Chapter 19: Closure
"Father! We're under attack!"
Lucina feels the heat from origin peak's ongoing eruption flutter across the hillside in waves. It doesn't stop the cold sweat from running down her back as she catches a glimpse of the looks Chrom and Robin are sharing. Her father looks furious, and Robin... The grim set of her partner's jaw terrifies Lucina. But she is used to shoving terror down her own throat, to be dealt with when annihilation doesn't loom. The spirit of Naga similarly urges them to prepare as the Dark Flier and her Grimleal servants descend upon their company... Lucina's blade is at the ready. She's been fighting this war her whole life. Aversa and her mages aren't going to stop them from putting an end to Grima once and for all.
As Chrom leads his troops to route the opposing force, Lucina can't help but notice that something is off with Robin. The Halidom's master tactician isn't smiling – not surprising of itself, not when the stakes are so high, but normally... Normally there's still a spark in his eyes that lets the Shepherds hope...
"Is everything alright?" Lucina asks as she manoeuvres herself into position next to her man. He disposes of a used wind tome, the armoured unit threatening Tiki adequately rebuffed. Lucina allows herself a short moment to be distracted by the glide of a drip of sweat down his temples.
"Ah," he mutters. His grey eyes find hers. He falters. There's something he's not telling her. He snaps to attention, drawing his sword. "Behind you!"
She ducks just in time to counter a Grimleal rogue's attempt at a sneak attack. Her father sweeps by to put an end to the villain's life of murder. Chrom grunts as Robin thanks him.
"You can thank me by finding another way!" Chrom barks as he sprints off to his next fight.
"Robin!" Lucina shouts, grabbing Robin's arm before he can charge off away from her. "What aren't you telling me?"
And she watches as the man she loves freezes to the spot. His face, usually so calm and composed, even in laughter, crumples. Tears threaten to spill from his eyes.
"I..." He gulps. His sword-hand is shaking in a way that reminds her of the time she raised her blade against him. "I may not be able to keep my promise."
"What do you mean?" She frowns. He'd promised to keep Chrom safe. He'd promised to help them put an end to Grima and save the future. He... "Please, I beg of you, speak clearly my love."
The roar of the battlefield turns into a dull drone as all Lucina's senses focus on him. He takes a deep breath, lifts the palm of his hand to cup her cheek. A lone tear runs down his chin as he kisses her forehead.
"If we want to put an end to Grima for good, I need to be the one to deliver the blow." He says. His voice is steady, the words pragmatic as always, yet Lucina's heart clenches at the display of intimacy on the battlefield. Robin's breath falters as he continues. "I... I may not survive it."
And now she knows the promise he is referring to. The promise to be there for her and Chrom, no matter the path they choose. They'd walk it together. He had promised.
"Robin, wait!" Lucina cries out, desperate to stop him, to save him from such a fate. He's already running off to rescue Frederick from a Grimleal mage. She's fast, she'll be able to catch up. She's stubborn enough to know she can change his mind, let Chrom put the demon to sleep so that both her father and her beloved can live. "I... Robin!"
Only her instinct to run after him is overruled by a different sound. A sharp, short burst. A cry of pain. It's not a cry she's known long, but something about it bypasses all her thought processes. Always does. That cry is the very reason she can never doubt Morgan is her daughter. With tears clouding her vision, Lucina whirls away from Robin, and leaps to the youngest time traveller's aid.
By the time she next has the opportunity to challenge Robin on his suicidal plan, it is already too late.
The final battle against Grima has begun.
Princess Lucina awakes to find that she is crying. The church is quiet as she stumbles to her feet. The coloured windows are dark, the lanterns dimmed. She had snuck in, tipsy, seeking a peaceful refuge following the rowdy diplomatic function that afternoon. She must have fallen asleep while studying the murals. She wipes furiously at her cheeks. She feels angry, upset, but most of all sad. But these are not her feelings. They're the feelings of dream-Lucina. She focusses on the feel of the pew beneath her hand, the grain of the wood. Deep breathes to calm her racing heart. She stares at the painting near the altar, forces herself to remember its colours despite the dim lighting. Still the dream lingers.
