I held Severa, my daughter, in my arms for I didn't know how long. And honestly, I didn't care. Through her cries, I could occasionally hear an apology, or a curse, curses that sounded so much like my own. Despite all that, with her tears soaking into my tunic, I was happy. Not because she was crying, God no. It was because of the meaning behind those tears. That maybe, just maybe, I had a shot. That I could, Lord willing, become something akin to a father. That the bridge wasn't completely burned down by my future self.

I'd always wanted to be a father, to be honest. I didn't expect it to happen with a time-traveling daughter from the future, but hell, beggars couldn't be choosers.

Do you think her being so like you is a good thing, boy scout? When you're already so similar to me?

I ignored my inner voice. There, I continued to hold her until all her tears had been shed, and she calmed down.

"Gawd, look what you made me do," Severa sniffled, crossing her arms. "I-I'm not supposed to be breaking down like this! T-those four looked up to me for over a year and then just a couple words with you and I-!"

"There's nothing wrong with letting it go, Severa." I shook my head. "Hell, you saw me a little while ago. I wasn't in the best state of mind, was I? Now, though, I feel a whole helluva lot better. How about you?"

Severa pursed her lips, looking away from me. "I guess I feel a little bit better."

I chuckled, feeling a bit lighter. "Thatta girl! You're already better at letting your feelings go than your mother."

Severa sighed. "At least I have something over her, then."

My smile faltered. Looking down, I thought of the exact words I wanted to say. After a few moments, I nodded.

"H-hey! What're you-!?"

"Severa," I said with conviction, holding one of her hands in mine. "I'm a fucking idiot. I really am. But, and you better believe me when I say this, I'll try my damnedest to be a better father than future me ever was. You didn't deserve that kind of treatment from me or anyone. No matter what, I'm gonna try a-and make this right."

Severa stared at me for a few seconds, seemingly unbelieving, before her lips quivered. She wiped at her face. "N-no, you already got me to cry once, not again! B-but," She smiled then. Small, but it was there. "Thank you, dad. I really appreciate that."

I smirked. "No problem, kid." I stood up, stretching. "Alright, guess all that's left to do now is, uh…"

Severa raised a brow. "Do what?"

I adjusted a few fingers on my iron hand, which Severa saw. She looked at me with increasing nervousness. "What? What are we gonna do? Just spit it out!"

"Your mom," I said finally. "She's, uh, she's very smart. Like, really smart. At some point she's gonna figure it out herself."

Severa looked at me confusedly for a moment before her eyes widened. "You mean- You want to tell her about me? But I'm… I'm not ready for that. I barely even knew her in the future!"

I looked down again, unwilling to look her in the eye as I asked: "How old were you when she... when she died?"

Severa paused. After a moment, though, she answered. "I was only six or, maybe seven. I don't like to think about it."

"I never even lived it, and I don't either." I shook my head. "Like I said, your mom is smart. She's already figured out something is going on, what with these time travelers. Yarne and Nah probably clued her in even more. Hell, I'm surprised no one but Robin knows that Marth is Chrom's daughter; they have the same exact sword!"

Severa crossed her arms again, a tic I was beginning to take note of. "Alright, fine. If it's really so important that we do this, I guess I won't have a problem with it. But just to let you know, I still don't think it's a good idea. How long have you two even been together?" Her face grew sour. "I saw that little display back in the fortress, so I know that… that I'm probably… Oh Gawd, why!?"

"Calm down! Jesus, we haven't gone that far. Not yet, at least," I added, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. "I mean, not that I'd mind if we did. Your mom… phew, she's-!"

"I'm not listening, I'm not listening, lalalalalalaaaaa!" Severa covered her ears and walked around like a headless chicken. Honestly, it was hilarious.

"Oh, please, it's not that bad. I could be a whole lot worse, ya know!" I laughed, standing up. "Your mom does have a lot on her plate right now. No doubt about that. Especially with the fight we just went through, but," My face became serious. "I already promised her that I'd talk to her about this. Like I said, she's already figured out something's up. I'd rather she hear it from both me and you rather than have her figure it out completely by herself."

"I mean," Severa trailed off before sighing. "I guess so. You used to say things like that before… well, yeah."

"Something to do with a band-aid, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, something like that." Severa looked down, avoiding my gaze. It was so weird, seeing all the little tics that we both shared. "You really do love her, don't you? Mom, I mean?"

