"Thanks for agreeing to see me Lissa."

"Don't mention it!" The cleric exclaimed happily. "You are family so I'll always be there to help out. All you have to do is ask."

Lucina nodded and said, "Still, I hate to take your time with such a trivial issue. I doubt food poising requires a physician to treat, and the diagnosis is fairly straight forward. Robin was able to determine my ailment just by checking my forehead."

"You can never be too careful." Sumia insisted. Once the queen heard of the rough night her daughter faced she immediately asked Lissa to take a look. Knowing her daughter well, she did not give Lucina a chance to reject the idea before she was swept inside Lissa's office. "Robin may be a great tactician, but I wouldn't trust him for medical advice."

"Nope!" Lissa exclaimed while she activated the gemstone in her staff. The sapphire cast a bright blue light as it hummed softly in her hands. "I've had to drag him into the hospital tent on countless occasions, and despite my warm and lovely personality he still complained about my attitude. Would you believe that?! A sleep deprived sack complaining about my personality?"

Lucina pictured the nights where Robin would be hunched over his desk as he worked on his battle plans during the twilight hours of the night. Even if she was concerned about his health she did admire how seriously he took their missions. "I suppose Robin and I were never great at looking after ourselves."

"That's an understatement. Given your track record, we want to be sure that you are not overextending yourself again." Sumia said in a nurturing and motherly tone. "You could have food poisoning, or it could be something else. We won't know until we check."

"Alright then." Lucina agreed not seeing any harm in the check up. Although, she still believed it to be unnecessary. "What do you need me to do?"

Lissa raised her staff and said in a cheerful tone, "Hop onto my examination table and I'll take it from there."

Looking behind her, the blue princess noticed a sturdy wooden table that came up to her waist with a removable leather top cut into two separate pieces. While it did not look comfortable, the table served more than a hundred patients in the past with each one coming out in better shape than they came in. So Lucina sat at the edge of the table and with her hands neatly pressed on top of her legs.

"Before we begin is there any thing else you want to report?" Lissa asked while she finished her preparations.

"No. I don't think so." Lucina paused in deep thought wondering if she left out any details from last night. "I feel a little sore and weak in the stomach, but nowhere near as bad as last night. It was strange though, I was so short of breath that even walking was a challenge. I guess throwing up my dinner took more out of me than I thought."

"Interesting." Lissa muttered curious.

"Hmm?" Lucina squinted her eyes not seeing what was so special about it.

"What else? I know you probably want to forget those moments, but can you compare it to any other times you were sick?"

"Not really." She frowned as she recalled some of her worse episodes. "But that's because this was a special case."

"Special?" Lissa's eyes lit up as she placed a hand to her side. "How so?"

"Robin. He-" Lucina turned away and played with her hands anxiously. She had relied on him more than she cared to admit. "I've never been sick when he was around. So when he steadied me as I threw up, and helped me get back to bed I felt much more at ease. It's hard to describe, but he soothed away a lot of my discomforts just by being next to me. I also believe since I was fatigued it made me more sensitive to his touch and his natural presence was very pleasing on my nose."

Listening attentively, Sumia's smile grew as she said, "Very interesting."

Confused again, Lucina looked at her mother with some concern. "But I could be wrong or misjudging the event. I was fairly disoriented last night."

"Seems like that fish did a number on you."

Nodding, Lucina sighed and said, "I don't think I'll be eating salmon for a while because of it."

"Probably for the best." Lissa agreed while passively checking her vitals. The orb displayed the time traveler's heart and kept track of the rhythm while she looked for any changes in her body. "Raw fish is one of the things you want to stay away from at all costs. I would even advise against it entirely."

"Strange. I didn't know it was that much of a threat." Lucina replied surprised. "Especially since Say'ri says that is one of the signature customs of her nation."

"It is. However, under certain conditions even Say'ri would be wise to avoid it." Lissa informed with a slight smirk. "But enough about that. We were focusing on your symptoms."

Lucina blinked a couple of times thinking something seemed off, but she chose to ignore it and said, "I'm not sure if there is anything else to tell. The case seems pretty straight forward to me. I threw up because I made a bad decision. Luckily, Robin was there to help me through it."

