A/N: Back with another chapter! This chapter probably contains the most delicate and subtle scene I've ever written. I have no idea if the intended effect is there or if it's going to hit with the force of a sledgehammer. Feedback would be highly appreciated!
Chapter 3: We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Another morning, another new beginning. Sound of exertions once again punctured the pre-dawn silence as Morgan's training continued. Lucina swung the practice blade in a well practised ritual and the instinctive speed with which Morgan blocked the strike made it clear that she anticipated the blow.
Time to raise the stakes.
Instead of the backhand strike she usually followed up with, Lucina shoved hard and swung her blade upwards to throw the girl offguard. With a grunt, Morgan twisted her weapon, parrying the blow before kicking out. As Lucina backpedalled, the teenager swung the weapon in a low arc, pressing on with her attack. Nimbly, Lucina jumped out of the way.
"Good catch, Morgan." she said approvingly. "Next time, go for an upper body strike after the kick. I would be watching my feet and that makes for a good opening."
Across from her, Morgan grinned. Just as quickly, her expression turned serious, her eyes returning to track her opponent's movements. The last few days had taught Lucina that teenager had a good head about her shoulders. Morgan rarely let elation get the better of her, not after she'd paid soundly for her brash moves earlier on.
Still, it took more than a good attitude to win a fight.
"Last round."
Morgan perked up before narrowing her eyes in concentration. She knew what to expect. The final round of their training session always involved Lucina going all out, no quarters given. The teenager's task was to see how long she could survive the onslaught.
Today, there was a definite glint in those young eyes when their blades met. Lucina didn't think much about it, busy as she was keeping mental time. When she whirled around to execute a backhand swing, Morgan shouted a spell incantation. A blinding flash of light exploded before her eyes, causing her to stumble. Her reflexes kicking in, she moved her blade across her body to block the anticipated blow. At the moment of impact, her knee jerked upwards and connected with something soft.
"Oof!" Morgan exclaimed. A muffled thump made by a body hitting the ground followed.
Lucina stumbled back a few steps. Amidst dancing bright spots, she could make out Morgan lying spread-eagle on the ground, chest working like bellows.
The girl turned towards her with a laugh.
"That was close! I thought I had you!"
The urge to yell 'foul' was strong but she quelled it. She would've certainly done so if Cynthia had been her sparring partner. Dirty trick or not, it worked very well, she told herself as she massaged her eyes, willing the spots to go away. And in a fight against adult opponents, Morgan was going to need all the help she could get to emerge unscathed.
"Mom, did I hurt you?" Small hands reached out to encircle her wrist anxiously. "I'm sorry, the idea of a distraction was so exciting I had to try it out. Maybe I should've replaced it with a sound effect instead, like kaboom! or-"
"I'll be fine, Morgan," she assured the teenager as she rubbed her eyes one last time.
"You sure?" Morgan asked dubiously.
"Yes, I am." Lucina mustered a smile as she began leading the way towards the nearby outcropping where their supplies laid. "Don't you want to know what your timing was?"
Lissa liked to joke at length about what she called Robin's Rubber Face. Watching the quicksilver way the girl's expression change, she'd bet Morgan would give her father a good run for his money.
"Oh, yeah! So what is it?"
"Fifteen seconds, a two second improvement from yesterday."
The young tactician frowned as she slumped against the side of a boulder.
"It's still not good enough, is it?"
It was a good question. In recent days, Lucina had found that she had to hold back less and less as Morgan rapidly caught up to her. The girl was a quick learner and it was possible she would surpass both Robin and herself in combat ability in time. But time was not their friend. The biggest oversight Lucina could commit was assuming that Morgan would only be fighting against sword users.
She felt a strange pang for what she was about to say, but still ploughed through.
"Actually, it is. Tomorrow, you'll begin sparring with different partners to get a feel of how to fight axe and lance wielders. Your father will also begin instructing you in spellcasting."
"Booyah, onwards to round two! Let the fun continue!"
Morgan took a victorious swig of water, swallowing noisily.
Such terrible manners. Lucina couldn't help but laugh mentally.
"Wait," the teenager lowered her waterskin after a while as if something just occurred to her. "What about the rest of our training? We're not done, right?"
"I'll come in as your partner for some of the pair ups, but you need to work on other areas, areas I cannot help you with."
Morgan continued to wear that strange look as if she had misplaced something important.
"But I haven't beaten you yet…?"
"All in good time, little grasshopper," Lucina promised, borrowing Robin's phrase. "There is always room for improvement, but we are nearing the final leg of the campaign. When it is over, you and I can train as much as you wish."
Just a few months ago, she would've balked at discussing the aftermath of a war as if nothing would change. It sat wrong with her, yet for some reason, she was reluctant to rock the boat for Morgan.