It's never been this overwhelming before. Traumatic? Yes, but usually the feelings would begin to slowly fade within minutes. If anything, the dream's influence is growing, as the follow-up memories begin to plague her mind...
Only this time, it's not just the memory of what followed on that specific day. She blinks. The image of Robin fading away from atop the tumbling form of Grima is replaced by that of Morgan catching her on her black Pegasus. She blinks again. Chrom is passing on Robin's last words, declaring the war at an end. Tears abound. Lucina finds her hands clasped in prayer as she clamps her eyes shut. She sees her father's shepherds packing up, returning to Ylisstol, healing slowly. She sees her dream counterpart and her friends help in the reconstruction of torn up lands, their parents seeing to the people scattered by the fighting. She gasps as dream Lucina weeps, her hand clasped over her midsection as she finds out she is expecting. Lucina forces herself out of the church's nave as more memories assault her consciousness until...
Somehow, she makes it to her chambers. The sounds of the garden party can be heard through her window, but she can't focus. Lucina clutches at the edge of her dressing table. She glances at her mirror. She feels like she's going crazy. Part of her wonders if this is what all her friends felt when their shared dreams came to an early end. Part of her hopes this means she can be free of them now too.
She blinks once more. She sees her younger self. Dream Lucina is in her room, older Morgan cradling the infant Morgan, clearly dozing off. Her dream-self kneels by the child's bed, where a child Princess Lucina sleeps.
"Yours will be a happy future..." A voice whispers. Dream-Lucina's voice. Her voice.
And then the flashes stop. And Lucina is left staring at her reflection in the mirror.
You're laughing with your Father as he recounts the tale of his favourite prank to a Plegian ambassador. You remember it. It was from during the war, so it's part of your memories from the life that was erased. It doesn't stop you grinning like a fool as he mimes his victim's reaction. You remember your mother's laugh. Wistfully, you glance towards the church yard, where you last saw Princess Lucina wander off to.
It's been nice, having her know who she is to you, to be recognised. The part of yourself that grew up not sure, not knowing, dreaming of a world so far gone that it still hurts to think about, finally feels whole. It's not perfect. There are times where it's hard to reconcile the mother with the friend, or the friend with the memory of a quasi-sister who surely died so that you may live... But this doesn't change things, not really. What matters is that you care, you can value her as she deserves. You see her happy, and that's enough.
Only Princess Lucina doesn't look happy when you spy her running back into the palace, hands clasped tightly to her sides.
You sense your father tensing beside you as you glance his way. He's noticed too. His eyes are wary and sad. You know that he's aware of Lucina's dreams, that he knows she knows they were a thing in her past life. You also know that they have not discussed it. You wonder if they ever will.
"I'll go see to her," you whisper. You clasp your father's shoulder and he nods to you. You hear a whispered thanks as he turns to excuse himself to the diplomat you were talking to. He's away to find Chrom, you know. Chrom is always the one he goes to when he worries about Lucina but feels that it's not his place to approach her. Their friendship is something you admire. You give him and the diplomat a wave as you leave the gardens for the stairs.
You take your time. You remember Lucina, coming to you when your dreams upset you as you camped along the Ylissean borders. You remember her coming to your older part's side in Rosanne. You remember your older-self calming down a panic-stricken Lucina in your father's study as a lilac sunrise filtered in through the curtains.
You're certain that Princess Lucina's upset body-language must be dream related. There's no one in the church this late at night. No one followed her. You remember the dream she told you of this morning. You know that the time is near...
You, of all people, know how overwhelming that last dream can be.
Dull blue irises shine in the mirror.
"I look tired," Lucina thinks, taking in the shadows under her eyes. She frowns, taking in the gauntness of her cheeks. She tilts her head. Something's not right. Leaning forward, she squints. There's something off. It's in her eyes. Her brand, it's... It's in the wrong eye? She blinks. The reflection blinks back... Noticeably slower.
