When he arrived, it was like a thunderstorm blasting through the large entrance hall, echoing on the stone walls. Eyes came down in reprehension towards the hooded figure, regardless of his nobility and sovereignty. They were under a law of silence, and all should respect it, even the Exhalt.

"I came as soon as I could." Chrom exhaled in a breath, as he was running haggard.

He panted his way through the keep, his eyes darting around like he expected his wife and child to materialize out of thin air.

"Be quiet!" His sister chided as she joined him outside in the hall. "She is sleeping. It was a tiring ordeal, and she should be respectful of it."

"How is she? And the baby?" He demanded as he made his way towards the stairs, towards his wife and his child.

Lissa shook her blond head at her brother's restlessness but still made an attempt to pacify him. "They are fine now. She is just like you."

That made him stop dead on his way to his conjugal chambers, asking instead, "May I see the child first? Milady is sleeping anyway, and I caused enough of a disturbance."

"You most certainly may." Lissa assented.

He was already gone.

Chrom made his way inside the nursery, decorated by his wife despite his objections with hesitating steps. The event of becoming a father was colossal, momentous, some might even say life-changing, and, as he looked down at the small, wrinkled baby, his baby, sleeping quietly in the crib, he could not ignore the rapid thud in his chest.

He wanted to wake his daughter up and teach her everything his own father had taught him, but he did not want to disturb her peacefully sleeping form, unburdened by the weight of duties and responsibilities she will have to bear as the first born, the heir to the Halidom. Unafraid of what lay ahead of her.

Free.

Chrom just could not bring himself to break that moment. He had held babies before, generations of them, ranging from his sister to the children of the Shepherds and servants, but holding his own child was proving to be an awfully terrifying task.

He kept looking at the tiny body on the crib, noting and remembering every detail, every feature, even every tiny fold of alabaster skin, the mark of her bloodline. He was deciding whether his daughter's nose was too long or her face was just too small when the cherub grimaced and her body twisted as if in pain.

"Gods damn it." Chrom muttered in panic.

A second later, soft mewls echoed in the room. The Exalt clenched his fists to prepare himself for the frighteningly daunting task. He then took a deep inhale, and willed himself to pick up his girl, whose cries were beginning to cause him great heartache.

The baby quieted down the moment Chrom held her, something which made him swell with pride and sigh in relief. His daughter fit easily in his hands, nestling in the crook of his elbow like she was meant to be there. As she rightly was, for she was the firstborn of the Exhalt of Ylisse.

"Well, hello there." He murmured, taking in the wide-eyed bundle in his arms.

He had his mother's eyes. Her eyes. The eyes which told Chrom everything without speaking, which saw everything he tried to hide. Now he had another person to beware of.

"You are already looking a lot like your mother, little princess." He muttered dryly, afraid of raising his voice to more than audible decibels.

The baby quiet down and looked curiously at her father, as if understanding the conversation.

"But unlike your mother, you are not going anywhere near any swords." He cautioned, and when the baby pouted, he added firmly. "No."

Still, he could not stop himself from adding, "Perchance, if you do not take to healing or politics, I will reconsider. but if you are no good at it, I..."

At that moment, the monarch's throat found an unseemly lump inside it, making his voice suspiciously thick. He swallowed dry, hoping to keep the emotions at bay for now, and cleared his throat before continuing to speak.

"I will help you with it, and will stay by your side. Everyday. One day at a time. This is a promise I am not willing to break." He finished and dismissed his moment of weakness by narrowing his eyes at his daughter. "Your mother might be able to make me a fool, but no bloodline is blessed enough to birth two of her. I am on to you, little missy."

The imp bared her toothless gums in what seemed to be a silent cackle.

"Not yet, at least, I would like to believe." He added uncertainly as he walked towards the window with the baby resting carefully on his shoulder.

As he looked down at the hyacinth fields, he remembered the day he had found she who would become his wife, a rare everlasting orchid in the field of fleeting flowers, before he mentally chastised himself for his choice of metaphor.

The baby in his arms struggled suddenly, and Chrom cooed to her, as he rocked her gently. "Alright, now."

The sloppy attempt to calm the new-born baby is to no use, and she is about to bawl loudly, exactly what the man wishes to avoid, as not to disturb her mother.

"You know, your mother has eyes like yours." The man affirmed quietly.

That managed to quiet the baby and, amazed as he was, Chrom did not stop, investing in his serendipitous discovery.

"She does. When she is angry, you can most certainly see fire burning inside them." He said, offering a performic, but hardly insincere, shudder as he remembered the last occasion in which he made his wife angry.

"When she is happy, they are so bright I am momentarily blinded." A smile curved on his lips, and he continued in awe, "She is quite something, your mother. It took me a while to realise that, but I am truly grateful to have her with me. Blessed, if you must know."

The child calmly smiled, on that toothless manner that many find disturbingly cute.

"Do not tell her that, though. I would hate for her to become big-headed." He whispered conspiratorially, shaking a finger at his daughter. "It will be our little secret, right, Lucina?"

Suddenly, he felt something, the familiar pressure of his wife's head on his arm, and looked down in surprise.

"Hello." He leaned in to press a warm, loving kiss on her forehead.

She revelled in his touch for a long moment, before looking up at him with a sweet smile. "I heard everything, Your Majesty. I do not have a big head, if you must know."

He winced.

"I am never letting she forget this." She finished in glee, waiting for a comeback.

Alas, he only pulled she closer by his free arm, enveloping the three of them in a tender hug.

"I like this name." The woman suddenly said. "Lucina. It is nice."

"I am glad." Chrom responded. "Thank you for giving so much meaning to my life."