As if hearing her thoughts, Morgan seemed to consider those words warily before she finally said, "Okay. I'm holding you to that."
The young girl was busy strapping on her rapier when Lucina took her own drink of water. She lowered her head to the faint jingle of metal and saw Morgan lifting Falchion for an inspection. Feeling eyes on her, the young girl put it down guilty.
"It's all right. You can take Falchion out if you like."
Morgan hesitated and then drew the blade clean of its scabbard with a deadly whisper.
"So this is the Blade of Kings? It's heavy but so well-balanced…" The teenager's awed voice drifted across as she hefted the grip, testing out the weight.
Lucina sat down on the outcropping, wiping her face with a towel as she watched Morgan began swinging the blade experimentally.
"What do you know of Falchion, Morgan? Is this the first time you're handling it?"
Morgan's near total amnesia made the future she came from an utter mystery. It was strange to know that she had bore a child with Robin in another future. How was that possible if she'd never gone back in time? What were the circumstances behind the girl's conception? What was her version of the future like?
"It's one of Ylisse's national treasures along with the Fire Emblem. Both were conferred on the Hero King Marth and his descendents for the purpose of defeating dark dragons." Morgan intoned as though reciting from a book. She took a deep breath here. "I don't remember if I've held it before. It doesn't feel familiar in my hands..."
Lucina raised a knee and propped her hands on top of it with interest. The last week taught her that her daughter was a prodigious reader with near perfect recall of the books she devoured. What Morgan had quoted so far was common knowledge, but some facts were traditionally only made known to individuals of certain circles.
"Is there anything else you can tell me about the Emblem?"
A furrow marred Morgan's brow, a clear sign that she was struggling to remember.
"The complete Emblem contains five gemstones. Ylisse has custody of Argent. The other four gems were entrusted to Plegia, Regna Ferox, Chon'sin and Valm during the Schism. I think there's a standing agreement between all five countries to hand over the gemstones so the Awakening ritual can be performed in times of great need." The teenager cocked her head at Lucina. "Am I right?"
There was no reason to think Morgan had conjured all of that out of thin air. But before any conclusions could be made, Lucina had to be sure of one last thing.
"Did you learn this from someone in the camp?"
"No." The young girl said slowly. "It's like something I've had to memorise."
In the preceding silence, Morgan swung Falchion again. The blade cut through the air with nary a whisper until she stilled her hand and turned around, a look of confusion on her face.
"Wait, what about the one Grandfather carries? Isn't that also Falchion?"
It was a question that was bound to pop up in one way or another.
"It is the same weapon, just separated by a span of twenty years or so." Lucina said quietly.
One day, it will be passed on to you.
She wished to the bottom of her heart that she could say that. If only things were that simple.
False hopes were devastating. False hopes that rippled out to drag bystanders in kicking and screaming were worse. Lucina had learned that lesson the hard way. It was why she never wanted to put too much thought into what she must do once the Fell Dragon was defeated. Any decision she made would have a profound effect, not just on Robin but also on Morgan now.
"Is something wrong, Mom? You've gone quiet in the last few minutes."
Lucina looked up and did her best to muster a smile for Morgan. She had never been good at hiding what she felt. But the girl had completed her sword training today and deserved some reward.
"I'm all right, just thinking odd fancies. We have one more day to replenish supplies before we resume march. Sir Lon'qu mentioned game is plentiful in these parts. Would you like to go on a hunt later on?"
"Ooh, I get to be a provider of food and earn my keep too? Watch out, Valmese Wildlife, Huntswoman Morgan will make kebabs out of you!"
It didn't take much to make Morgan's day and her good cheer was so infectious that Lucina found herself genuinely feeling better.
"Very well then. Let's set off after lunch."
The past few days of resupplying had been a gift. There was still work to be done, but staying in one place also gave the army time to rest and recharge. Robin had finished redrafting the assault plans the day before with no small assistance from Morgan. With his double duties as an active combatant and the army's tactician, he was exempted from the regular chores most of the Shepherds were rostered for. But knowing Robin, he would still find a hundred and one things around the camp to busy himself with.
Which was how Lucina found him by the supply wagons, consulting a thick logbook with Laurent. The area was a hive of activity. Anna was busy haggling prices with harried wholesalers while workers from the village unloaded crates nearby.
From the side, Lucina watched the proceedings with interest.
"Pleasure doing business with you, gentlemen!" Anna concluded happily and shook hands with the wholesalers who seemed to be on their way to wearing permanent grimaces. Laurent, who was nodding at Robin's directives, received a jab from the red-headed merchant. With a laugh, Robin took over the army's cashbox and doled out the payment for the goods.
"Good deal," he said once the dealers left earshot.