I nodded without a moment of hesitation. "I do. She's the best thing that's ever come into my life. With her, I feel like I belong. That I'm… That I'm finally home. I know it's kinda sappy, sweetheart, but I love your mother with all my heart. One day, I'm gonna marry her. I'll forge the ring myself, if I have to."

Severa nodded, a small smile blossoming on her face. "Good. That's good." She turned around. "Well, it was your idea. Let's go."

Cordelia was in my tent.

There were a lot of privileges you get when you were a sworn knight to arguably the second most important person in the Halidom. One of which was getting my own tent. Hell, it was the entire reason Cordelia and I were able to spend such an intimate night together just before the battle. If she was in my tent, then I assumed she basically made herself at home.

As in, it wouldn't be just my tent anymore.

Not that I was complaining; I actually preferred it that way. It saved me the trouble of asking her about it, anyway. It also probably saved me from an awkward conversation, but that was neither here nor there.

"'Haven't gotten that far in our relationship', hmm?" My daughter looked at me with an unamused eye. "Seems pretty damn far to me."

"I'm just glad Robin didn't ask any questions." I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose for the hundredth time that day alone. To be fair, the day felt like it was lasting an eternity. "I should've asked him where she was when he and I were- Nevermind." I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Give me a minute. I'll call you when everything's all cleared up, alright?"

Severa crossed her arms. "Fair enough. Just make it snappy, alright? I can only entertain myself kicking dirt around for so long."

"Keep talking like that, young lady, and I'll go in there and never come back out."

Severa gave me a slightly mocking smile before sticking her tongue at me. "Go ahead, old man. I'll just have to save the world without you."

I laughed harshly. "Good luck, brat." My iron hand pulled back the tent flap. "Also, be quiet," I whispered. "I'll call you soon. Promise."

Severa held one hand up and made a zipping gesture over her mouth with the other. I supposed future me taught her what a zipper was, or she saw me – future me – do the same thing. Either way, I entered the oddly bright tent.

The first thing I made note of was the sound of feather scraping against parchment. Cheap, easily built furniture was another of the many amenities we usually had, and at that moment, Cordelia was sitting at my desk, writing into parchment with laser-like precision. So engrossed she was, she hadn't even heard me enter, or apparently heard the conversation I had just outside.

"Cordy?" I called, walking up to her.

There wasn't a peep. Her red eyes were still focused on the parchment in front of her, filled to bursting with fancy, curving handwriting. Once I was right behind her, I tried again.

"Cordelia?"

"I-!" Cordelia visibly tensed and jumped in her seat before swiveling around to face me. "O-oh, it's just you, Alex! Hah. Don't scare me like that!"

I frowned. "I called your name before I even got this close. You didn't hear me?"

Cordelia opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, before closing and looking back down at her parchment. "I suppose I didn't. I'm sorry. This is important work, though."

"Important work that you're doing in my tent, heh." I chuckled to myself. "I'm glad you're here, in any case. Uh, what're you working on, actually?"

"Oh, just a supply manifest as well as the inventory. I noticed a few mistakes when I gave our supplies a once over, so I thought I might as well," Cordelia said, straightening up the parchment. "There were more than a few mistakes, actually. Gods, is it so difficult to keep accurate records of our supplies and armaments? You wouldn't think so, but whomever they had write them this time certainly had trouble. I hope they appreciate what I'm doing."

Thankfully, it wasn't me who did them that time. A warm, nostalgic smile made its way to my face as I recalled the first time I ever talked to Cordelia.

"I'm sure they do, sweetheart," I said, stepping up to her left. "Although, uh, there's something we have to talk about. You remember when we spoke inside Dolorous Guard, right?"

Cordelia's sunrise-colored eyes lit up in recognition and apprehension. "Oh. Oh, yes, of course. I wouldn't mind talking of that right now, but perhaps we can save that for another time? I am rather busy at the moment, after all."

I raised a brow. "Really? You sure this stuff can't wait? This is actually really important."

"Yes, and so is making sure we have the right amount of food so half our formation doesn't starve on the way back to Ylisstol," Cordelia explained, making a move towards the feather she'd dropped.

I knew this side of her, all too well. It was the same thing I used to do. Hell, even back then, I saw her do it too. The whole 'making myself busy so I don't have to think about horrible shit' mental strategy, it was effective for putting stuff off so you could properly deal with it later, but it could also lead to complacency. And at that moment, it'd be better if we talked it through rather than wait for it.

