This wasn't exactly how he imagined waking up today. Normally as soon as the sun started to poke in from the curtained window, he could sense it was time to wake up, but his mind never reacted enough to want to. Eventually as his brain switched back on he would rub the sleep from his eyes, and his wife would either be right there next to him, or she would already be half-way dressed and ready to begin her daily warm-ups before she started her day.
Instead Robin had woken up to the blurry sight of Lucina, slowly and sensually massaging her slick womanhood along his morning wood, her naked backside shrouded in their bedsheets. She had been looking at him with half-lidded eyes, trying to appear as seductive as someone such as her could muster. She had been hoping it had the intended effect the moment her groggy husband opened his eyes, yet for him it was always a joy to see her bright and early every morning no matter the circumstance. Once he had, she smiled that warm smile he fell in love with not long ago and reciprocated her happiness with a warm, loving kiss. Seeing as how he didn't disagree with what she was doing, she had taken a hold of his dick and slid it into her eager pussy.
Now they were ten minutes in to their morning love-making and the room was filled with the low moans and gasps of the young couple as Lucina sank and stuffed herself with her husband's dick. It wasn't often that they did this sort of thing, both being more content to either hugging or kissing, holding hands, cuddling, and snuggling close to each other whenever time allowed it. They simply loved basking in each other's presence, and their romantics carried over when they engaged with each other in passionate moments like these.
Both of their eyes were closed as they let the pleasure of being joined flow through their bodies, Lucina going at a slow to moderate pace as her lover idly stretched and filled her drenched insides. Her hands were on his chest for support as she raised and lowered herself on his shaft, while Robin's own were lazily resting on her thighs that rested next of his sides. Though at the moment they could not see each other, their ears echoed with the sound of their squelching down below as her juices coated his dick from the smooth rubbing and trailed down to his sack. The hot and tingling pressure around his dick filled him with joy as he sighed in bliss, completely enamored by his wife's treatment, while Lucina cooed and moaned whenever her husband's rod bottomed out into her and lightly kissed her womb.
Robin opened his eyes and gazed upon the goddess riding him, her mouth hanging open slightly and letting out happy gasps, her head tilted back a little as she took all of him into her. He admired her mostly slim body, rich in muscle from many years of training and fighting, every inch of her body denoting a woman in peak physical condition. And so much of her was covered in scars of various degrees, each one a reminder of the horrible world from which she came, trophies from the numerous Risen she had to face throughout most of her life. The first time they made love she was hesitant to show them to him, but admittedly he found them attractive and he couldn't get enough of her.
Yet what he admired most about her were not the features of a woman's body that most men would be drawn to. Though her breasts were small, though larger than they once were thanks to her recent pregnancy, and their bounce was mesmerizing, her butt firm but plump enough to not harm his pelvis, what he loved most about her body was her tightly packed abs. While not as prominent as Vaike's or Basilio's, there was something about her having them that he just felt so enraptured by them. Instinctively, he reached out his hand and placed it on them, feeling and brushing his fingers along the taut muscles.
Lucina sharply gasped and following it with a sensual moan at the sudden, gentle touch on her belly. She tightened up inside and squeezed her husband's dick, eliciting a sharp breath of his own, but it did nothing to dissuade him. She opened her droopy eyes to gaze upon his charming face as she plunged herself just a little faster on his rod while he continued to runs his fingers over her abs. She reached over to grab his other hand and entwined his fingers with her own, murmuring his name in a breathy moan to which he responded in kind.
Sweat beaded on their skin as the heat of their sex threatened to overwhelm them, and the sloppy sounds of their damp hips smacking into each other assailed their ears. The sun began to pour in more and seemed to illuminate Lucina in an otherworldly glow, which brought out a surprised and awe-struck look from Robin as he beheld the sight. Lucina noticed this and felt her face become hotter than the rest of her body as she blushed profusely, the ardor from her husband embarrassing yet flattering her. She was happy that Robin held such reverence for her, and it only encouraged her to increase her rhythm as she pumped herself again and again on his dick. Robin's pleasure was brought to new heights as she did, and as much as he wanted to throw his head back in ecstasy as his dick became more sensitive from his wife's snug embrace, he could not and would not take his eyes off her.