Lucina stumbles back. The mirror's gone. She's not in her room anymore. A shiver runs down her spine. The other Lucina is still in front of her, her shoulders slumped, her chin down and her brow twisted as she gives Lucina a sad smile.
How was Lucina fooled? This other Lucina isn't even wearing a dress. She has a turtleneck under a familiar tunic that Lucina has only seen in dreams, the gold trim from collar to hem accentuating just how thin she is. The scabbard on her belt looks heavy, as do the greaves, pauldrons and vambraces. Her whole outfit is battle-weathered, torn, and singed. Her hair, long, unkempt, would have Severa instantly reaching for conditioner. The other Lucina is looking her up and down too, she realises. Self-conscious she reaches for a strand of her own hair. There's a daisy attached with a clip. Her shoulders are bare, the only weight resting on her hips a decorative cord-belt providing some visual interest, highlighting the simplicity of her white frock.
The other Lucina's smile warms, her face brightening.
"Hey," she says.
"H-Hi," the princess stammers. Her reflection is shorter than her. It's weird. She's dreamed the life her future-past self has lived for as long as she can remember. The battles she's faced, the leadership she's shown, the way she holds herself... If anything, Lucina expected her to be taller.
"I'm proud of you," Lucina-the-warrior relaxes her stance, stepping closer. Her hand reaches for Lucina's cheek. "I've been watching. You're seeing the world. You get to enjoy time with your friends. You're growing up to be every bit the wise and peaceful ruler I could never hope to be."
The gloved hand has callused fingers and a rough texture, but feels warm, comforting. Lucina leans into the touch. Her eyes glance around. They seem to be in an ethereal space, reminiscent of the portal warrior-Lucina travelled through time in. Only instead of being full of the flames of war, this space is peaceful, it looks like white clouds under a spring-blue sky.
"How are you here?" Lucina whispers. She returns her gaze back to her counterpart. The other Lucina looks up to her and chuckles. She doesn't even need to answer, the knowledge is passed on to Lucina as the warrior's fingers slide away from her skin. Naga. A vision as Grima's body falls to the ground. All the future-past children asked the same question...
"A choice..." Lucina mutters aloud, as she processes the information. The warrior nods as Lucina continues, her brows knitting together. "Because with Grima's death, the timelines were converging... A choice to... To..."
"To continue existing separately or disappear and..." The warrior shakes her head at the phrasing she uses. "Get the chance to live the lives we were robbed of."
"Laslow... Selena and Odin... They're... They are..." The warrior nods as Lucina finishes the question. "They chose the former."
"They did."
"Why?" Lucina asks, her hands shaking. It's a lot. It's too much to process. "Why did all the others choose... Choose to vanish? Why did you? Why the dreams?"
Future-past Lucina grasps her hands, pulls her down to sit on the ground with her.
"We... We never truly vanished." She explains. Her words are gentle. Her tone melancholy. "The dreams, that's our essence from the vanished timeline. My lost world."
"Getting to grow up with you, see the world through your eyes, to be you, is all I dreamed of. But you know that don't you," the warrior's head tilts and her grin is reminiscent of Chrom. "But Naga agreed with me, with the others too: we didn't want our struggle forgotten. Our lives were filled with so much loss, and pain... But there were also great lessons learnt: Lessons I know you've put to good use."
Lucina blushes. Her swordsmanship, her understanding of Feroxi politics, the little tricks, and facts she's picked up from her dreams... They all came in useful, even when she strives not to rely on them.
"I'm sorry," the other Lucina says, stroking Lucina's hair. "I know these dreams have caused you pain. Have made things confusing for you... Especially with... Well..."
Lucina chuckles. Her voice turns wry. "Yeah. Thanks for that."
Future-past Lucina has the decency to look abashed.
"You'll figure it out," the warrior says. "We'll figure it out."
Their foreheads lean together, laughter shared together till it merges into one soft peal. Lucina opens her eyes, and her reflection is gone. She's sat on the floor of her bedroom, smiling, full of hope. She knows now. She understands. Everything finally makes sense.
