Here's the second part of this update. Hopefully everything's showing up correctly.

Fellspawn

Chapter Two

Robin was going to murder Chrom. Quietly and viciously.

She had warned him so many times about his inattentiveness, and now it had nearly gotten him killed. In a moment of respite, he turned towards Robin to share his relief, and a Risen nearly struck a fatal blow. Had it not been for Marth, she would have lost him. In the wake of that, Marth's exclamation of 'Father, no!' was almost trivial, although puzzling. Exasperated, she trailed after Chrom and Marth as they left for a more private locale. When they came to a stop by some fruit trees near a river bank, far from the Risen corpses, Robin slapped Chrom lightly on the chest. "You idiot! Don't let your guard down like that! I want to be able to return you to your beautiful wife in one piece."

Chrom chuckled, scratching his head nervously. "Thankfully for me, Marth was there to help." He turned to Marth with an admiring smile. "I owe you a debt, Marth. I know you have secrets, and your outburst was likely just one of these. But I'll ask nothing of you that you don't wish to reveal; I consider you a friend of Ylisse all the same."

Robin disagreed somewhat, but it was not her place to protest. She did not mean to diminish Marth's works: she had saved the lives of all three of the royal siblings, even if Emmeryn's rescue was only temporary. However, any secret Marth harbored could be their downfall. Marth smiled, but she answered firmly, "Thank you, but… I think I would prefer you know the truth."

"As you wish," Chrom replied solemnly.

"Here," Marth said, stepping closer to Chrom. "Look closely, and all will be made clear."

Chrom must have seen something of import, judging by his gasp and the way his gaze turned inexpressibly sad. "That's the Brand of the Exalt…"

Robin gasped lightly herself, looking at Marth–nay, Lucina–with new eyes. Looking closely, she could see the tilt of her jaw and the sweep of her hair, the curl of her lips that so resembled Robin's own. Of course, there was Chrom's blue hair and his stiff bearing, and Robin could see in her also the trembling in her hands and the scrunch of her face that was all Sumia at her most nervous.

"Lucina," Chrom muttered, stepping closer to Lucina and wiping a tear from her face. "You deserved better from me than one sword and a world of troubles. I'm sorry."

"Oh, Father!" burst from Lucina's lips. "Father…"

Chrom pulled her into his arms, and Robin stepped forward like a woman possessed. "Lucina…" she said hoarsely. My baby.

Chrom let her go, and Lucina stepped towards Robin falteringly. "Aunt Robin," Lucina said, and though she knew the instant she handed Sumia her baby that this would be the outcome, the words felt like a bolt through the heart. Chrom let out a sympathetic wince, but it did little to relieve her pain.

"Do you…" Robin cleared her throat. "Did we never tell you?"

Lucina looked momentarily confused, then her face cleared. "Oh, you mean that you're my mother?" At Robin's jerky nod, Lucina smiled in apology. "I'm sorry, I've just always called you Robin. The secret wasn't worth risking, even in private."

Robin pulled her into a hug. "My little light…" she choked out. "You've grown up so strong and so beautiful."

Lucina's tears poured over again, dousing Robin's neck and hair. She clung to her as if for dear life.

After a few minutes, when she felt calmer, Robin pulled back, still gripping Lucina's arms. "How did this happen? How are you here, a woman grown, when last I saw you were just a babe in the cradle?"

"I'd like to know that, as well," Chrom said, concern in his voice despite the fond smile on his face at their reunion.

"First, oughtn't we gather Mother and Aunt Lissa? I believe I owe them an explanation, as well."

A bit of mischief crept into Robin's expression. "Oh, how I look forward to seeing your mother's face."

"Gods," Chrom said. "How is she going to take this?"

Robin smacked him lightly again, casting a glance at Lucina's furrowed brow and trembling hands. "Don't worry her, Chrom. Sumia will be fine…" She grinned. "Eventually."

Chrom groaned, and Robin shot Lucina a wink, cackling as she sauntered off to collect Lissa and Sumia.

Once they had all assembled, having relocated to the command tent, Robin began the conversation. "So, Chrom, would you like to start?"

Chrom startled, glaring at her. "Not in the least. Perhaps you'd like to explain. You are the tactician, after all."

"What does that have to do with it?" Robin said crossly, tucking her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, someone better explain," Lissa demanded. "Frederick and I were having a moment."

Chrom immediately looked murderous. "He better not have upset you–"

"Chrom!" Lissa cried. "Not this again! He's perfectly courteous, and we've been together for months–"

"–You've split twice!"

"And it was none of your business!" Lissa harumphed. "Now, don't you have something to tell us?"

Sumia looked contemplative, eyeing Lucina and Robin's matching expressions of amusement. "Are you two related?" she asked out of the blue, shocking everyone.

"Hmm," Lissa considered, eyeing them anew. "Is that what the secret is, Robin? You found family from your past?"

"More from my future, but that's part of it, yes," Robin admitted.

"Your future?" Sumia asked. "I don't understand."

Chrom stepped forward. "Lucina is from the future."

"Lucina?" Sumia blinked fiercely. "How can this be?"

"I am your daughter," Lucina stepped towards Sumia, ignoring Lissa's gasp. "From a time that is yet to be."

"But… How…" Sumia was at a loss for words.

"Look closely," Lucina said, bringing Sumia's hand to her face. "See the truth for yourself."

"Y-your eye! It has the brand!"

"The same brand carried by all House Ylisse's bloodline," Chrom cut in, but Sumia was lost in her daughter's eyes.

Lissa flinched subtly.

"But, the future?" Sumia whispered, clearly struggling with the notion. "How can I believe this?"

"I believe it," Lissa chirped, an attempt to remain chipper. "Heck, I saw her come from the future! She fell right out of the sky! I've never seen anything like it…"

"She has Falchion, as well, Sumia." At Chrom's words, Sumia's gaze fell to the gleaming sword at Lucina's side. "There is only one."

"Your blade and mine are one, Father. It was… it was all I had left of you." Lucina's voice did not falter, despite her trailing off.

"How dark is our future, that you are left alone?" Sumia lamented. "My little girl…"

Robin could commiserate. She herself felt like breaking something.

"The fell dragon, Grima, is resurrected," Lucina whispered. "His roar is a death knell for man, a scream that silences all hope… Death everywhere…"

"Chrom… Our whole company. All of us? Dead?" Robin was on the verge of panicking, but her tactician's calm took her over.

"...Yes," was the damning answer.

"...I...I don't know what to say." 'I'm sorry,' was not nearly enough. How could she have failed so utterly?

At the stunned silence, Lucina continued. "Naga, the divine dragon, feared mankind would face Grima again. In preparation for that day, she devised a ritual. It allows one to return to the past and alter events already written. I made the journey together with others, but ... we became separated."

"Don't worry, Lucina," Lissa said, determined. "If they're out there, we'll find 'em!"

"Thank you, Aunt Lissa," Lucina smiled. "I would very much like to reunite with my sib–companions," she interrupted herself, in a move that was missed by no one. With a few glances, the older generation seemed to collectively decide that the surprises that had already been sprung on them were quite enough for one day, and thus they would not press the issue.

Robin took a deep breath. "Well, if that's all for now, I think we should take this time to sleep and recover from battle. We can inform the rest of the Shepherds in the morning, and further discuss how to deal with this new obstacle."

"I agree," Sumia said. "In the meantime, maybe we can talk?" Sumia asked Lucina tentatively. "I'd like to get to know you better."

"Of course, Mother." Lucina smiled, and despite their lack of genetic relation, they looked so alike that Robin's heart swelled. "I would like that very much."