He felt a familiar pressure building up in his groin, and knowing that the crescendo of the sweet music and sounds their bodies were making was fast approaching, he added his own light thrusts into their mutual chase for rapture.
"L-Lucina..." he whispered, his eyes shutting and his breathing becoming more hurried. "I'm getting close!"
"So am I-I..." she answered just as quietly, as she dragged her hand across his chest, feeling his own muscular features, her body moving without her consent as she chased for that sweet release.
"Should I...?" She knew what he was asking, and she was touched that he was always concerned for her, but she wouldn't dare let him go. She leaned down toward him as she planted her arms to either side of his head, her face and body hovering over him as she arched in a sensual manner when she dove her hips down.
"N-No. Don't worry, i-it's safe today." With that Robin brought his arms up to wrap around her body, bringing her onto him as he sped up his thrusts further, feeling her small breasts jiggle slightly against him. Lucina cupped his face and brought him into a passionate kiss as she cooed and purred into his mouth, until finally, they were there. Their locked lips muffled their satisfied grunts as Robin pumped his load into her womb, spurt after spurt of cum flooding her passage. Lucina's pussy gushed and soaked his lap while squeezing his dick for every last drop as waves of heat coursed through their bodies at their joined climax.
Exhausted, Lucina let go of Robin's lips and relaxed herself onto him while she caught her breath from the thrill. Robin rested his hands on her backside, soothingly stroking her hair as she nestled her head into the crook of his neck.
"Good morning to you too," he said with a light chuckle and kissing her scalp, bringing out a delighted hum from his tired wife. This wasn't exactly how he imagined waking up this morning, but he welcomed it regardless.
"Forgive me," she muttered in embarrassment, bringing up a confused eyebrow from her husband. "It wasn't my intention this morning, but when I saw your... erm, 'state', the urge to take care of it just came to me."
"Hm? I didn't mind, dear. It was amazing. I was just taken by surprise is all."
Her smile widened as she shifted in her spot comfortably, letting out a pleased hum from the dick still inside her as it grazed her insides while adjusting. "I'm glad it felt good for you. Being connected with you this way always brings out something within me that I never would have imagined before."
Robin stared up at the ceiling with an awkward smile plastered on his face as he chuckled, embarrassed. "T-thank you for the compliment. I'm happy to know that I'm able to make you feel better."
Lucina wrapped her arms up underneath his own as she nuzzled contently into his chest. "Yes... in more ways than one..."
It was moments like these, where they were wrapped in a loving embrace of each other, that reminded Lucina just how fortunate she was to have met Robin. He had become the light shining in her darkness, the one who was always there to cheer her up whenever she felt down, and the one who always convinced her that the future remains unwritten, that what happened in one world didn't dictate exactly what would happen in another. The two of them had certainly proven that, from a marriage that would otherwise have not been possible in her time, to the discovery that in some other world they had been together as well, and Morgan was the product of that union. Her life had changed so much for the better, and she had him to thank for it.
Yet as the name of her daughter crossed her mind, her mood suddenly shifted as she sighed in melancholy, her eyes drifting down to the bed in thought. Morgan, the baby Morgan back home, was only a couple months away from her first birthday, and she wasn't there with her. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving her newborn daughter behind, and she worried on and off about her precious bundle of joy. She knew the nursemaids back at the castle were watching and caring for her, but it just didn't feel the same... nor did it feel right with her.
"Something wrong?" her husband inquired, having heard that sigh many times before. It was a sign that the princess's worries were weighing on her, and he knew better than to let those thoughts stir for too long. She had more to look forward to these days, but contemplating the worst that might happen was something he knew her well for.
"Just... feeling homesick I suppose," she replied, downtrodden.