"Did you expect any less? Don't forget to include my commission in next fortnight's pay!" Anna said cheerfully before making her way towards the mess hall.
"The smith will not appreciate making shovel heads, Robin." Laurent muttered, continuing their discussion from before. "Not to mention making it a priority above all his other work."
"Convince him, Laurent. You have permission to assign men to help him if he wishes. The trackers' regiment will supply appropriate pieces of wood to fashion handles."
The young mage gave a sigh that seemed to ask what he had done to deserve this.
"I'll try."
By the time Robin was done with him, Laurent looked as harried as the wholesalers. The tactician clapped Laurent on the shoulder reassuringly as he bid the young mage a good day before turning to join Lucina.
"What was that about?" She asked as they walked away from the supply area.
"Morgan and I came up with a new plan for the assault." he explained with a wink. "You'll find out at tonight's war council. Mmm... Is that lunch I smell?"
It was time for the midday meal and she had taken the liberty of packing sandwiches in a satchel which she carried on her shoulder. The march that would begin the next day would end with the final assault and Lucina was determined that Robin have a chance to relax.
She shook her head with a laugh.
"Is that all you can think about?"
He had the decency to look abashed.
"Sorry, can't help it."
"Well, I know now I'd have no lack of work keeping you and Morgan fed." She poked his stomach playfully. "Careful you don't grow a paunch. You haven't been training regularly of late."
Robin wrapped his arms around his midriff and grinned.
"I blame paperwork. There's entirely too much of it. Tomorrow, I'll start getting back into shape."
They walked through the camp, making for the direction of a small stand of fir trees nearby. Light from the noon sun fell through in slivers under the chequered canopy and the air was cooler by several degrees. A thick blanket of fragrant fir needles made for pleasant seating as they settled down by a tinkling brook that cut across the forest floor.
Robin stretched, joints popping audibly with the effort.
"How did training with Morgan go?"
"Better than I'd expected." Lucina said as she handed him a cloth-wrapped sandwich and the wine skin. "She threw in a sneak attack which caught me off guard."
He cocked his head and smiled at her.
"You sound awfully proud about that."
"I do? It's not my intention." She hurried to explain. "I fear Morgan will need all the help she can get to survive the final assault."
"I was just teasing you." He planted a kiss on the top of her head before unwrapping his sandwich. "Make no mistake, the fight with Walhart will take everything we have, but there will be room for hit and run tactics. I'm thinking of putting Morgan with one of the flanking units."
"Where would I be assigned?" Lucina asked, trying to hide the worry from her voice as she took her first bite. There was no denying her desire to be at Morgan's side, but it wasn't a request she could make in good faith. Not when they were about to embark on the most important battle in this campaign.
"Mmm... It so happens that the range unit will need a melee shield. And if everything goes well, Morgan wouldn't need to engage the enemy up close."
Much as she appreciated the arrangements, it wasn't like Robin to make such a bald faced concession to their daughter's safety.
"I don't know, Robin," she said slowly. "Maybe she could sit out this battle? I would like to be with her, but you'll need our strongest fighters for the main assault. And I don't think she should be alone out there."
Robin chewed his mouthful of sandwich before replying.
"This battle will be more about the numbers we can muster than anything else. Against an enemy that numbers in hundreds of thousands, your absence wouldn't be very noticeable." He looked at her apologetically. "Morgan's idea that we form mobile flanking units is a good one. Ranged attacks will be a decisive factor. But her assignment can always be decided at a later date."
He took a swig of the wineskin and leaned against a tree trunk with a sigh. In the dappled shade of the forest, Robin's face looked wearied. It wasn't unusual during the days leading to a major battle for him to work himself to the bone. Except this time, they were going into the biggest battle either of them would ever see.
"It is a wonderful day today." He said with a smile and surveyed the place with half-lidded eyes. "I'm glad we have a bit of time for this."
She ought to have known better than to talk about work, Lucina chided herself mentally. It was bad enough that she could do so little to ease Robin's burden. And here she was looking for his assurance that things would be fine again. Sometimes, she felt ashamed at the disparity of their roles, but if she voiced out her thoughts about the matter, she knew he'd just laugh it off.
Robin would be the first to argue that it wasn't the magnitude of the contribution that mattered and to a certain extent it was true. Olivia's job was to assist with the laundry, breakfast preparation and other odd jobs in the camp. Without her diligent contribution, the Shepherds would've fallen apart before they met any enemy in battle.
Lucina took a deep breath. It was time to call the silly notion of disappearing from the face of this world once the war was over what it was—a silly notion. It wasn't much. Something like this could always wait, but she'd do it if it meant taking one load off Robin's mind.
"Do you remember offering to think of a way for me to stay by my father's side?" She said softly. "I think I'm ready to take that offer."