Lucina stands as Morgan knocks on the open door.
"Everything okay, Lucina?"
Lucina tilts her head, smiles. It's both odd and usual to hear Morgan address her like that. It was always Mother in the war. It takes some adjusting to, now that the dreams are just memories intertwined with those of her actual life. Lucina laughs again.
"Everything is fine Morgan." Lucina leaps up to envelop her daughter in a hug. She last hugged her this morning, but part of her feels like it's been over a dozen years. She steps back, grips Morgan's shoulders and looks her up and down. Mischief makes Lucina quirk the corner of her lips. "You've grown so tall!"
Morgan stares, then cackles.
"Good to have you back, Mother."
You sit, the next morning, at one of the many tables set up in the courtyard. Yesterday's function is followed by a very thoughtful outdoor mingling breakfast. The relaxed format is a gift to those more prone to indulging, and you take great delight in watching the various victims of hangovers shuffle out the palace doors towards the buffet table.
You chuckle as you spy Ophelia, freshly returned from a trip to study under Tiki at the Mila tree. She's bright and loud as always, singing the praises of the fine spring morning sunshine as she skips to the table her father and Laslow are sat wallowing at. Seeing Odin recoil in pain is a delightful kind of justice that his wife Selena takes great pleasure in poking fun at. You grin and return to reading your correspondence. The latest news from Rosanne makes for a riveting read as you pick at the fruit on your plate. You're just finishing the letter as you feel a peck on your cheek.
"Good morning, Love," Kjelle grins, putting down a cup of coffee and a plate of cold meats. Your girlfriend points at your empty cup. "Can I get you a refill on that coffee?"
"Please!" You say, returning the affectionate gesture with a squeeze, but before Kjelle has the time to leave the table you both notice her mother entering the courtyard. Kjelle groans.
"Trust mother to get herself in such a state," she mutters, eyeing the great knight from behind her raised hands. You rub her back in comfort. Sully looks like she is still very drunk. "I'd better make sure she doesn't cause a diplomatic incident. Give me a couple minutes."
You nod and lean back. Kjelle looks good as she strides confidently across the courtyard. You look forward to seeing how she'll wrangle her mother away from Virion's table. A flap of blue however draws your eye away. It's Lucina, you realise. She's got that frown on her face that means business. She's headed for the buffet table, but you can't quite see why...
Ah. That explains it. She's making a beeline for your father.
That alone grabs all your attention. You sit straighter, craning your neck, cursing yourself for picking a seat too far away to hear what might be said. Your father hasn't noticed Lucina's approach yet. He has his hands full when he finally lifts his gaze to meet the princess's. He gives that easy smile of his and straightens up from the cheese selection.
You are, it turns out, close enough to hear the slap Lucina gives your father. His plate smashes on the cobbles below. Robin stares bewildered at Lucina, his hand cupping his cheek as she smiles drily up at him. They exchange some words before Robin seems to laugh. Lucina bows her head and strides away with a more relaxed smile on her face. You're as bewildered as the rest of the courtyard's attendees, who, upon noticing Robin arching his brow at them, pretend they weren't craning their necks to make sense of the commotion.
By the time Kjelle returns with your coffee, Lucina's grabbed herself a quick breakfast while your father starts filling a fresh plate anew. You watch the princess march to a table by the grass where Gerome, Noire and the others are sat laughing.
"What the hell happened there?" Kjelle asks, starting on her own breakfast. "What did I miss?"
You shrug. The cup of coffee is very welcome.
"No clue. Only thing I know is that Lucina reached the end of her memory-dreams last night."
"She did?!" The excitement in Kjelle's voice makes you smile. You remember fondly the morning she came to you, exclaiming about Naga, and deals, and how the dreams finally made sense. You remember being particularly fond of her reaction when you mentioned the possibility of actual dreams being a thing now. Your girlfriend hops up with her plate and cup in hand. "Oh, I've got to go and ask her all about it!"
"Have fun!" You smile as she sprints to Lucina's table. You'd accompany her, but you did promise your father a catch-up first. Thinking of the man...