"Is it about our little Morgan?" She nodded slowly and forced a weak smile. Hardly anything ever got by him. "I miss her too, but I trust the nursemaids back at the castle are taking good care of her for us in our absence."
Lucina raised her head up to look him in the eyes. "I know, and I'm sure they are. It's just... having lost my own mother when I was younger and having to grow up without her or my father... I don't want the same thing to happen to my daughters, and especially our baby."
Robin tightened his grip around her to gently embrace her. "Neither do I. But just remember that where little Morgan is right now isn't the future you came from. Grima is no more, and we've made sure of that."
"I know, but... I want to be there for all the milestones that my father and mother missed with me. The first time she walks, her first words, to teach her everything about swordplay, and... to see if she can wield Falchion."
A slight smile graced his face. "You're already thinking about that?"
"It's never too early to do so. After all, she will one day inherit it from me, and it would put my mind at ease to know that it won't be for ceremonial purposes. I'd like for Falchion to defend her as much as it has for me."
"Heh, I remember when you did the same with the older Morgan. You were so happy when she succeeded cutting that log. You were practically jumping for joy!"
Lucina blushed while chuckling, embarrassed. "It may have been a bit much."
"Poppycock. We love seeing you show your excitement."
"I'm glad to hear that. Admittedly I do know I need to 'lighten up' as Cynthia says." Lucina frowned again as she thought back to her worries. "Do you think it's too early to think about it?"
"You mean if Falchion will choose her too? It's a definitely a 'you' thing, Lucina, and it's not a bad thing. I completely understand why you would worry about all of that given what you've been through and want to avoid repeating. I'll speak with Prince Alfonse about needing to return home so we can go back to being little Morgan's parents."
Lucina leaned in and pressed her lips to his as relief washed over her. "Thank you, dear. I'm eager to see her again, and I'm sure you are too."
"I am," confirmed Robin. "I am her father after all, and I have to be there for her as much as you do. I'm sure she'll be happy to see us."
As if on cue, there was a series of knocks on their bedroom door, loud enough for them to hear it, yet with a certain excitement to it. It managed to startle the two war heroes as their eyes went wide from the sudden wake-up call.
"Mother? Father?" inquired the voice of their older daughter from the opposite side. "Are you two up yet? We got a busy day ahead of us as usual!"
Both parents could only shake their heads and quietly chuckle to themselves at the energy Morgan always seemed to display. While certainly a bit intrusive on their privacy, they realized they had been in bed longer than normal, and at this point anything later was unusual for them to her.
"We'll be out soon, Morgan!" Lucina answered back, and that seemed to satisfy the tactician-in-training as they heard the quieted steps of her walking away from the door. Robin reached over to the nearby nightstand and dug around in one of the drawers for a handkerchief to give to his wife. She lifted herself up just enough to let his softened dick slip out of her and quickly apply the cloth to her groin to wipe out the cum that tried to leak out.
"I was hoping we might stay in bed for a little while longer," Robin said with a chuckle, stretching his arms out as he stood up.
"If Morgan is having to get us up," informed Lucina as she went to a different cupboard to store the stained cloth to be cleaned later. "Then we've already been in bed longer than normal. She must think it would be unusual for either of us to sleep in."
"A fair point," conceded Robin as he began searching through his dresser for his clothes. "We are both early birds after all. It would still be nice to sleep in at some point. Maybe we should think about that return trip to the Hot Springs?"
Lucina's eyes lit up at while she was slipping on her smallclothes at her own dresser. "Oh! That would be wonderful! The springs here are lovely, but there is something about the one we visited before with the Shepherds that just makes it feel more... special."
"And hopefully it won't be attacked by Risen while we're there!"
Lucina hummed and frowned as her nerves began to set in. "Perhaps I should bring Falchion just in case..."
Robin turned his head toward her with a bemused smile. "I was kidding, Luci."
Lucina paused as she was slipping into her socks. "Oh... I'm sorry. I should have understood that better."
