A lot, " she said as she patted his on his back. Seeing the two siblings hugging, Robin couldn't help but hug them as well. "You two sure are something." She added in warmly

Chrom felt his chest bubble in admiration, he was happy he had a family like this. "I'm starting to feel a bit left out" he laughed

"Well, don't be!" Robin giggled as she pulled in her Husband into the embrace.

Though that was a mistake, seeing as how strong Chrom was easily picked up the whole family. And with how clumsy he was… He fell onto the rain puddles with his family along. It was quite a scene to see the whole Royal family covered in rain water and mud. To easily say, they all had gotten a major speech from Sir Fredrick.