"Well, if I hadn't woken up yet, that sure will have done it." Robin shakes his head as he sits next to you, his own correspondence tucked under his arm as he places his plate down.
"I've got to ask..." You say, grinning as you steal a cheese slice, "What on earth was that about?"
You father hums awkwardly while waving his knife around, spreading jam on his crackers with a sigh. "The slap? That was for keeping your mother waiting for three years before I returned."
"And the rest?" You feel your heart sink as your recall the time Lucina vanished. Robin had been found literally the next morning. That had been a rough week.
"She... She apologised for vanishing just as I reappeared. But that was your mother, not young Lucina? Ah, all this time travel doppelganger merging stuff is so confusing." Robin groans as he lifts his breakfast to his mouth. He takes a bite, chews, and swallows. "It's hard enough adjusting to you being both Morgans in one!"
"Get used to it, dad!" You chirp.
The two of you sit in comfortable silence for a while. Your thoughts wonder.
"Hey," you say at last. "If you don't mind me asking. What happened in those three years? You never speak of them."
Robin stares ahead for a moment, clearly gathering his thoughts.
"I... There's not much to say really." He takes a sip of his water. "I was in this colourless void, I guess. I could hear everyone's voices calling on me to come back, even Naga, but... There was also me. The other me."
"Grima?" You whisper. Your breath catches in your throat.
"No." Robin looks sad. "The me before Grima travelled to the past. The me who never was amnesiac."
Your interest peaks. You have wondered about your own amnesia when you travelled into the past. The end of your dreams pretty much seemed to associate it with how you were broken free of Grima's control, but you always questioned whether there had been more to it. The strange future-echoes of your time-travelling-self remembering moments from your actual childhood that hadn't happened yet had been especially peculiar.
"I... I don't claim to understand it fully. But..." Robin wrings his fingers together. He's not used to being at a loss for words. "Those three years I was missing...? I was regaining the memories Grima stole from them. It... It was like merging with a fundamentally different person."
You snort. "I know how that feels!"
Robin's eyes find yours, startled wide then appraising.
"Yes," he says, the discomfort on his features lifting away. He laughs. "Yes, I suppose you do. You all do."
"All but Laurent now." You chuckle. A sip of coffee warms your throat as you lean your elbows on the table. You tilt your head. "Ah, so that's where all your stories about Plegia come from. Older Morgan had wondered where they'd come from suddenly."
"Got it in one. My childhood sucked. Ylisse is much better."
An exchange of smiles. You both nod. Silence resumes as he reads his first letter. You can't help but notice how his gaze flits to Lucina's table every now and then.
"Hey, I know the two of you aren't getting back together," that particular daydream had flown the coop once you'd realised the true nature of the memory-dreams, that older Lucina was never coming back. Your own current romance is also vastly different from what transpired during the war. It's hard to imagine your Kjelle being interested in forge master Owain. "But when you feel ready to finally move on, I'd love a little brother to boss about."
Robin spit-takes his coffee, brown fluids coating his papers. He squawks. "What?!"
"Hey, I miss having a sibling. What can I say?" You laugh as you watch his face turn various very interesting shades of pink and purple.
And you can't help but notice, for the briefest of moments, that Lucina is watching him too.
Well, you think. Fancy that.
"Hey, dad?"
"Hm?"
"That dream journal of mine? Maybe you should let Lucina read it too."
Robin's brow creases, and then he follows your gaze to where Lucina is sat. She smiles.
You smile and finish your coffee.
What will be, will be.
Fin
Notes:
Do Lucina and Robin get back together again? Or do they just decide that that was another life and remain simple friends?
Hell if I know. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This story was more about the idea of the time-travellers lives merging with their younger counterparts as the timelines settle into the new future they all fought so hard for! It didn't feel right to have them just vanish without getting a taste of what they always dreamed of. Having Morgan as a perspective character also added an unexpectedly delicious layer of complexity that I could not pass up. Yeay for Morgan!
Thank you so much for reading this story. If you have questions, I'm all ears.