He sighed in defeat at himself. "No, I'm sorry. I should remember that they're a sore subject for you."
"It's all right," she answered while now putting her pants on. "I had fought them for so long that even now it is difficult to get accustomed to the idea that they are gone forever."
Robin came over to her just as she dug out her undershirt and wrapped his arms around her waist. He gave her a peck on the cheek, which cause her to flinch at the sudden and brief display of affection.
"You will," he said in hushed tone to ease her. "I know it. We've both made sure that that day will come."
Lucina smiled and turned her gaze to meet his. These were the moments that she long ago didn't know that she was fighting for. Until Robin had come into her life, she had never once thought about what her personal life would look like after Grima was defeated. She knew the more practical reasons for it, in that there would be much to rebuild and regrow in her former world, but coming to Robin's had altered those plans considerably. She had guarded her heart well before, never allowing herself to get too close to anyone for fear of what might happen to them and opening the heart ache of losing a loved one all over again, but Robin's kind and sympathetic words were able to lower the barriers around her heart. She never realized until speaking with him that she truly needed someone to talk to about all of her worries and fears.
Falling in love with Robin had already been a shock enough for her, what with it being so impossible before in her former world, and how it drastically changed the timeline. Then Morgan had entered her life, and suddenly she found herself fighting for something more than just the fate of a world. She had a fiancée and a daughter, two things she never would have imagined for herself, and two things she refused to ever have taken away from her. Through them she came to understand that her own happiness mattered, that her own well-being mattered, and it was okay to think of herself and not just everyone else around her. She loved both them and her newborn Morgan so much for giving her greater purpose in life.
Just then there was another series of knocks on their door, leaving both parents to sigh at the next interruption from their dimension-hopping daughter. She was never this insistent before with their awakening.
"We're getting into our clothes now, Morgan," answered Lucina as Robin retracted his arms. "Only a little longer."
"Great!" the girl called back. "Because there's a letter here addressed to you, mother! It must've come earlier this morning, or last night, or something."
Once more they heard their daughter walk away from the door, leaving the parents to give each other puzzled looks at the new information brought to them.
"A letter?" Robin questioned curiously. "You weren't expecting one today were you dear?"
"Not at all," replied Lucina. "I'm as perplexed as you are."
"We should hurry up and get dressed and see what it's about." Robin broke away from her and in little time at all they threw on most of the rest of their clothes in relative silence, with Robin leaving behind his signature coat and Lucina her tunic as both articles of clothing weren't necessary for their breakfast.
They exited their bedroom and entered the adjacent living room, a spacious area that held all the accommodations offered by the royal family of Askr. There were bookshelves that came up to about their waists that were filled with novels from the various regions in this world, a pair of red sofas next to those shelves along with tablestands for ease and comfort for enjoyable reading, potted plants filled with the shrubs off in the corners, and the opaque walls held a couple of creamy white banners with gold trim that prominently displayed the Askarian royal crest. It reminded Lucina much of the temporary room she and Robin stayed in at the Ylisstol castle while searching for more private housing.
Their daughter was relaxing on one of the sofas, going over her tactics book given to her by Robin while lazily kicking her legs back and forth. She bore a relaxed smile as she poured over the pages and quietly hummed a random tune. The letter that she mentioned sat next to her, a plain, trifolded note that only bore Lucina's name on its cover.
"Good morning mother!" the girl greeted her parents as her head snapped up to see them. "Good morning father! Sorry for the wake-up call, but you two are normally up before I am."
"It's all right, Morgan," assured Robin. "You're mother and I just... wanted to spend a little longer in bed together."
Morgan's eyes shifted back and forth between her parents as Lucina averted her gaze with a slight blush. The aspiring tactician hummed with amused suspicion, but otherwise said nothing.
"A-anyway," interrupted Lucina, trying to hastily change the subject. "You said a letter addressed to me arrived, Morgan? I presume that must be it there. May I see it?"