My teeth clenched in anger as I remembered General Bakar's taunts. No doubt that had something to do with it. Cordelia had been haunted by the deaths of her fellow pegasus knights at the border for well over a year. She'd gotten over it, mostly. At least, I thought she did. But I knew that wounds like those only scarred. They would always hurt.

Donnel…

I knew she was hurting. In that kind of situation, there was only one thing I could think of that I could do.

I tenderly, yet tightly, grasped her hand. Cordelia stopped the instant I did, and a moment later, our fingers laced together. I saw her close her eyes and let out a shuddering breath. She squeezed my hand. She didn't cry, but it looked as if she could at any moment.

"I'm sorry if I came off rude just then, love," Cordelia whispered, sending a shiver down my spine. "I've… There's a lot on my mind right now."

"I know. I think you've got a good idea what I want to talk about, don't you?" I asked, moving closer.

Cordelia nodded. "I do. It is hard to wrap my head around it, but I think I know what's going on. Although, I'd like to hear it from you. Somehow, it feels as if it would be more appropriate."

I chuckled then, from nervousness or something else, I couldn't tell. "Appropriate? Maybe. Hell, it'll be hard to say it, but fuck, am I gonna."

Cordelia pushed the chair back, and stood up. She held my hand with both of hers, clinging to it tightly. "Then do it. No holding back. I will be able to take it."

…Phrasing.

I took a deep breath. I'd been doing a lot of that , though this time, it was with a sense of finality I wasn't familiar with. Some part of me thought that how she reacted to the news would either make or break our relationship. And that wasn't fair, considering our relationship had only blossomed a few weeks before. We should've had more time to talk, more time to embrace, more time to do, well, everything. But if there was one thing I'd been taught in my time in Archanea, it was that you had to make do with what you got.

I was in no way blaming Severa. God, no. I only wished we had more time.

"You know about the time travelers, right?" I began, looking her in the eyes. "The ones who told us about the Valmese invasion? And Grima's resurrection?"

Cordelia nodded. "That was the same day we confessed to each other." A fond smile made its way to her lips, and I had to restrain myself from kissing her then and there. "One of the happiest days of my entire life."

I smiled, feeling like my emotions were about to burst out of me at any moment, like they had several times throughout that day. "Well, uh, Robin and I were talking about them, before we left for Dolorous Guard-" I didn't miss how her eye twitched as I said Robin's name. "-and, well, they're the children of the Shepherds. From the future. Well, that's obvious, actually. Them being from the future, I mean."

As I rambled, Cordelia closed her eyes and nodded again, holding onto my good hand tighter than before. "That one who was staring at me in the fortress, the one with the red hair. She's mine, isn't she? My child?"

"She is," I replied, the weight on my chest not going away even slightly. "But, uh, to be more specific, she's-"

"She's yours as well." Cordelia finished, opening her eyes. "She's our child, Alex."

"Yeah," I breathed out. "She's our child. I-I know this is all very, very sudden; we've only been together for, what, a couple weeks at this point? Not exactly when we're supposed to be discussing children, that's for sure. I thought I'd at least meet your parents before we did, uh- Oh God, what am I even talking about-?"

Cordelia silenced me with a kiss. Quick, chaste, and nice. Just something to remind me how she felt, and to get me to shut up nicely.

"I thought about it, a little. When you were away," Cordelia began, bringing my hand up to her chest and placing it flat against it. I could feel her heartbeat through the fabric of her riding skirt. "Just an idle daydream, really. Something to keep me entertained when I was bored. I thought about what it'd be like to raise a child, and to raise one with you. It was," She paused, sniffling a little. "I loved it. It was my favorite daydream to have."

I moved my hand up to her cheek, cupping it in my palm. She leaned into my touch, placing her own hand on top of mine.

"When we go home, I want you to meet my parents," Cordelia said with finality. "Then, we can face the future together, whatever it means."

I gathered her in my arms again and kissed her fervently.

The weight finally lifted. I didn't care if our relationship was young. I didn't care if it was too early to really tell. In my head I decided, right then and there, that she was the one. I was going to marry her, one day, and one day soon. It was all I wanted.

A final sense of belonging settled in my heart.

"Oh Gawd!" A harsh hiss came from the entrance to the tent, snapping me out of my daze. "What is it with you two!? It's almost like you can't keep your hands off… each other…"

With both Cordelia and I staring at her, Severa looked as if she was about to faint. Her already pale skin grew paler, and her mouth hung open. A moment later, however, she regained her wits and began fidgeting on the spot and looking at the ground.