Robin sat up immediately. After a moment, he broke into a wide smile as he flung his arms around her in a tight hug, bursting into a long litany of 'thank you's which she couldn't help but smile at.
"Thank you," he said one last time, touching his forehead to hers.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have led you on for so long."
"Don't be. Back then, it made perfect sense that you should want to do that."
Lucina gave a breath of a laugh.
"Many things stopped making sense once I threw my lot with you. But there's no hurry. I know you have a lot to do right now."
"Hah! Try me." Robin's grin returned full force. "There's always my baby-making plan if all else fails. No reason why we can't put that into motion while I come up with something else."
To Lucina's credit, she managed not to turn beet red. Over the last week, she had picked up a trick or two. Deflection was a good tactic against Robin's teasing. So for answer, she picked up his abandoned sandwich and placed it firmly back in his hands.
"It can wait, Robin. Now finish up your food."
It was wonderful to hear his hearty laughter. Cramming the rest of the sandwich into his mouth, he washed it down with wine.
"Now I'm curious," he said when he was done. "I have a good idea what made you changed your mind, but I'd still like to hear it from you."
The change had been so gradual she hadn't felt it until Morgan brought up the topic. Now that she was aware of it, the decision of leaving Robin and their daughter felt more and more painful she couldn't imagine going through with it.
"Father shouldn't be troubled with having to explain my presence in his life," she chose to say instead. "A grown woman, neither his wife nor daughter clinging to the Exalt's side? Tongues would surely wag. And now there's Morgan, bearing the same brand that's plain for all to see."
Lucina bowed her head with a deprecating laugh. "If it was just myself, I would choose to leave. But you should have seen how happy she was knowing you are instructing her tomorrow. She has her life in front of her and she loves you so much. It would be terribly selfish to expect her to join me in exile."
Robin slid a finger under her chin, raising her head high enough for her to see the concern on his face.
"Don't short change yourself. Lucina. Morgan has been going around asking about what you like so she could find more common ground with you. She would be equally devastated if we lost you."
Ordinarily, the news would've brought her joy, but Lucina sternly tampered her reaction. Their relationship was improving, but she wasn't sure she could take any credit for it. Morgan's natural exuberance and friendliness made not liking her hard. Faces literally lit up as she went about her business in the camp.
At the same time, it was distressing when something troubled the teenager. The slightest disappointment on Morgan's face made Lucina's heart clutch, followed by an unreasonable need to make things right for her daughter. But there was one thing she wouldn't be able to make right.
"I'm not so sure about that, Robin. I have a strong suspicion Morgan was groomed to be the next exalt in her future."
"Wait, how could you know that? Did Morgan remember something?"
Patiently, Lucina related her conversation with Morgan. The confusion on Robin's face slowly dissipated, to be replaced by a frown as he mulled over the news. He reached out to grab another sandwich, chewing absentmindedly.
"I didn't know Ylisse had an agreement with the other four nations to hand over the gem stones."
"Neither did I. But such information isn't common knowledge. I knew about the Awakening ritual because it was part of my lessons as successor to the throne." Lucina drew her knees up, hugging them as her voice became softer. "But even if I remain in this timeline, I would not contest for the throne of Ylisse. It belongs to my younger self of this world. And when I do that, Morgan's birthright would be forfeited by virtue of being my daughter."
"Ah."
Robin rubbed his chin thoughtfully, silent for a moment before speaking again.
"Morgan has a clear idea of what she wants to be and it doesn't involve sitting on a throne. To be honest, I'm not sure how big of a problem it is even if she were to regain her memories one day. Assuming she regains them," he cleared his throat here. "It might not be a bad thing if she doesn't."
There was no one more qualified on the subject than Robin, the camp's resident amnesiac. She knew he had just about given up hope on remembering his past, laughing it off instead and saying there was no point harping over it. Morgan seemed determined to drown out any instances of refined behaviour with youthful brashness. It was true that she was far more interested in advancing her tactical knowledge, playing games with the younger Shepherds and reading every book she could get her hands on.
Perhaps Robin was right and ignorance was bliss in this case. But that didn't change what she knew she must do.
"Regardless, it wouldn't do to hide something like this from her." Lucina's lips firmed with resolve. "She has every right to know the truth."
Hands going around the back of his head, Robin laid down on the cushion of fir leaves.
"Do you want me to be around when you do that?"
"It should be fine," she said, much happier with the course of action decided upon. "We are going hunting later. I'll talk to her then. Would you like to come along?"
She turned around when he failed to answer and found him pinching the bridge of his nose, a grimace on his face.
"Robin? Are you all right?"
He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it was obvious he was in pain.
"It's just a headache. Don't worry about it."
Worriedly, she placed a hand on his forehead. It didn't seem like he was running a fever, but she wasn't one to take chances.