"Sure thing!" Morgan reached over and took the letter in her hand before offering it up to her mother. Lucina accepted it and carefully unfolded it. The text inside was something she could tell had been messy at one point in time, but showed signs of improvement. With her own handwriting having been at best messy for the longest time, and at worst illegible during her war with Grima, she was able to train herself to read bad penmanship. Her own lessons to improve with Robin, who's handwriting was stellar and clean, further allowed her to recognize someone else's improvement.
"What does it say?" Robin asked as he stood next to her, not attempting to read it for himself.
"'To Lucina,'" the swordswoman began as she held the letter before her. "'I know this comes at short notice, but I need your help on a personal matter. Please come and see me at your earliest convenience and I will explain more. …King Byleth Eisner.'"
Her eyes widened as she read off the signature. It was unusual for her to be receiving a letter from the king of the United Kingdom of Fódlan. They had met before, but the princess hardly ever interacted with him since then, their schedules not allowing much time to visit unlike he and her husband did. To ask for her help on a personal problem was even more bizarre. They weren't close at all, so what could he possibly need her help with?
"Byleth needs your help?" said Robin, as bewildered as she was.
"It is certainly strange," she commented as she read the brief letter again to herself. "On a private matter no less."
"I wonder what that could be about?" Morgan wondered aloud. She too had met the king, but much like her mother she barely ever saw him since that time. Her own studies and those with her father kept her busy, in addition to having to go do battle from time to time, but with the name coming up again she began to entertain the idea of going with her father to observe their strategizing sessions.
"My guess is that it might have something to do with the recent arrival of the older Lysithea," Robin suggested, making note that there were now two versions of her in Askr, one from her student days, and the taller, maturer one that came only yesterday.
"You did mention she arrived here," said Lucina. "I remember you saying how silent they both were when they saw each other, shocked at seeing one another as though they had come back from the dead. I know that feeling all too well..."
Robin gave an awkward grin as he rubbed the back of his head, to which their daughter giggled at. "And in his case that's true. I'm not sure if she underwent the same thing. I didn't stay around long enough to find out. It was easy to read that they needed a moment, but judging from her reaction that might be the case."
"If that's true, then it is uncanny to see them going through what we did not too long ago. I'm certain they must have had much to discuss."
"And whatever that was must have been pretty important if the king is asking for your help, mother," noted Morgan. "Are you gonna go see him?"
It didn't take long for Lucina to decide on a course of action. As little as they had met, he was a friend of Robin's and so was a friend of hers. Additionally, she was never one to turn away a request for help, though she wasn't exactly sure how much she would be able to on a personal matter. If it involved the newly arrived Lysithea, then it was at least a good starting point, but without any further information she was clueless as to just what Byleth needed her aid with. Only one way to find out.
"I will," she replied. "I did not have anything major planned for today, and I can hardly refuse his request, even on such short notice. I'm not sure how much help I will be, but I will do what I can."
"Well he did ask for you, and not father," their daughter pointed out. "Whatever it is has to be something that you know more than he does."
"Which is odd considering a lot of the Shepherds came to me with their own personal problems..." Robin reflected.
"There are still some tasks that I need to take care of," continued Lucina. "But afterward I will go and see him."
"Is one of those tasks breakfast?" asked Morgan, placing a hand on her stomach to indicate her hunger. "I'm starving."
Lucina chuckled to herself. "I think we are all feeling a little peckish. Come with me Morgan and we can get started."
"Sure thing mother!" The two proceeded to head off into the kitchen to get started on the day's meal, leaving Robin behind as his watched them leave, ruminating on how Lucina did not ask for his assistance.
"A man of tactics I may be," he lamented. "But the kitchen is one battlefield I'll never figure out..."
Around the middle of the afternoon, Lucina had completed everything she needed to for the day and had made her way to Byleth's quarters. Fortunately she had remembered where they were located, though it was not entirely difficult as the royalty from the various times and worlds they were summoned from were more specially accommodated. As she had relinquished her own claim to the Ylissean throne by choosing to stay in Robin's world, their quarters, while certainly homely and comfortable, there was nevertheless a notable distinction between theirs and his. Considering how she had to live prior to her journey through time and space, most anything was better than that.