"I-I-" She said, stuttering while she played with her fingers. "D-dad- I mean, Alexander told me to wait outside while you talk. You guys were taking forever, and all I could hear was you two mumbling so I…"

Severa looked up to see us both smiling. This caused her to jump a little. "I mean, if you two are so enamored I could just leave…"

Cordelia walked away from me and towards Severa. Severa stared at the ground somehow even harder than before, and a noticeable, embarrassed blush colored her face.

"Your name is Severa, right?" Cordelia asked. "It's a lovely name."

"Yeah, you're the one who gave it to me," Severa mumbled, glancing up. "Mom."

Cordelia let out a breath at that. "I never expected to be called that so soon. Gods, this is strange."

Severa grimaced. "Sorry for being so inconvenient, I guess."

"Oh, no!" Cordelia assuaged, placing her hands on Severa's shoulders. "I didn't mean that at all! It's just taking a moment to really sink in; I have a daughter. Even though I haven't given birth to her yet. You're..."

"I'm what?" Severa asked, her voice uncharacteristically fragile. I could see her lip quivering again. "I'm what, mother?"

"It's reassuring to know that my child will grow up to be such a strong young woman. I'm proud of you." Cordelia smiled. "I don't know what happened in the future, but know that from this moment, I'll always be here for you, Severa. Neither of us are going anywhere."

That did it. Severa immediately broke down. She cried out before slamming into Cordelia, hugging her tightly. Cordelia hummed lightly, stroking Severa's hair.

After being silent for the entire exchange, I finally stepped up. Severa untangled herself from Cordelia and looked at me with wet, blue eyes. After a moment, she put an arm around my waist and pulled me in, making me laugh.

Cordelia and eye exchanged glances before fully embracing Severa – our daughter. A new feeling bloomed in my chest. A warm feeling. One I hadn't felt in a long, long time. Honestly, I part of me had wondered if I'd ever feel it again. As I stood there, holding my soon-to-be fiancée and my daughter from the future, it only grew stronger and stronger.

This is my family.

Those two were the ones I'd charge straight into a volcano for. The ones I'd do anything for. As long as they were safe and happy, I'd be able to rest easy. Realistically, I knew that there was a lot we had to get through before that could be made a reality. There would be countless battles and horrible adversity on the way. But in that moment, I didn't care. All that mattered to me was that it was a possibility, a possibility I'd fight to the death for.

For every one of my friends, and my new family, I'd make sure a beautiful sunrise was on the horizon.

Traveling with the future kids, especially the news ones, was a practice in stealth. It didn't help that we had a taguel and a manakete in our convoy. There was no way in hell we were going to be able to hide Yarne from Panne. Whether we wanted it or not, the future kids' last great secret was likely to be given away as soon as we made it back to Ylisstol.

So, Robin and I decided to stick those two at the back of the formation. Every once in a while, we'd also send them out to scout ahead. It kept them out of sight, for the most part; to the regular person, a taguel from a distance, untransformed, would just look like a weird human, and a manakete could basically pass off entirely as human when they covered their ears.

Beyond that, though, the days it took to travel back to Ylisstol were rather boring.

Except for one person. Frederick.

I entered the tent they housed him in. It was dark, almost unbearably so. A cleric stood over Frederick's form, the glow from a staff one of the few light sources within. The cleric noticed me enter.

"Sir Alexander," He greeted curtly. "If you are wondering about his condition, he is stable, for the most part. He's conscious, but I'm unsure how long that will last; he has been in and out of sleep for the past few hours. He is likely to live, but I don't know what that warhammer was, but it was nothing ordinary. These wounds are unnatural."

We had Knightbane in our possession. The ugly thing was languishing in one of our wagons. I wasn't going to take a single look at it until we arrived. As far as I knew, Robin wasn't either.

"Can I talk to him? Er, privately?" I asked awkwardly.

"I see no harm in it," The cleric replied, standing up. "I will be nearby, sir. Should something happen, do not hesitate to find me. What with his condition, something going wrong could be catastrophic."

I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

"Sir," The cleric said quietly, before exiting the tent.

I sat down on the chair the cleric had been sitting in a moment before, sighing. Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I gathered my thoughts. Finally, I looked down and spoke: "Frederick? Can you hear me?"