"Let's go find Aunt Lissa. She'll know what to do." Lucina said as she began packing up.
Robin sat upright immediately, hands raised in protest.
"Counter proposal! How about we go back to camp so I can catch some shuteye? Sorry but Lissa will probably try and convince me that slipping a frog down my back is some sort of cure."
Lucina couldn't help but laugh. Robin did have a knack for getting into the strangest of situations. Just last week, he'd tagged along with Lady Cherche to scout out a mate for Minerva. He'd returned with ringing ears, requiring her to shout all night to make herself heard. He spent entirely too much time helping everyone in the camp, but she couldn't fault him for that. If anything else, it made her love him more for it.
"Lie down," she instructed, wetting her handkerchief in the brook and laying the cloth across his forehead.
Eyes closed, a sigh of relief escaped from Robin. It pained her that he looked so careworn. They hadn't met anyone from the camp, which was a pleasant surprise. Taking advantage of the moment, Lucina leaned down to kiss him.
"Thank you," she said when their lips parted. "It's my tendency to dwell on the negative and imagine the worst. I'm fortunate to be blessed with a legendarily optimistic husband such as you. Take care of yourself please, Robin. You are always trying to solve everyone's problems that sometimes you forget you are also human."
Robin opened one eye in a wink and turned his head to nuzzle her cheek.
"Heh. You're welcome? And how could I forget when you're here to remind me? I ought to fall sick more often. Then you'll have to take care of me."
Lucina was about to open her mouth in protest before she recognised it for a joke. Seeing the chance to turn the tables on him, she decided to risk a bold move.
"Mm... I don't know about that," she laid down beside him, her head propped against one hand. "How do you expect to carry out your baby-making plan if you're unwell?"
Eyes growing wide in response, he tried to sit up only to have her pinned him in place with a hand on his chest.
"Er, I wasn't serious! Not with this war ongoing at least."
"It's hard to tell with you sometimes. Ever since Morgan came into our lives, providing her with siblings seems to have become one of your goals in life."
He spluttered valiantly, causing her to giggle. She was getting better at this.
"Now I'm intrigued," she went on, pressing her attack. "How many more children do you have in mind?"
"Umm... how does five sounds to you?" Robin asked sheepishly. "I'll admit I can't get enough of being a father to Morgan. Although a bunch of hyper-energetic kids all bearing the Brand could backfire on the plan..."
Lucina had no answer except for the stunned expression on her face. Six children? It was clear from Robin's expression that he wasn't joking this time. But raising six children would leave her with no time for anything else!
To be fair, it wasn't as if she had a clear idea what else she could be doing once the war ended. The concept of peace was strange, even frightening. Did she intend to live the rest of her life by the blade? Would she even have the right to take physical risks once there were children that depended on her?
"I-I'll think about it..." Lucina said weakly.
Unlike her confession earlier on, this was one decision that could wait. Already, she felt guilty discussing such things in detail when the outcome of the war remained undecided.
"We can cross that bridge when we get there." Robin grinned at her before giving in to a loud yawn. "I think I'll pass on the hunt offer. You go ahead with Morgan and enjoy yourselves."
Waiting at one of the camp entrances an hour later, Lucina was surprised to see Morgan approach with unexpected company. The young tactician had her new sword strapped to her side and spellbook pouch slung across one shoulder. Noire was equipped with her customary bow and a quiver of arrows. Stumbling behind on the dirt road, she would've fallen if not for Morgan's hand on her wrist.
"Hi, Mom! Sir Lon'qu's tied up with something so Noire said she'd take her dad's place." Morgan explained cheerfully when they met up.
Lucina tilted her head and study her friend with concern. Noire looked paler than usual and she had one hand clutching a handkerchief which she kept pressing to her nose. It was a known fact the young archer struggled to keep up with her duties while nursing a frail constitution. Normally, Lucina would try to ease Noire's responsibilities as surreptitiously as she could, but she had to wonder if her friend might be better served resting before the final march instead.
"You don't look well, Noire. Are you all right?"
"I-I'm fine. It's just a little runny nose." Noire snorted lustily into her handkerchief. "D-don't worry, Lucina. I won't let it affect my tracking skills."
"Sir Lon'qu's is also down with the flu," Morgan whispered conspiratorially to Lucina, the effect spoiled by the volume of her voice. "Noire insisted on coming saying she could use the practice."
"All right," Lucina said after giving one last look at Noire. "Let's go then."
Following the young archer's lead, they waved farewell to the soldiers on guard duty and set off on the road immediately. A brief moment later, they left the hard-packed dirt path and cut across into the Valmese wilderness. Sparse birch forest encircled the camp here, intermittently broken by low-laying shrub thickets. It was woodland habitat filled with game such as rabbit, grouse and deer.