The blonde princess noticed some strange anomalies occurring in her scepter, but she withheld her intuitions and waited for the final confirmation. Meanwhile, it was best to keep her niece occupied before she connected the dots. "Seems like you always have high praise for our bumbling tactician."

"He deserves it." Lucina said strongly. "Robin has consistently been there. Even when he didn't need to be."

"Nonetheless, sometimes you just want to give him a good smack, right?" Lissa teased.

"... He can be stubborn at times." The princess replied gingerly.

"More like impossible." She exclaimed with a exasperated sigh. "If I were you I would keep my guard up around him. That man is constantly up to no good."

Sumia agreed and said, "It's true, Robin's behavior has always been questionable. Although, it might be too late to change anything now. I doubt the effects are reversible at this point."

"I fear you are right." Lucina said hesitantly as she stared blankly at the floor. "He's wormed his way under my skin. It's hard to understand how he managed to do that considering how guarded I used to be, but I am thankful he found a way."

"I dunno. You may not share that sentiment for much longer." Lissa warned with a sinister smirk.

Raising her eyes, she confusingly looked back at her aunt and said, "Why would you say that?"

Just as Lissa was about to speak, the faint glow of her staff pulsed with a new life. A boisterous teal flame raged inside the glass orb. It was an all too familiar sign that the cleric had grown used to seeing as a shepherd. "Lucina. Before I say anything else, I want you to think for a moment. Can you think of any other possible explanations for why you threw up last night?"

Crossing her ankles, the clueless time traveler closed her eyes and gave it some thought. Even with her full concentration the only logical explanation that came to her was food poisoning. Everything else seemed far-fetched. "... Do you think it is some strange form of the flu?"

"No. I do believe you were effected because of the fish you ate last night, but for a different reason." Lissa informed tactically.

"What do you think caused me to have such an averse reaction?" The oblivious sword-master asked while tilting her head.

"Welllllll. It's difficult to tell, but it may have been a severe case of morning sickness. The type someone experiences when they are pregnant..." She trailed off not sure what else to say.

"What? No. Don't be silly." Lucina quickly defended with a nervous laugh. "It couldn't be that."

"You show all the signs." Lissa informed delicately. "Elevated heart rate. Lower back pain. Sensitivity to touch and smell. Nausea. Shortness of breath and dizziness. Not to mention a deep and unyielding infatuation with a hopeless dork. I'd say that confirms it even without the help of my staff."

Shaking her head Lucina said sternly, "I'm sorry Lissa, but that can't be the case. You see, it's just not possible for me to have morning sickness."

Walking closer to her, Sumia tried to remain calm while she teamed with excitement. She was having the opposite reaction to the news compared to her distraught daughter, and it took all her effort not to show it. "Lucina, dear. I know this might all come as a shock, but there is no reason to be afraid. It's a very beautiful thing to be-"

"No! You're wrong!" She cried not wanting to hear any more of this nonsense. Just the thought made her heart race uncontrollably in her chest. "I'm sorry mother, but it just isn't possible. The sheer notion that I might be experiencing morning sickness is preposterous and unfounded! Even the allegation itself is laughable when you considered it carefully. It's simply impossible!"

Skeptical of her daughter's words, Sumia asked "Are you saying that you and Robin have never been intimate?"

Clutching her shoulder Lucina turned away embarrassed as a red hue grew on her cheeks. "I-I don't see what that has to do with anything!"

"Lucina, it has everything to do with it." Lissa snickered back.

Nervously, Lucina stared at the ground as she desperately tried to calm herself down. She knew how silly this all sounded, so why didn't they? "E-even if that was the case, there is still one very important thing you are overlooking! Morgan was born two years after Robin and I were married. So regardless of our actions there is no possible way that I could be ... suffering from that type of ailment."

"But Morgan came back in time to change things, remember?" Sumia reassured in a loving voice. "She removed the curse from Grima that slowly drained Robin's life-force."

"Your point being?" The nervous princess asked doubtful of her mother's claims.