He turned his head, his eyes opening at the sound of my voice. Dark circles surrounded his eyes, his skin pale, and his lips dry and cracked. Blankets and bandages covered his chest entirely, and the rest was covered by blankets.

"Alexander," Frederick said, his voice weak. I nearly cringed at the sound of it. "A pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting any visits. Has something happened?"

"No, no." I waved. "I just wanted to see you. Haven't been able to talk to you since before we assaulted Dolorous Guard and before… well…"

"Before I acquired this horrid wound to my chest?" Frederick asked, raising a brow. "There is no use talking circles around it, Alex."

"Yeah, before you got that," I said quickly, coughing into my fist. "Anyways, how're you feeling? At least a little better, I hope?"

Frederick breathed in and out, as if trying to prove something. I listened closely, and I could hear a slight whistling every time he did so. "I am no longer bleeding out of my mouth, and my chest seems to not be collapsed any more. As for how I am feeling…" Frederick closed his eyes. "I have been going over the events that led to this in my head. I was too careless. I allowed myself to be caught off-guard."

"There was no way you could have done anything," I rebuked. "No one knew he had a bullshit magical Warhammer."

"That may be so, but it is my job to always prepare for any situation in combat, even outlandish ones such as this," Frederick replied briskly, opening his eyes again. "I can only hope milord will be able to forgive me for my carelessness."

"I think he'd be a lot happier that you're, you know, alive," I pointed out. "He cares more about his friends surviving than winning."

"In that, you are correct," Frederick conceded. "We performed in both respects. I am still alive, and General Bakar lies slain."

"I guess so," I said, nodding. "Bastard took a minute to take down, but we got him in the end."

Frederick nodded. "We would not have gotten as far were it not for our troops. It is not a bad thing, Robin's new army," Frederick began, staring up at the ceiling. "It frustrates me that I do not have as much control over it as I would like. My position as Knight-Commander promises oversight over most of Ylisse's military, and yet..." Frederick shook his head. "We are fortunate that it was commissioned when it was. If the story of these 'time travelers' is to be believed, then Robin may have saved all of our lives. The tales these people bring of the war with Valm in the future are disturbing."

My mind immediately went to Severa at that. Even then, I wasn't there for her. I was always fighting in a war or doing something other than spending time with her. Time I should have been spending with her. That was something I was going to change, no matter what.

"I wonder if I will be recovered by the time Valm arrives," Frederick said, closing his eyes. "Alex, I would like to be alone for now, if you do not mind."

"I didn't do anything bad, did I?" I asked, brows furrowing in concern.

"No," Frederick replied. "Your company has been pleasant enough. I would just- I have many things on my mind as of now."

I pursed my lips before nodding. "Of course, Frederick. Make sure you get your rest, okay? I doubt a couple hits from a magical warhammer can take out Frederick the Wary."

Frederick chuckled humorlessly. "Yes, indeed. I wonder how true that is?"

Leaving Frederick, I exited the tent with what felt like a thin blanket of tension over me. Frederick was going to be alright. I knew he was. But just how alright? Would he be able to fight again? Pick up a spear, a sword? Be able to perform his duties?

Something Owain and Kjelle had said a few times came to the forefront of my mind; when they both slipped up and called me 'Knight-Commander'.

Everyone I knew had died in the future timeline. The full realization hit me like a truck. Sully, Vaike, Gaius, Frederick, Ricken, Gregor, Nowi-

Robin. Cordelia.

Everyone and everything I had loved had been stripped away from me. In that time, it had turned me into an unfeeling monster who would neglect his daughter to fight like an absolute blood knight. Severa hadn't outright said it, and Lucina only vaguely alluded to it those times I spoke with her, but it all made sense.

I couldn't let that happen. I refused to let that happen. Everyone would make it out alive. I'd put my life on it.

Believe your words, boy scout. No one else will.

There was a specific child I wanted to speak with. One I knew would give me an untwisted view of who, exactly, I was, and how I became that way.

Laurent.

He was tall, maybe a slight bit taller than me. Only two other Shepherds could say they had that: Kellam and Frederick. I hadn't gotten a good look at his hair, though, so I couldn't tell which. And, as Severa proved, physical characteristics didn't mean all too much. Beyond that, though, there was no mistaking the robes he wore. We hadn't brought many mages with us, so once I narrowed down his look, it was just a matter of asking if anyone had seen him.

Turned out, he was towards the back of the convoy.

