The evening passed without even as much as a word between them. She had been too busy, making arrangements for Frederick where to place the twins' quarters, wondering if it was proper to have them share a tent, to let them stay with those who had space, or perhaps to just separate them entirely. The evening meal had been spent deflecting inquiries to their father and ducking the twins' inquisitive eyes whenever that particular topic was brought up.
The Shepherds are a nice, close-knit unit, almost like a large, dysfunctional family. There were the only family Robin knew, and she would never trade them for anything. But in the throng of friends that had somehow made their own little families between them during and after the war against Plegia, being one of the few who remained unmarried made Robin the target of well-meaning, exasperating concern.
Of all the people to have twins! They said, grinning at her. Speculation already ran rampant; was she seeming someone on the side and hadn't been sharing? Perhaps they haven't met yet, and maybe they could help. Robin had feigned ignorance; she didn't have time to make relationships like that, she had reasoned. There was a small blessing, she thought, that Morgan (Morgans? If there were two, did she refer to them in plural form?) could not recall their father, and none of the others dared press either twin to remember.
Certainly not after the very enthusiastic bout of head-thwacking that ensued the day after, anyway. Robin was very sure that some of the other children were on shift rotation to keep an eye on either Morgan, to make sure they didn't harm themselves or, like that one time, aided each other in bashing their head in.
It was neither of their faults, she thought as she caught Chrom's eyes across the clearing, that they were unable to discuss Morgan. She's to check on the state of their weapons, and he to the group maneuver training. Several days have passed now, and there were certainly were more pressing things to talk about, like the maps that would help bring them closer to defeating Walhart's crusade, the men who needed rest, the continued return of the dead whose origins they were unable to pinpoint.
That is what Robin tells herself, when the gulf between them widens and her nerves are strung from all the other people who find the time to bring up the topic of Morgan to her between her daily duties.
Both Morgans are charismatic - bright both in mind and in personality, and they are nigh unstoppable when they get started on this or that. It takes little time for them to slot into place in their big family, starting off as the little brother and sister you were ashamed to have and quickly endearing themselves to become family you just can't help but be fond of. Between them, they have the entirety of the army charmed by their good cheer.
Robin can't help but think and wonder – is she truly worth their admiration and love?
With Chrom and Lucina ensuring loyalty and faith, and her twins providing the entertainment, Robin is just glad for the raised morale.
That she could even consider all four of them in the same thought just made her wish that she could just approach Lucina and tell her that maybe she does end up having an affair with Chrom. The young woman would gladly run Robin through with her sword, and then Robin would not have to bring up the possibility to the man she made said affair with, only it hasn't happened yet.
Yet. Let Naga strike her down for her traitorous thoughts. Neither Chrom nor his wife would appreciate it, and whatever opportunity they had from years ago… that had passed.
"I think it runs in your blood," Maribelle says one day, and there goes the stone that she seems to be carrying everywhere, dropping heavily into her stomach faster than the clatter of the books she is – had been - attempting to balance. It is walking lessons today, and Robin still does not understand the difference between holding her head high without turning up her nose, nor does she really understand why she subjects herself to Maribelle's lady lessons. "You had charmed your way into the Shepherds, and now your twins too! I've never seen my Brady so energetic."
Maribelle prattles on about Robin's daughter and once more, the ball in her stomach unknots uncomfortably. It is another arrow dodged, and she is not sure if she should be grateful. It doesn't stop there, of course.
"What kind of mother are you?!" It is Severa this time, in the middle of the mess tent after the noon meal and Robin mutes her cringe. Severa had been sitting with the Morgans, interrogating them about something or another, until Frederick calls Morgan away ("Which one?" Even from far away, Frederick's sigh was pronounced, "Both of you.") It is Frederick who often checks where people's skills are left wanting, and the twins' assessment has been postponed long enough. Chrom, Lucina, and Laurent had followed soon after, for different reasons, and she is glad that they left.
As it was, there were still too many people milling about for her comfort.
Robin places her tray of food in the pile for washing and gestures for Severa to follow her elsewhere. This was not the place for a conversation like that. In the corner of her eye, Sumia looks worried and Cordelia looks like she might intervene, but most of the others look curious and somewhat apologetic. Robin wonders if Severa had made herself the spokesperson for everyone. She just wishes… she wishes a lot of things.
She doesn't want to humiliate either Chrom or his family, nor provide proof that would demean either of her children, all due to indiscretions that another her from the future had done.
"Severa, let's talk about this somewhere else."