With a devious suspicion, Sumia raised her chin smugly and said, "Maybe Robin devoted the extra energy he had in this timeline to some nefarious purposes. I wouldn't be surprised considering how much he enjoys keeping you near his side."

"Wow." Lissa marveled as she had a sudden epiphany. "Now that you mention it, Robin was only cured about a month ago. That means he wasted no time using his new found energy."

"No! You must be mistaken." Lucina called out wishing her mother and aunt would listen to her. Instead, the heat swelled to her face as her attackers accusing smiles grew.

"She's right." Sumia agreed as she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply for a dramatic effect. "It takes a month or so before any signs start to show up. So all this time Robin pretended to be recovering from his curse, but instead he veiled the deep seeded corruption he holds within. I'm surprised he managed to hide it so well."

"I keep telling you. It's the quiet ones you have to look out for. You never know what they are concealing behind their pretty little masks." Lissa giggled back.

"You are mistaken!" Lucina repeated while adamantly coming to the defense of her husband. "I can assure you Robin has always been honorable with his intentions! Never has he done anything to make me feel uncomfortable."

"Lucina, you are pregnant. How honorable could his intentions have been?" Lissa teased.

"We don't know that for sure!" She yelled back furiously. "Like you said earlier, it could be something else! Just because Robin and I enjoy each other's company does not mean it leads to other things!

"Easy, dear." Sumia said reassuringly while giving her daughter a hug. "It's okay to accept it. This is a natural part of life. So there is nothing to be ashamed of."

"No mother! It's not okay!" The princess cried hysterically. "Don't you understand what this means? Don't you understand the madness that you claim I am afflicted with?"

"It means that I don't have to wait as long for my second grandchild." Sumia beamed while resting the urge to squeal in excitement.

"Grandchild." Lucina winced as the foreignness of the word hurt her heart and made her instinctively clutch her stomach. "By the gods. There must be some other explanation!"

"I can recommend a few other clerics, but I think they will find the same thing I did. A man with loose morals taking advantage of his innocent wife." Lissa joked finding the opportunity too good to pass up.

"... I'm not so sure I am innocent in all this." She whispered back weakly with regret.

"Eeeeeeee!" The queen burst not able to contain her delight any longer. "Oh, Lucina dear. I am so happy for you. I know it seems overwhelming at the moment, but I promise you it will be something you always look back on with joy. Having you is one of the greatest things I ever did!"

"Still!" Lucina cried not ready to admit defeat to such a ludicrous idea. "This is not how things are supposed to go! For Naga's sake, I came back to this timeline to kill Grima. Not to bear the child of his vessel!"

Shaking her head, Lissa said "When are you going to stop playing that time-traveler card? I don't think you were so concerned about the risks when you married him. Besides, aren't you the one that declared you would change your fate?"

"I didn't mean it like this!" She yelled with wide eyes. "Gods, I'm such a fool. Had Robin secretly been working for his father then I would have doom this world by falling for him. All this time my emotions threatened the safety of this world."

"Ridiculous!" Sumia snapped back before she would let her daughter say anything else.

"Mother?" She asked stunned.

"Dear, I know you are not the best at picking up social cues, but don't fool yourself. Robin thinks he is clever at hiding his emotions, but he really sucks at it. Whenever he puts on a brave face I can see the cracks in his armor and his subconscious pleas for help. Even your father recognizes it and he is worse than you at understanding other people's intentions. So he never could have manipulated you."

"It's true." Lissa nodded. "He is as subtle as a Gaius in a candy store."

"And as sweet as the candy..." Lucina mumbled finding it hard to see or think clearly.

"Hehe, if you think you are taking this hard, just wait until Robin finds out." Lissa chuckled picturing the distraught look on his face.

"What?!" The urgency in Lucina's eyes returned as she clutched her heart with a fist. "Dear Naga. What would he think of all this? Do I even dare tell him?"

"He's going to find out eventually. It's not something you can hide six months down the line. Personally, I can't wait to see Chrom's reaction. That should be a good one!"

"But, but, but-"

With a kind and gentle smile, Sumia calmly said, "You wouldn't want to deprive Robin of knowing, would you? I'm sure he will be thrilled to learn that there will be another little bundle of joy inside the castle."