"Laurent?" I called, coming upon the last of the wagons.

"Ah, is that Alexander?" I saw him poke his head out from the corner, that silly looking mage's hat sitting atop his head. He looked at me with intelligent brown eyes, behind a pair of glasses. "I assume you have come to visit me. I appreciate your initiative; I was preparing to track you down as well."

"Er, yeah." I nodded, walking up to the wagon. "Just wanted to ask a few questions, actually. About, well, I'll tell you inside."

"Oh, do tell," He said, a glint I could identify in his eye. "I wish to question you as well, so this is most fortuitous. I hope you are not averse to someone else in this interrogation?"

I raised a brow. "Who?"

A small head of reddish-brown hair and pointy ears popped out above Laurent.

"Hello!" Nah chirped. "Laurent was just telling me a wonderful story. Care to join us, Sir Alexander?"

I sighed; it was going to be a long rest of the day.

The convoy stopped, which allowed us to settle down. Laurent quickly got us set up with tea. I didn't know which kind, and I didn't care. Tasted mild enough, so I could stomach it.

"It feels nice, to partake in such a ritual as this," Laurent mused, sipping while his eyes were closed. I could tell he was reveling in the moment. "In the future, we often could not take the time to settle down, and even if we could, environmental conditions prevented any plant growth for miles."

Nah nodded, a small smile on her childish face. "It is nice, isn't it? I can't even remember the last time I had tea."

A frown formed on my face at their words. Those kids, they never had the chance to really enjoy anything before coming to the past. It wasn't difficult to remember, but it was difficult to understand. At least, for me it was. I grew up in a middle-class family in the United States; I ate well, for the most part, and all my needs were met. The future children had to fight for literally everything. Their lives had been nothing but war and tragedy from the word 'go'.

A future we must avoid at all costs. Severa and the rest deserve to be happy.

"I believe we had business, Sir Alexander?" Laurent said, putting his teacup down. "I hope you do not mind if I ask you questions myself."

"Long as they aren't too personal, sure," I replied mildly.

"Would you consider questions of your homeland to be 'too personal'?" Laurent asked, brow raised.

I paused, looking off into nothing for a moment. "No. Ask what you want. Should I go first?"

"Why can't I go first?" Nah queried, seemingly genuinely curious.

"Because I came here to talk to him. Not you." Realizing how rude that was when Nah pouted, I shook my head. "Fine, you can ask a question too. Guess we're playing a game, then."

"That is agreeable," Laurent said. "Now, you wanted to go first?"

I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Laurent, what was I like in the future? How was I to everyone?"

Laurent's eyes widened in surprise. "An odd question. Did Lucina not speak of it to you? You and I were never particularly close; I will not be able to give you the best picture, so to speak."

"I've asked several of them, actually," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "All of them gave me conflicting answers. I just… Well, I'll ask a different question, once we're done with this."

Laurent nodded, exchanging a glance with Nah. "You were the last of the original Shepherds. The Knight-Commander of Ylisse. You fought in every major conflict and a great many smaller battles. As far as I could tell, you were completely devoid of emotion. In that way, I suppose you were our greatest support; we knew that as long as you were calm, then we had a chance. You went out of your way to protect us, to make sure we need not deal with the absolute worst the war with Grima had to offer. As I said, you and I were never particularly close, and you never once smiled for all the time I knew you, but I could tell you cared deeply for us. A promise you made, I am sure. Other than that, there is not much more to say." Laurent paused. "Hmm, you spoke with Severa, I assume?"

I raised my arms, my breathing erratic. "How'd you figure that out?"

"I can only assume it to be a catalyst for why you would suddenly seek me out." Laurent raised a hand to his chin.

"Severa was never able to keep a lid on it?" Nah said, looking at me. "I wonder who she got that from?"

Enigmatic. Vague. Damn.

I was right about one thing, at least; Laurent gave me exactly what I wanted with that question. Lucina wasn't very far off when she told me about myself. Hell, I doubted Owain and Kjelle were either. It was all a matter of perspective.

I had my answer. That was all that mattered. There was only one other question I wanted to ask, and it was arguably much more important than that one.

"Interesting. Very well, I believe it is my turn," Laurent said, leaning forward and cradling his head in his hands. "You never spoke much of your homeland. Tell me, where is it located?"

I stared at him with half-lidded eyes. "Take a turn at Albuquerque and then keep heading east. If you see Disney World, you've gone too far."