A sword wasn't an ideal hunting weapon so Lucina had Falchion slung across her back, one hand holding a stack of javelins, which she had some proficiency with. Now and then, Noire would crouch down, scanning the ground for wildlife signs. More often than not, she would press her handkerchief against her nose in an attempt to sneeze soundlessly.
"Rabbits," she said softly after a while, finger pointing at a pile of droppings beside a tussock of flattened grass. "L-looks like a family of them."
Morgan unclasped her pouch and pulled out her spellbook in happy anticipation. Quietly, Lucina selected the slimmest javelin in her stash. It wasn't effective against targets that small and fast, but she could also use the weapon to control the flight path of their prey.
A few minutes of painstaking forward creeping brought the rabbits into view. The animals were fat and glossy, having fattened themselves for the oncoming winter. Noire pulled an arrow from her quiver, hand automatically checking the fletching, as she looked to Lucina for direction.
There were five in total, three adults and two juveniles. From experience, Lucina knew a range spell and an arrow would hit their targets simultaneously. But she didn't trust her ability with javelins to do the same.
Two kills would have to do. She signalled to Morgan and Noire their respective targets and watched as both readied their attacks. The young tactician began the incantation for a lightning bolt spell while Noire drew her bow taunt. It was impossible not to notice sweat beading the archer's forehead on a cool afternoon.
Just as Lucina was about to issue the kill order, Noire's face scrunched up in a sneeze. The sound ratcheted through the quiet copse despite her attempts to suppress it.
Every animal froze in place. Before anything could be done, one of the juveniles decided to make a dash for it, and the rest of the group followed.
"Elthunder!"
Morgan shouted, unleashing a lightning bolt from her hand. But the rabbits already had a head start and all the spell did was scorch the grass. With trembling hands, Noire released her bow back to its resting position before snatching at her handkerchief and sneezing a few times into it.
"I-I'm so sorry!" She sniffled when the bout ended. "I promise I'll finish sneezing before we go for the kill next time!"
"Relax, Noire!" Morgan said with a laugh. "I bet there's plenty of game around here. We'll get the next group for sure."
If Lucina had heeded her gut feeling earlier, Noire ought to be in a medic's tent, not skulking around in a forest. The delicacy laid in phrasing it so that she didn't discredit her friend.
"You have been working yourself to the bone, Noire." She said gently, resting a hand on the archer's shoulder. "It might be a good idea to return to camp and rest before the next march."
Noire looked up with wide eyes.
"N-no, I'm fine! You need my tracking skills and Morgan's right, this forest is teeming with game. I-it's too early to give up."
It was a good point. Something else niggled at the back of Lucina's mind, but she decided to give her friend the benefit of a doubt. Worse came to worst, Noire could remain behind once they located game, leaving her and Morgan to take care of the kill.
"All right, as long as you promise to speak up if you cannot make it."
"I-I will. Thank you, Lucina."
They came across their next prey twenty minutes later. It was a lone yearling buck stripping red berries off bushes growing at the base of a birch tree.
A deer was a much better target for javelins and Lucina gladly hefted one into position. She looked back to see Morgan inching eagerly into position beside her, but Noire remained behind.
The young archer had her face stuffed into her handkerchief, trying to suppress the sneezes wracking her body. Without looking up, she waved her free hand frantically, signalling that they should go without her.
Lucina bit down her sigh and wondered if she should have Morgan attempt to take down the buck solo. She still had no confidence that her attack would land at the same time as Morgan's spell. Well, staggered hits might have to do. Tensing her muscles for an impending throw, she whispered to the teenager to unleash the spell.
As expected, Morgan's incantation startled the animal which immediately moved to escape. The spell caught the deer on the flank with a loud crackle. At the same time, Lucina hurled her javelin with all her might. The weapon struck the buck's rump causing it to stumble. Dropping her stack of javelins, she shot forward at a dead run.
A feral growl filled the air as she threw herself into a flying tackle at the deer.
She looked up in alarm to see a massive bear crash through the undergrowth. It seemed they weren't the only ones trying to take down the deer.
"Mom!"
Morgan's shout pierced the air as Lucina tried to unsheathe Falchion from her back. It was an awkward position to be in and she rolled away just in time as the bear swung one giant paw. The swipe struck the poor buck, sending it tumbling a few metres away.
Lucina managed to extract Falchion in time to meet the next attack. The sound of an arrow landing with a satisfying thunk caused the bear to roar and shift position. Sharp teeth glanced off the blade which she raised just in time. She kicked hard, foot connecting against the animal's hard body. There was a snowball's chance in hell that she could muster the force to move such a massive animal so she concentrated on stunning her target instead.
In the background, Morgan and Noire's voices could be heard, yelling and arguing.