Grimacing, Lucina said, "What if he isn't? I mean, he already puts up with Morgan and my antics. I'm not sure he would be willing to devote his energy to another cause."

"Lucina, do you honestly believe he would be disappointed by the news?" Lissa asked sternly. "Frightened out of his mind maybe, but not disappointed. Men take great delight in knowing they can pass on their legacy."

"It's true." The queen agreed with fond memories. "Chrom melted like chocolate when he held you for the first time. Robin will do the same thing."

"... I, suppose I won't know until I tell him." The princess replied conceding that point. "But mother. I'm scared. If you are correct then there is something growing inside of me. That isn't normal!"

"Don't worry sweetie. There is going to be some rough spots, but I can help you through them. So can Robin. Contrary to popular belief, it is not as bad as it seems." Sumia lied believing that she needed to hear something positive. "You need to be careful with what you eat and not over exert yourself, but you'll be able to complete most of your day-to-day exercises without trouble. It's how I manged to help Chrom guide the kingdom while carrying you for nine months."

"You have always been strong-willed, mother." Lucina commented while lost in her own thoughts.

"So are you." Sumia beamed with pride. "I raised the strongest daughters the world will ever see. So I doubt you will struggle. Sure, you will need to take precautions, but it's nothing that will be able to hold you back. All you really have to do is limit how much weight you put on your stomach."

Lowering her head, Lucina frowned and said, "I guess that means I'll have to stop giving Robin bear hugs."

"Only temporarily." Sumia offered hopefully. "And I know Robin will be quick to be by your side once he hears the news."

"I'm not sure if I can handle that. He already showers me with attention." She pouted knowing that she enjoyed it too much.

"We can see that." Lissa laughed heartily in a nasally voice.

"A-are you sure this is not some overly complicated joke?" Lucina asked one more time not wanting to face reality even if it was starting to hit her.

"Sorry." Her aunt raised her shoulders and said, "If you want to blame someone, then blame Robin. He's the one responsible for this."

Robin and I ... We." Lucina paused as she let the idea sink in. The impact making her unconsciously toy with her wedding ring. "We are going to have a child ... A second one."

Lissa turned to Sumia and said with glee. "Seems like the royal family gets bigger every day, huh?"

"Yes." The queen answered elegantly while holding her rounded stomach. With only three months apart from mother and daughter, it was strange to think that they would be pregnant at the same time, but Sumia would not let that fact deter her excitement. Being with the shepherds meant that everything was unorthodox. So she wore a mischievous grin as she pictured what their family reunions might look like in the future when the dust settled. "And I don't see things slowing down any time soon."

"Especially if more children from the future show up." The cleric added.

"Oh Gods." Lucina gritted her teeth too afraid to imagine that scenario. "I pray that never happens."

"Teehee, then you better be careful Lucina." Lissa winked back with a sly grin. "If you don't want your next of kin showing up at the castle gate, then I recommend you stay away from our tactician. He's an evil-evil man."

"Robin..." She trailed off wishing this was a dream, but even then it seemed too terrifying. None of this made sense and it was hard to judge anything in her current state. She wasn't supposed to fall in love. She wasn't even supposed to be here now that her mission was over. Yet, despite Lissa's warnings she wished more than ever that her husband was next to her so he could reassure her that this was all a cruel and unfunny joke. He was always good with things like that. But now the only thing she could be certain of was that she was feeling nauseous again. The news of her situation had not settled well in her stomach and she struggled to imagine what to do now.

"My love. What have we done?"


Eight Hours Later.

...

"Phew, we are finally back home." Robin replied greatly relieved to see the stone towers and iron gate. The bumpy and uncomfortable four-hour ride back to the castle after his trip to Atlia was a fitting end to a bad day. If Robin heard one more proposal from the mayor he would have knocked himself out, and his cheek still stung occasionally despite the healing salve he put on it.

"Hopefully Chrom isn't asleep yet. I still have to get a good scare out of him." Morgan insisted with an innocent and sweet smile.