Laurent blinked. "Indeed? Fascinating! I will need to ask about this 'Albuquerque' and 'Disney World' when it is my turn again. Without a frame of reference, those directions are useless." Laurent turned to Nah. "It is your turn."

"I know, I know, I'm thinking!" Nah said, holding a finger to her lips. "Hmm, have you and Cordelia-?"

"No," I replied, completely stone-faced. "Alright, it's my turn now."

"Hey, no fair! You don't even know what I was going to ask!" Nah accused.

"Oh, I did," I said. "And I gave you an answer. Now," It looked like Nah was going to say something, but she stopped and sighed once she saw my face. "I want to know, exactly, what caused me to become that person you know from the future. If you can, that is."

Laurent thought for a moment before nodding. "I can answer that, certainly," He began. "There was no true one event that caused it. The future was not instantly plunged into darkness; it was a gradual decline. However, the battle of the Dragon Table would be where that started. It was a massive maelstrom, based on the reports that came back. Many people lost their lives that day. It was perhaps the bloodiest battle of the war. But every single time, you came back."

This was completely new information to me. There were dozens, possibly even hundreds of battle. The future was never really delved into, so I had only assumed it had been decisive.

"That was not the only loss, however." Laurent continued, taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Many of the Shepherds lost their lives in that battle. Including… including my mother."

I pursed my lips. "You don't need to say anymore, Laurent. I think I've heard enough."

"I… thank you, Sir Alexander." Laurent breathed out, regaining his composure. "I apologize for that. You were merely asking a question."

A simple question. And the answer hit harder than I thought it would.

It was not unreasonable to assume that that was the catalyst that led to my future self's attitude. The same one that neglected his daughter to fight in a war that he knew he would lose. I understood what his promise was; that was easy. I would never forgive, however, how he treated our- my daughter. It was reprehensible. I made a vow to myself, then and there, that I would not repeat my future mistakes. I wouldn't allow myself to become what I did in the future. Future Severa and present Severa, whenever she was born, was going to have a father be there for her. She was going to have a loving family to grow up with.

My anger slowly dissipated, but my resolve did not.

I had an idea, though. To try and continue to bridge that gap between Severa and I.

I wonder if they know about pizza.

The rest of the trip back to Ylisstol was uneventful, thankfully. I wasn't sure my heart would be able to take anything else happening. Our way back was still fraught, though; a tension hung so thickly in the air that I almost felt it. Our mission was a success, and Frederick, while injured, was still alive, and was looking to be making a recovery. We all knew that Chrom understood that shit happened on the battlefield. Those two factors weren't what was causing the ungodly stuffiness, though.

It was the secret a number of us held on our shoulders, as well as the fireworks that threatened to blew up every time Robin and Cordelia were within fifty feet of each other.

The future children's secret wouldn't be able to be kept under wraps for much longer. Not with Yarne and Nah skulking about. At most, we had a few days before Panne caught on, wherever the fuck she was.

Robin and Cordelia, though, was something I wasn't expecting to have to deal with.

It didn't come to a head until we finally arrived.

We were welcomed back with open arms. The first thing Chrom did when we came back was visit Frederick. I didn't know what was said between the two, but Chrom left with a small huff and relieved smile. The future children fanned out, attempting to interact with everyone as little as possible so as to not attract attention to themselves. A temporary countermeasure at best, but it bought us the few days we needed to formulate a plan.

The day after we came back, I was summoned to Robin's office. Nothing unusual, obviously, but what I saw when I got there certainly was.

I came upon the door, and before I could open it, it swung open forcefully. Cordelia stormed out, a vicious and heartbreaking look on her face.

"-Cordy?" I blinked in surprise

Her eyes met mine for a split second, before she shook her head forcefully. "Later, Alex. Not now," She said, her voice strained, before she walked down the hallway. It looked as if she was trying her damnedest not to stomp down it.

She left the door ajar, and curiously, I walked in.

Robin sat there, his head in his hands, hunched over his desk. Nothing appeared to be out of place.

"I believe your lover despises me, Alex," Robin said, wiping at his forehead and looking up. "Not telling her about General Bakar was a mistake. I know that now. I should have seen this coming, but-"

I rubbed the back of my head. "She came to chew you out, huh?"

"That would be an accurate description of what just happened, yes." Robin sighed. "I believe I have become too emotionally distant, recently. Too reliant on secrets and discretion. There was no reason for me to tell you about General Bakar, but there was also no reason for me to not tell you."