She gave the door a few quick rasps, hoping that Byleth was still inside, though judging by the wording of his letter it sounded as if he was available all day. She heard the quieted sounds of footsteps approaching, and sure enough the door opened and revealed the king, wearing his royal outfit that was a mix between regal and combat-ready. His expression was as stone-faced as she remembered, but the moment he saw her the faintest upward crease in his lip formed.
"Lucina," he greeted her with barely noticeable relief. "I'm glad you came." Much like when she first met him, he was wearing his royal trappings that was a mix of what he wore before his ascension to the throne, and that of the church that once dominated over his homeland. As for his facial features, she learned about his unique circumstance of barely being able to display emotion, and indeed when they first met his face was unreadable, which Lucina found somewhat off-putting. The indentation in his cheeks right now was the first time she ever saw him express any sort of feeling. "Sorry for the short notice."
Lucina held up a hand before him. "It's quite all right. I did not have much planned for today, and I can hardly turn down someone who needs my help, especially if it's of a personal matter."
The king led the princess inside, closing the door behind him and making their way on over to his work desk. It was filled with paperwork and reports, no doubt the royal family keeping him occupied with movements of their foes and appraisals of the many heroes from across different worlds about their strengths and weaknesses. For her, it was amazing that there was so many versions of her across those worlds and fascinating to hear their own stories, although for the first few times it was an awkward scenario. She didn't know how to react when she was, effectively, talking to herself.
"I apologize if my work space is messy," said the king as he walked toward the kitchen, where a kettle was being heated over the stove and it seemed as though he was preparing tea. She had to assume it was, at least originally, for himself as he had no way of anticipating her quick arrival.
"Actually you are far tidier than Robin is," Lucina informed as she scanned the array of papers. "He normally has his books and papers scattered in a mess around his office."
"Is that so?"
She took a seat across from where he would. "Yes. I have tried to convince him about organizing his work, and even thought to surprise him one day by cleaning it for him."
Byleth removed the kettle from its hold and brought out two cups to begin pouring into. "How did that go?"
Lucina looked down at the desk with knitted brows. "It confused him enough to drive him into a panic. I never thought it would be possible for someone to prefer messy workplaces, but with how much he sweat trying to find everything he was working on... I had to apologize profusely for my blunder."
The king returned with the tea poured in the cups just high enough to not spill over as he walked, each of them sitting on small plates. He set one down before her before doing the same for his, after which he scooped up his work and placed them on the floor for the time being. If Lucina wasn't so used to Robin and his "organization" method, she might have thought Byleth showed little concern for his work.
"Thank you," she said after receiving her tea, wisps of steam slowly rising into the air and sway from side to side.
"You were only trying to help," he replied, referring back to what she said before he returned.
Lucina smirked. "That's what he had said. I still felt awful for doing it, so we spent the next hour scattering everything again. It was one of the most bizarre activities I've ever had to do in my life."
She brought her cup to her mouth, careful to not press her fingers to its hot surface, and gently blew into the dark liquid. With a few wisps of breath, she carefully sipped at her beverage, the liquid passing through her lips and tingling at her taste buds with a flavor that seemed to be a mixture of honey and apple.
"This is a flavor I have never had before," remarked Lucina after swallowing, after which she set the teacup down back onto its plate.
"It is a common blend in Fódlan," informed the king, bringing his own cup to his mouth and repeating the motions she had. "It was... one of Lysithea's favorites. I'm sorry I could not prepare a blend more to your liking."
"I didn't mean to imply I did not enjoy it!" she quickly replied, eyes widening in alarm. "For something more commonly available, it is very appealing. But to address your concern, I will try whichever tea you offer. After all, I have never told you which flavors I prefer, nor does Askr have access to Ylissean tea."