"It can't be past eight. So he should be up" The tactician noted.

"I don't know. Grandpa is getting up there in years. He tires out easily."

"Only because you keep harassing him."

Morgan huffed at that and said, "I do no such thing! I am his favorite little angel."

"We all know that angel is the last word he would use to describe you." The tactician commented as they walked through the courtyard. The silence and calm in the air only veiled the chaotic events that transpired earlier in the day.

"Hmph." She protested and refused to look him in the eye.

"Just take it easy tonight, alright?" Robin asked genuinely in a tired state. "I've had enough problems to deal with for one day. I don't need Chrom hounding me tonight."

"Aright, I'll try not to upset him too much." She nodded knowing that her father had a rough day and she didn't want to make worse. "I imagine you probably want to go to bed yourself."

With a defeated sigh, Robin shook his head and said "First I'll have to explain to Lucina why I have a gash on my cheek. Then I'll need to check on her and see how she is recovering from her food poisoning last night. Only then will I get my chance to sleep."

"You think she'll notice you got hurt today? I can barely tell the cut is there with the healing salve on. It mended your skin fairly well." Morgan mentioned while looking back at the wound again.

"She'll notice." He sighed knowing nothing escaped her eyes. "She notices everything."

"True. It's always easier to sneak stuff behind your back than it is with mother." She mumbled quietly.

Glaring back in a tired state, Robin said "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing!" She replied angelically. "Just talking to myself."

Shaking his head Robin said, "You are lucky I am too tired to care."

"Relax father, tomorrow will be better!" Morgan encouraged hating to see her father so down.

"I hope so. Today has already drained me of all my strength. I'm not sure I can handle much else." He muttered in a dejected voice.

...

"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat in the distance. It was a rough and callous voice like he was choking on a pork chop. Catching the attention of the two tacticians, they watched as one large muscular brigand stepped into view while brandishing an axe on his back. "I see ol' teach is the first to welcome you back."

"Hey Vaike!" Morgan waved back.

"Ah, if it isn't the little tyke! How's it going munchkin?"

"I'm a little bored. It was a long ride home." She complained while she grabbed her shoulder and swung it in large circular motions.

"Aye. I understand. If I am not training to surpass my rivals then my mind goes blank with boredom." Vaike replied restless.

"I thought it was already blank."

"Haha! True." He mused back happily. "I leave all the thinking to your father. It gives me more time to smash things"

"Or be smashed." Robin mumbled under his voice.

"Ouch! That's no way to talk about your best pal." Vaike cried hurt. "And to think I view you as one of my esteemed rivals."

"That's setting the bar pretty low for rivals, isn't it?" Morgan joked back.

Robin glared at his daughter for a moment before saying, "Anyways. What are you doing wandering in the courtyard?"

"I was waiting for you to get back, of course." He grunted. "The guys have called an emergency meeting, and we need you to be there."

"Emergency meeting?" Morgan replied curious. "What about?"

"Can't say. It's top secret and for men's ears only."

"Hey! That's not fair. You can't single me out just because I am adorable." She protested wanting to hear the secret even more now.

"Sorry Munchkin." Vaike raised his hand out and said in a commanding voice, "I trust you. I really do, but the chances are there are other women lurking in the shadows waiting for a chance to strike and rip out my guts until I spill my secrets. So I can't say anything. My motto is never trust a woman with anything, and it has served me well."

"That motto is why you are unmarried." Robin pointed out.

"I know. I am one of the lucky ones." Vaike replied gravely. "But I shudder to think of the horde of angry wives that would reign down upon us should this news break out. It truly is a doomsday scenario."

With such cataclysmic news Morgan looked up to her father and said, "Sounds serious. But you're an expert at handling situations that could destroy the world, right father?"

"I'm not sure I would qualify as an expert, but everyone seems to think that is my job." Robin grumbled while wondering what caused such a stir in the castle to need his attention. He didn't recall Chrom doing anything special, and he doubted Vaike's loose tongue caused an outcry. Especially within the last fourteen hours. "Although, I was hoping to get some sleep before we had another apocalypse. Seems like there is never any rest for the weary."