"No! Everyone agrees and it's a PROBLEM." Severa emphasizes this in her usual way, stomping her foot in irritation.
Robin barely hears her own voice, faint as it was. "… Everyone…?"
"Of course! We're not dumb!"
Everyone knew, of course they knew. It was hardly a secret, not when both Morgans interacted with a number of people on a daily basis, the hereditary Brand of Naga imprinted on their eyes. In comparison to the former Exalt and Chrom whose Brands were placed in the most conspicuous places possible (though Chrom's could be hidden), Owain had gotten by with his sleeve and Robin still didn't know where Lissa hid hers. For her son and daughter, the best way to hide it would be following Lucina's example. And even then, Lucina had to resort to wearing a mask just to avoid identification, and her younger self's brand was visible to anyone who gazed upon the child. It didn't take a smart person to see and make a connection, and what had Robin been thinking, pretending that no one would be able to see.
"I'm sorry." She pressed her hand to her face, over her eyes, and she isn't prepared for the judgment, the pity she knows she will see now that everyone knew. She isn't sure if she is having a breakdown, but Cordelia drags Severa along and it is Lissa who pulls Robin away to break it to her gently, perhaps.
They sit in her tent and Lissa makes small talk at first, babbling about this or that, but Lissa sees the expression on her face and just looks determined. "It's okay, Robin, I understand! Severa was a little harsh but…" She says, and Robin feels even more alone – how could she understand? – and dislikes herself for the thought, as Lissa has been nothing but like a sister to her, and self-pity had no place in wedging this distance between them. Severa's harshness had merit. "Morgan – both of them, they're very nice kids. They're a riot, and Owain likes them. And well, I like them too! But Robin…"
Cousins. She ought to talk to Chrom about that, but she hasn't even spoken to him about Morgan, and Owain is her children's cousin, and Lissa is their aunt, and Lucina is their half-sister, and she was sure that she was going somewhere special for her death.
"Don't you think it's ridiculous that they're both called Morgan?" Lissa says this slowly like she is addressing a child, and Robin is glad for it. As it is, she needs Lissa to repeat her sentence. "Everyone's having problems when they talk about them, or you know, call them. Morgan, which Morgan, the boy or the girl and everyone's bothered by having to do it, but if you think it's okay, then we can live with it- er, Robin?"
It isn't until Lissa begins shaking her that Robin realizes that she has perhaps lost it. In relief, in confusion, or just perhaps despair that the charade continues, and all that worrying over the twins' shared name. She is laughing, nearly doubled up and crying, and idly she wonders if having illegitimate children coming from the future was the last straw, piled on top of the war against Valm, on top of the realization that Validar was her father, on top of Lucina returning to tell them that in the future, Chrom dies before his time and there was nothing Robin can do about it, and now, she has yet to talk to her best friend, properly talk to him, at all.
"I'll talk to Morgan first." She says after the laughter is over, brushing the tears away from her face. Small things. She can start with small things. It is their name, after all. It wouldn't do to change it without their consent. She reassures Lissa that she is fine, that she just needs some lie-in and barely convinces her to leave. "Thank you, Lissa."
She will talk to Chrom in the morning, she decides, deciding to avoid another late night by sitting on her bed, debating on whether or not to employ Morgan-inspired sleeping techniques with a thick tome. She is deciding between a half-spent Thoron and a barely-used Ruin when he knocks and enters without hesitation because certainly, he has never learned. They look at each other for an awkward moment and there are things she wants to say, like perhaps, are you mad and people will talk and other things she doesn't even want to consider or has considered but regardless, she never wanted to think about him that way when he takes the decision out of her hands and stacks the tomes on a crate.
"Let's talk." He says seriously, sitting beside her. Their knees touch, and somehow, she thinks this is like their late night discussions, before everything had gone out of course. This is her best friend, and she would never turn him away.
She gazes into his eyes and Robin feels the weighted ball roll away, and she finally breathes. "Now is a good time as any."
Author's Note: The last chapter had a lot of problems in grammar and just general repetition, so I edited it a bit? That's the problem with hot-off-the-press writing. Truthfully, I'm not sure who I should designate as Chrom's wife in this universe. Sumia would be the most "canon" and difficult way to go, but another story written by xChocolat, I think, is tackling that situation already, and I'm not sure if I should go for that path as well. The alternative choices would probably complicate matters a lot, so I'm deciding between Sumia and the "random woman" seems simultaneously easier and difficult, if only because it introduces a character that isn't truly given a name or personality, but it's a unique (and yet easy) idea in that it hasn't been used yet. Hmm. Thoughts?