The Mini Shepherds were left to stand there is silence before Lucina opted to decide how they would be going home. Laurent suggested a route that would keep them in villages and towns instead of back overseas with the downside of taking an extra few days. She agreed, and it came to a mutual understanding that they would try their best to move as quick as possible.

Some of them accepted what they were told; others doubted it. There were only one or two that weren't sure either way. Morgan was among those who believed it, recalling some conversations he once had with Robin or Chrom that made more sense when knowing who they were speaking about—Lucina could do the same, but it wasn't as much of a comfort. It was a bit selfish, but…she had considered herself to be trustworthy in her parents' eyes. She had little doubt that what Marth and Malin said was true, so why would Chrom and Robin do so much to keep it from them?

In the evenings when the Mini Shepherds would stay at an inn and eat dinner, they talked about Marth and Malin, trying to figure out how to ask their parents about it so they could know the truth of it. For some, being blunt would work; for others, one would have to dance around it a bit. With them moving as fast as they could, they were all able to come home within the next two weeks.

It was a little bit before dinner when the remaining three made it to Ylisstol, so they decided to ask after it while they ate—of course, there was the issue that none of them knew exactly how to phrase it. This led to a few moments of the meal where the adults welcomed them back before they all fell into silence.

Lissa was the first to speak up, nudging Owain with her elbow. "So…how'd it go? You guys aren't normally quiet after coming back home."

Owain looked at Lucina and Morgan, saying, "I'm not telling them. One of you two can do the honors—it means more to you two anyway."

The siblings shared a glance, then, and Lucina let out a small sigh. "We left as planned," she said. "Nothing necessarily bad happened, we were just told of some things that we would all like to confirm. It's just…difficult to find the right words, without sounding indifferent or too blunt."

Morgan looked at Robin, saying, "For one, though…I did figure out who that old friend of yours was. The one that left when us kids were little. Malin said it was him." Although Lucina hadn't known it before, it did make sense when she considered it. On the other hand, it meant more than just that—the adults exchanged a look and Robin in particular had an unreadable expression. Morgan was the one that ventured to carefully add, "And then later he said that he's Morgan but from a different time..? The other mercenary he was traveling with said she was Lucina."

There was silence as Lissa glanced at Chrom and Robin, with all of them wearing some form of frown. "Well…I guess it's not too far from the winter reunion," Chrom noted. Looking at his children, he asked, "They told you a story of the fell dragon, and how they fought in the wars here to prevent that from happening?"

Lucina, Morgan, and Owain all nodded. "All of the Mini Shepherds heard and saw," Lucina replied. "I take it they weren't lying, then?"

"After Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick found me," Robin began, retelling the story carefully, "We went towards Ylisstol. Something happened, and the forest west of here burst into flames. Along with the Risen, a girl came and helped us—Lucina, although we didn't know it at the time. She left after we won the battle, and we went on to Ylisstol. We didn't see her again until we fought for Flavia in Regna Ferox, where we faced her as an opponent. After we defeated her, we went back to Ylisstol to sort out things with Plegia."

She looked at Lucina for a moment. "Lissa said that when you found Emmeryn, she said she could remember you. We called her Marth at that point—she helped Emmeryn, even if the exalt herself never met her. She kept Chrom from getting a severe injury, guarded Emmeryn's door when Plegian assassins came, then left after we defeated Validar. She was there when Emmeryn fell, even if we didn't see her; we next met her two years later, after Lucina was born."

Chrom offered Robin a little smile and continued in her place. "She joined us at that point—not as a mysterious masked person, but as a daughter," he explained. "Before we went to Valm, we gathered whatever friends of Lucina's were on the continent; while we were in Valm, we were on the lookout for more. Thirteen all told, who couldn't have been much older than you three are now when they left home. After the war, Lucina left; most of the other kids stayed with their parents for another few months at least. Morgan stayed for years, but unlike the others he didn't give us a warning."

"…He said he's sorry," Morgan noted quietly. "Several times, actually. But knowing that he is actually a son of you two…" He spoke up a bit, trying to help the mood with a smile. "He and Marth—that's what she told us to call her—went home. Malin didn't think he could make it back, but I'd like to prove him wrong. Everyone deserves to have a conversation while knowing who the other person is, I think."

"Hey, that's definitely better than holding it against anyone!" Lissa noted cheerfully. "Extend that to any of the kids that would like to talk to their parents here, and you'll probably get the support of half the army."

"It's good to see that you seem to have taken it well," Chrom added. "We were a bit worried."

"We've all had a week and some days to consider it," Lucina replied. "I suppose any negative feelings are replaced by curiosity when one has to wait so long."

"That being said, we might want to tell the others," Robin mused, looking at Chrom. "It's not quite fair to make the seven who learned of it keep it a secret from the rest; until you children know for sure, though, just keep to yourselves."

With a nod of agreement, the rest of the meal was actually pleasant. Knowing gave way to more stories—those previously told and those that have yet to come. She couldn't stay discontent for very long.