"I-It's too close! I daren't risk another shot!"
"Mom can't handle by herself! I'm going melee!"
The fetid smell of the animal's breath was strong and cloying. Without additional help, Lucina had no idea how she was going to get out of this unscathed. But the last thing she wanted was Morgan putting herself in physical danger.
"No, Morgan!"
The bear took another swipe which she managed to block with Falchion. It roared in pain as the blade cut into its front leg. But at such close quarters, a sword was a hindrance more than anything else. Unable to bring Falchion up in time again, Lucina could only duck against the incoming bite. It wasn't enough. Teeth failed to make their mark, but the clout from the animal's jaws caused stars to explode in her vision.
"Hang on, Mom!"
Through tearing eyes, Lucina saw the beast stumbled back in a roar of pain. She had just enough wits about her to roll away from the immediate vicinity. Blood flowed generously from a deep slash on the animal's back and she looked up in alarm as the animal swung towards the source of the pain.
Bloodied rapier in hand, Morgan's eyes grew wide as she backtracked instinctively.
Lucina snatched up Falchion with gritted teeth and prepared to dash to the young girl's rescue. But before she could do that, an arrow embedded itself in the bear's chest. It wasn't enough to stop the beast, but the momentary distraction allowed Morgan to retreat to a safe distance.
They had to kill the creature. There was no other way about it. Taking advantage of the distraction, Lucina ran towards Morgan and shoved the girl behind herself.
"Stay back, Morgan!"
"This is way more exciting than hunting rabbits!" Morgan chattered breathlessly. "Bear meat is Dad's favourite food, right?"
Lucina had no idea where her daughter found the time or presence of mind for conversation, but it did mean that she wasn't the type to lose her head in a dangerous situation.
Noire unleashed another arrow from behind that struck home. The animal stood up on its two hind legs and gave a tremendous roar, bloody spittle spraying the ground. It was about to charge, Lucina realised. There was no knowing how many more hits it took to bring the enraged animal down. She raised Falchion in preparation for an attack when the sound of Morgan's voice chanting a spell incantation reverberated behind her.
"Elfire!"
A rush of wind blew past. It was followed by an incandescent fireball that flew straight at the bear. The spell struck it dead centre, dousing the poor creature in a pillar of flames.
The beast's cry of distress was thankfully cut short by one last arrow from Noire. Keeping their guard up, Lucina and Morgan watched until the bear finally collapsed to the ground—a sizeable smouldering boulder.
"Guess we're having roast tonight." The teenager said with a sheepish grin. "Too bad the skin can't be saved. Yarne could use it for a disguise."
What Lucina wanted to say was interrupted by Noire's panting as she dragged something heavy through the undergrowth.
"I-I found the deer we killed earlier. It was lying by the tree over there."
"Oh, goodie! That can be fried or stewed at least."
By the luck of fools, they'd managed to bag two kills and escaped unscathed. Adrenaline drove Lucina's heartbeat as she recalled the number of risks they'd taken. If Morgan had been incapacitated in the course of taking down that bear...no, she couldn't bring herself to complete the thought.
She took a deep breath to calm herself down. They had to find a way to get their kills back to camp. Noire was diving for her handkerchief again after her brief episode of archery brilliance and Lucina didn't dare trust Morgan to make her way safely back to camp. The area was peaceful enough now that she could leave both of them here, she decided.
"Noire, can you stay here with Morgan? I'll get help to carry all this back to camp."
"S-sure, if you know the way back..."
"I do."
In a short time, Lucina returned to the thicket with a group of soldiers in tow. They found Morgan chatting avidly with Noire, the poor girl spending as much time replying as burying her face in her sodden handkerchief. The sight finally caused the niggling feeling Lucina had before to click into place. No one else was suffering from cold or the flu in the camp. Noire might be born with a weak constitution, but Lon'qu was as healthy as a bull.
There was definitely something fishy going on, but it had to wait, along with the discussion she was going to have with Morgan. They returned to camp in fair jubilation with some of the troopers grumbling, albeit good naturedly, about having bear for dinner tonight. At least venison would be a welcomed change of fare during the march.
The afternoon was coming to a close when Lucina and Morgan found themselves alone by the water barrels washing off the residue of the hunt.
"We have hunted and emerged breadwinners! No bread was involved in the operation, but 'winners' is definitely correct!" Morgan quipped as she splashed water on her face. The teenager had remained in high spirits throughout the trip back to the camp.
It pained Lucina to break her daughter's bubble of happiness, but she couldn't get it off her mind how Morgan had disobeyed a direct order.
"Why did you come to my rescue during the attack, Morgan?" she asked softly as she wiped her face dry with a towel.
The young tactician looked up in confusion.
"You were in danger," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And I was in a position to do something about it."