"A fair point." Byleth brought the cup to his mouth and drank down more than what she had. Lucina noted that never once did Byleth's tone change at all, exactly how she remembered her small amount of encounters with him. It was a strange trait of his, one shared by the other versions of him in Askr, one that which she knew the reason for, but it made reading him incredibly difficult. Not that she was an expert in subtle cues, but he was by far the most difficult to ascertain.
"You're probably wondering why I called you here," said Byleth, setting his cup down and interlacing his fingers on the table, looking directly at Lucina with a calm, yet serious expression.
"I am curious, yes. You're letter stated that you needed my help on a private matter. I thought it was strange that you would be seeking my aid on a sensitive subject since we have not had much time to speak with each other. However, if I can help, I certainly will."
"Thank you. It means a lot to me." Byleth took another sip of his tea before continuing. "Are you aware of the recent arrivals?"
"I am. They come from your world, correct?"
"One of them does, my friend Claude, the King of Almyra. The other three come from their own timelines, two of which are from the same. An Edelgard that triumphed in the war... and a Lysithea that helped her."
Lucina noted the saddened tone that Byleth had at the end. She knew of the loss of his Lysithea, and seeing her alive again must have opened old wounds. "Robin told me about your reunion with her. I'm sure that must have come as a shock to you."
"...It was... for both of us..."
The princess raised a curious brow at the cryptic response. "For both of you?
He nodded. "In her Fódlan, I'm dead too."
She gasped at the revelation, bringing a hand to cover her mouth. "How did that happen?!"
"According to her, almost immediately after we slew her Fódlan's Rhea as the Immaculate One, I... 'dropped dead'."
The bluenette blinked before tilting her head with a brow raised. "How is that even possible? As I recall from your story, the Rhea of your world died and you're still alive."
Byleth shook his head in confusion. Even he had no idea. "I wish I knew what the difference was. Anyway, after we... reacquainted ourselves, I asked if her if she would be willing to return with me to my Fódlan so we could share our lives together."
Lucina's eyes flashed as a sense of déjà vu suddenly came over her. "That is... an awfully big request of her. What did she say?"
"In a rare occurrence for her, she was unsure." Byleth took his cup and unceremoniously drank the rest of its contents. Even for Lucina, it was easy enough to tell that the recent arrival of his beloved from another world was stressing him. Though his face didn't match his body language, she knew anxiety when she saw it. "It's a big decision for her, I understand that, but I couldn't let the chance slip by me. I am hoping she chooses to come with me to my world, especially after she told me she held the same feelings for me as I did for her."
The princess noted that this has been the most he's talked ever since she first met him. Something about reuniting with Lysithea seemed to have reawaken that part of him. "You haven't tried to persuade her yourself?"
He shook his head. "I don't want to pressure her. I thought that if she heard how someone else was in the same position before her, it might help her make a decision."
Lucina clasped her hands together and rest them on the table edge. "I believe I see where this is going."
"Indeed," replied Byleth with a nod. "In our sessions, Robin shared with me your journey together. One thing he spoke of was how you were offered a chance to return to your own world, but decided to stay in his. I'm hoping you might be able to share your story with her."
Now the princess understood what the king meant in his letter. Lysithea now finds herself in a very similar circumstance that she was once in not too long ago, to choose between the world that was hers, or one that was the same, yet also very different. She remembered how much she struggled with that decision, having to choose between her duties back on her world by ascending the throne and officially becoming Exalt, or to remain on Robin's world and live a far more simpler life than one of royalty.
One worry, and perhaps the biggest, was potentially leaving her husband and daughter behind, but that was eliminated by their assuring her that whatever she decided, they would be going with her. Their assurance helped make her decision a little easier, as she felt it unfair to drag them away from everything they knew, although there was little in Morgan's case, for her sake. It might have been difficult to explain to others how Robin had not aged at all ever since he fully became Grima's vessel, his disappearance, and even moreso how she was engaged to him.