"It's in the past, Robin; no use agonizing over it now." I pointed out, walking over to the side of his desk and laying my iron hand on it.

Robin looked at it, unblinking. "Tell that to her," He mumbled. "With the way she shouted at me, you would think I was personally responsible for the deaths of her entire squad."

I pursed my lips. "That's a sore spot for her, Robin. You know that." I sighed. "I think you just did the wrong thing at the wrong time. I'll talk to her later, alright? Just, take a minute to get yourself together."

"I am already together as I will ever be," Robin rebuked, leaning back in his chair. "Damn the Gods for placing me in this position! Who would want to be where I am!?"

"Robin, calm down," I said, leaning forward. "Getting all worked up isn't gonna help anybody."

Robin breathed in and out, slowly. After a moment, he closed his eyes. "You're right, Alex. You would think, what with no war going on, that this would be a time of relaxation and peace. No such luck." He chuckled humorlessly. "I've spent more time preparing for the war ahead then enjoying the peace we have now."

"When this next war is over, we'll be able to enjoy the peace after without any worries."

"Is that what you believe?" Robin looked at me seriously. "Do you believe that after all of this is over, that the fighting will stop? That we can finally rest easy for the rest of our lives? I'm not so sure, myself. There will always be war, Alexander. With, or without Grima and Valm."

Those words struck me as if Robin got up and slapped me across the face. Again. I stood there silent for a few moments as Robin stared emptily at his desk.

"Forgive me, Alex." Robin said, rubbing at his eyes. "I'm in a bit of a dour mood, it would seem. Believe it or not, I actually wanted to speak to you about a few things."

I decided to let Robin's little outburst slide, for the time being. Nothing was going help that for the moment. "Alright, let's hear it."

"That warhammer General Bakar wielded," Robin began, pulling out a piece of parchment and scribbling a few notes on it. "I have sent it to the Ylissean College of Magic to be tested. Miriel, Ricken, and Tharja are finding out how it works as we speak, but I think both of us know who is behind it, and what power fuels it."

"Grima," I stated simply.

"Indeed. That weapon is of Fell magic," Robin confirmed. "Or, I feel that it is." Robin blinked before narrowing his eyes. "Why do I know that?" He shook his head. "In any case, Grima has officially shown his hand. I believe that Bakar was a test. A way to see how our army operates, how strong it is. Clever, I will admit, although I am unsure what he hopes to accomplish."

"Maybe see how long it'll take for us to get through Valm?" I supplied.

"Perhaps," Robin replied. "Or maybe he wants to see how we react to unforeseen circumstances, or, if he is incredibly egotistical, a warning; a reminder that he is still around."

"Wouldn't surprise me."

"Nor I. Frankly, I'm just hoping we can use the evidence from the warhammer to further spur the council. Perhaps use it as proof that there are dark machinations going on, further proving the effectiveness of our army." Robin let out a breath. "Now the more important point, Alex."

I raised a brow. "And that would be?"

"The children," he began simply. "There is no way we are going to be able to keep them a secret. There are no more taguel, except for Panne. And now there's that half-bred one. Yarne, was it? That tends to raise questions. And we both know that Panne can be intense."

I shivered. "Yeah. Yeah, I know that. I think Nah'll be a problem too. Nowi is very excitable."

"We could keep them sequestered away, of course," Robin said. "But that would be cruel. It is better if we discuss it with them, and move from there."

I nodded. "No arguments from me, man. It'll be a weight off our chests."

"I'm glad you're so agreeable today. But one more thing." Robin stopped, and stared at me. "When that happens, I want you to be there with me. I have grown accustomed to having you at my side, you see. It helps me concentrate-"

I held my hand up. "Relax, Robin. I was about to suggest that." I smirked. "Ain't like I'm gonna leave you alone while you do all the important shit. Not anymore."

Robin blinked before smiling. "I-I suppose not. Heh."

Yo, comin' back at ya again for another Chapter. Not a lot happened in this one, considering what happened last time, but t's important for setting shit up for later. Not every chapter can be pulse-pounding action, after all.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this one. We've got less than a year until Valm arrives, and once it does, shit will officially hit the fan. It's gonna be a wild time, I tell ya.

Here's a link to our Discord Server: discord .gg/9XG3U7a

See you guys next time!

Edited on 3/8/21. Now we're getting to that good shit.