"Daaaaad!"

"Yes dear?"

"My feet hurt!"

Robin sighed and patted the small tactician's head. "I told you, you shouldn't be up and about. You only just recovered from the last battle."

"I'm fine!" Morgan grinned. "But what I really want is for you to carry me!"

Beside Robin, Virion snickered. Ignoring the duke, Robin rolled his eyes. "Morgan, you're old enough to walk yourself."

"Nu-uh!" Morgan pouted. "You don't even know how old I am! For all anyone knows, I could look old for my age!"

Robin sighed and stepped off to the side of the road, dropping to one knee. "C'mon then, if only for a little." Morgan grinned and vaulted on to his shoulders, resting her legs on his chest. Robin rose to his feet and staggered forward, adjusting himself. "Gods, how much do you weigh?" Robin muttered.

Above him, Morgan smacked him lightly on the head. "Dad! You never say something like that to a lady! No wonder you're still single!"

"Well, finding your mother will have to wait until the whole 'Apocalypse scenario,' is over with. I can hardly have any time to myself, let alone see a woman." He huffed.

Morgan leaned forward, head just at the top of Robin's vision. "Awh, look at you! All flustered thinking about mom!"

Robin blushed and nudged her head up. Morgan grinned and idly played with Robin's long hair. "Do you think mom is from the Shepherds? Or do you think you meet her after the war, returning home a hero, surrounded by swooning women?"

"I hardly think that's the case." Robin groaned, blush growing on his face.

"Awh Dad!" Morgan sighed. "You're just so cute when you're flustered!" She teased, bringing the back of her hand to her forehead and raising her voice in a mocking tone. "Oh dearest heroic Robin, saviour of our home! Please, come with me to the nearest inn! We shall spend the night awa-"

"I'll kindly ask you not to finish that sentence." Robin said sternly. Morgan giggled in response, twirling her hands in her father's hair. A few seconds of silence fell on the tacticians, broken quickly by Morgan's ever-whimsy personality.

"Can I braid your hair?" She asked, already starting to fold a few locks of Robin's hair.

"Do you know how to braid?' Robin asked hesitantly.

"I dunno!" Morgan chirped, happily setting to work. "And after I'm done, you can braid my hair!"

"I don't know how to braid." Robin said simply.

Morgan huffed. "Well, I guess you'll just have to learn!"

Robin opened his mouth to respond, but was quickly cut off by a distinct twang erupting from the trees to the north. A sickening thump resounded in Robin's ears for a moment, followed by Morgan falling off Robin's shoulders onto the dirt.

Robin spun quickly, at his daughter's side in a heartbeat. An arrow was protruding from her stomach, broken through her shirt as blood pooled around the foreign object. Robin's mouth opened, scared. His mind blank unsure what to do.

Beside him, Virion sent a return arrow to the trees, calling out for the Shepherds to attack. As the rest of the warriors charged past into the treeline, Robin screamed. "LISSA! MARIBELLE! HELP!" He screamed as loud as he could, feeling like he was tearing his throat apart. He didn't stop until a familiar blonde-haired priest was at his side.

Libra gently moved Robin aside, bringing his staff up to Morgan's stomach.

()()()()

Robin sat silently beside his daughter, stroking her face softly as she rested. She would be...fine, according to Libra. It still worried the tactician beyond reasoning, mind flashing back to her pained face as she lay in the dirt.

Of course, the Shepherds had easily routed the Valmese ambushers, cutting them all down in a combined effort to avenge the bubbly tactician-in-training. The girl had, in her three weeks since joining the Shepherds, wormed her way into everyone's heart. Even, surprisingly enough, Lon'qu's. The Feroxian had reluctantly agreed to train her, something that Robin had to beg him for months to even get a response other than 'No.'

"Gods, Robin..." Lissa sighed, sitting down beside the man. "I'm so sorry..."

Robin shook his head. "It's..." Robin hesitated to speak the word. "...Fine. She'll make a full recovery..." He said hoarsely. His throat hurt from the distraught screaming he had done, followed by the open sobbing he displayed at her side in the medical tent. Robin had never cried so hard in all his three years of memory.

"Is there anything I can do?' Lissa asked.

Robin chuckled dryly. "Do you know how to braid hair?"

()()()()

Morgan woke groggily, hands instinctively flying to her sore stomach. "Ugh..." She groaned, rolling over in bed.

"Hey there..." A hoarse voice coughed from her bedside.

Eyes wide, Morgan rolled over quickly to see her dishevelled father sitting in a chair, hands on a closed book. Relaxing, Morgan let a small smile grow on her face. "Uh...maybe next time I'll walk myself..." She said, attempting to laugh the situation off.

"Morgan." Robin said sternly. "As the chief grandmaster of the Shepherds...I make quite the high-value target. I think today was an attempt on my own life." He sighed and leaned forward. "I think the archer missed me, instead hitting you. Now, I know you want to stay here, but I have prepared a small envoy to escort you back to the docks, back to Ylisse."

Morgan leaned forward, despite her protesting stomach. "No! How can I learn from you from all the way back there!?"

"I'm sending you back. I can't lose you."

"You forget why Lucina, myself, and the others came back, dad! To stop this! To save the world! I can't do that by sitting idly at home."

Robin sighed. "I knew you would say that." He said, deafeated.

Morgan grinned. "I love you, dad."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. Don't make me blush."

Morgan laughed and ran a hand through her hair. Confused, she felt around on her head, Robin looking on with a suppressed grin. Morgan felt around in her coat, surprising her father by withdrawing a small mirror. She angled it and looked at her own head, laughing when she saw the poor attempt of braids in her hair.

"Did you do this?' Morgan giggled.

"I had a crash-course in braiding, courtesy of Owain's mother."

Morgan laughed and hugged her father tightly. "You need work." She smirked, tightening her grip. Robin smirked and patted her head.