"Yes, but I said not to," Lucina was compelled to point out. "Do you remember you promised to listen to orders?"
The teenager acquired a wary expression, indicating she did remember. Lucina watched as a myriad of emotions flitted across the girl's face: embarrassment, petulance, defiance, none of which reassured her one bit.
Looking down, long bangs covering her face, Morgan finally muttered, "I regret the need to disobey orders, Mother."
There was a moment of foot shuffling before the young tactician continued, indignation faint but clear in her voice, "And I hope you can answer this: what would you have done if I hadn't intervene?"
Frowning, Lucina opened her mouth and then closed it again.
It was a good question. Morgan's distraction had been just the thing she needed to get out of the hairy situation. But the teenager clearly didn't see anything wrong with what she did, and the last thing Lucina wanted was promote brashness and rebellious behaviour.
"That's not the point, Morgan. I told you not to engage and you did. How can I trust that you'll listen to orders in a real battle?"
Fists clenched, Morgan said in a low voice, "You would've been hurt or dead if I didn't do that! A calculated risk was the best course of action because I knew either you or Noire would make good use of my distraction!"
Any doubt over Morgan being heir to the Ylissean throne in her own timeline was dispelled. The young tactician stood straight and regal, her chin held high as she tried to restrain her emotions. Leadership was bred into Morgan's blood. She would never be content following orders blindly.
They were alone for now, but dinner preparation was about to begin. Which meant someone would come along to draw water from the barrels.
"Can we take a walk, Morgan?"
The girl looked at her warily through a thick fringe of blue hair and nodded.
Lucina tried to give the impression that they were out on a stroll as she led them towards the stand of fir from this morning. They reached the spot in short order, each choosing a tree trunk for backrest as they settled on the forest floor. Long shadows marking the progress of the sun threw deep shadows across the ground. The sound of the bubbling brook was a nice, even soothing distraction.
It was easy to fall into the trap of thinking she was dealing with a child, but the young tactician had shown remarkable restraint and her tactical assessment had been spot on. Lucina was coming to realise the easiest way to lose Morgan's regard was to brush off her argument. Taking a deep breath, she began without preamble.
"You were right, Morgan. I needed an opening and you gave it to me."
She paused, unsure of how to proceed. Lucina's mind wandered back to the candid conversation she had with her father. It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that honesty was also the best recourse here.
"You have to understand, I wouldn't be able to stop worrying about your safety even if I wanted to." Lucina said as she tossed a pebble into the stream. "I know it's isn't fair to you and I'm sorry about that."
From the corner of her eye, she saw Morgan slowly lost her caution, her body language relaxing and becoming attentive.
"I'm not the only one who feels this way. Your father does, too. We were lucky today but think of what would've happened if either of us got hurt. He's so tired running this war and we would be giving him one more thing to worry about."
A look of guilt filled the young tactician's face at that. Silently heartened that her reproach hadn't bruised Morgan's pride so far, Lucina went on.
"We made several bad calls today. I shouldn't have gone for that deer without checking our surroundings. Noire wasn't in the right condition for a hunt either. Let's learn from this and not make the same mistakes again, okay?"
Head bowed, Morgan clasped her hands together and muttered something inaudibly.
"What is it, Morgan?"
"I said what makes you think you and Dad are the only ones who feel that way?"
At her look of confusion, the young tactician lifted her head, eyes bright with resolve.
"Don't you get it? I couldn't stand by and watch you take that hit." Morgan swiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. "It was a stupid situation to be in, but I'd do the same thing all over again if I had to. Sorry, Mom, that's just the way it is," she concluded in a small voice.
Lucina finally remembered to close her mouth after several seconds.
Well, that came from the blindside. She'd thought to stop Morgan from taking unnecessary risks, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen. Frustration ought to be the order of the day, but strangely, there was also very little of that.
She wasn't expecting the concern she felt towards Morgan to be reciprocated. Lucina knew now she had no right to insist the teenager leave her alone in another similar situation. It might come back and bite them in the ass, but they'd deal with it when the time came.
Glancing at Morgan, she saw the girl tugging fir needles out of a fallen branch like the world depended on it. Thinking back on her reaction when Morgan appeared, Lucina had to wonder why the only thing she'd felt was despair at how she was changing the future. Her duty was heavier than a mountain, but if the only thing she could spare was her life, she'd gladly give up it for her daughter.
"Thank you, Morgan."
"You're welcome," the teenager mumbled without looking up.
Now would be the time to talk about the consequences of Morgan's birthright, but Lucina had a more important task before her. It was possible she would always be terrible at displays of affection, but she could only get better at it.
Reaching across the space between them, she drew Morgan into a hug. To her immense relief, the girl didn't resist and just bonelessly slummed against her. Once there, she seemed content to stay that way.