Another big worry was how would her world move on without her. With the global population having dwindled to a far smaller amount than before Grima began the apocalypse, everyone looked to her to lead them, to save them. She had certainly accomplished the latter, but without her, would someone else rise up and take charge of reconstruction? Would a new era begin that no longer needed the Exalt? Or would they be disorganized and lost, struggling to survive with what little was left for them?
Then the concern was how she would adapt to life in Robin's world, a world where there would be two Lucinas, and a world that was vastly different than everything she knew of her own. She didn't want to take away some of the attention that her father and mother would give to their Lucina, though they had constantly argued that that wouldn't be the case, and she could come to visit and speak with them whenever she wished. In addition there was the problem of keeping her identity secret when traveling in public. If anyone were to see the Brand in her eye, questions would rise regarding her relation with Chrom. They might think her some long lost relative, and further questions would rise as to why she had been kept secret from all of them. She didn't want to burden him any further than he already was with his own duties to both his people and his family.
Ultimately though, she decided to stay despite the challenges it would bring. The biggest factor was Robin and Morgan, the two people she loved most. She couldn't rightly ask them to come with her, to take them away from everything they knew, and if she were to be honest, it was for selfish reasons. She was never able to truly live her own life, it always belonged to the people, and she sacrificed so much of herself for their sake. When she met Robin and their daughter, her thinking changed drastically, and from them she learned that it was okay to be selfish for something such as this. She reasoned to herself that the people of her world would be able to either find a new leader, thinking she perished, and they in turn would lead them in rebuilding, or live in harmony with each other due to near end of the world. She wanted to stay, to be with her family, to start her own, and she had never felt happier.
Lucina took ahold of her now lukewarm tea and sipped it down to collect her thoughts. "I see now why you asked specifically for my help with this. It is uncanny to think I would ever find myself meeting someone who is struggling with the same question I did. I know how hard that is to choose between duty or love."
Byleth leaned in slightly in his seat, his eyes soft and and yet there was a desperation behind them. "Please, Lucina, will you help me?"
She set her cup down and rested her hands one top of the other as she sat erect in her seat. "I will try, Byleth. I can't possibly turn down a request for help from a friend, but I cannot make this decision for her. If she decides to return to her own world once her time is spent here, you will have to accept it."
Byleth didn't answer for a moment as his throat went dry and skin going clammy, a bitter pill being swallowed. "...I know. It will be difficult, but... if she does, at least we can have closure and move on."
She nodded. "As long as you understand, though personally I do hope it turns out well. Now it is just a matter of finding the right time to speak with her."
A smiled creased his cheeks, brighter than the earlier one he gave to Lucina. "I can ask her to come with us to the festival. Then there will need to be an opportunity for the two of you to be alone. I will come up with a way and let you know and Robin know."
Lucina gave him a bemused smile. "It sounds as if you already planned for this. Very well, I will leave it to you then."
His smile grew a little more in size, and Lucina was now noticing just how warm it was. It really would be a shame if it never came around again. All the more reason for her to hope that things would turn out well for them. "Thank you for this, Lucina. Really."
She chuckled. "You're welcome. I wish the best of this to happen."
"Since you're here..." he said as he sat himself straight up. "Would you like more tea? Unless you have something else planned today."
"I would love some more, thank you," Lucina said as she brought held her cup in her hands, preparing for another sip. "This would be a good opportunity for us to bond since I'm here."
Byleth nodded in agreement, and stood up to go refill his own cup, leaving Lucina to briefly to gaze down and smile in amusement. Of all the roles she ever thought she would be in life, the last one on her mind was matchmaker. She silently prayed to Naga that she wouldn't fail.
Came back to do this while I was working on my recent chapter for Chasing the Dawn. Decided that I was going to extend it one more chapter since I felt this one would be way the crap too long if I included what I have planned in it. I know this chapter is light on the smut, but this is meant to tell more of a story first, and smut second.
Anyway, hope you're enjoying this little crossover between my OTPs of FE!