Part three of the update. Enjoy.

Fellspawn

Chapter Six

It was a bad idea, she knew it when she agreed to come. But Nowi had suggested finding Naga's Tear, and it would be helpful if they could procure it, and Lucina was right when she said they should clear out the Risen, but really, they were on a schedule here, what with a war going on, and with all the detours, they had not even made it to Valm yet. As she let loose an Elwind towards an enemy wyvern rider, she marveled that their foe had even managed to get wyverns into the caves. Gods knew she barely had room for her pegasus riders. Cherche and Gerome and their respective Minervas had stayed back at the village.

Fighting through a horde of Risen, she noticed Fire and Thunder being used ahead, and no enemy mages in sight. Did the Risen trap someone here?

She fought fiercely, eventually making her way to two short figures, fighting back to back, one swinging a sword and occasionally pausing to let off a burst of Fire and the other relying mostly on their Thunder tome, skillfully arcing lightning between enemies in a technique Robin had only recently learned. The mage must be very skilled, she thought, then noticed the flowy robes and the healing stave on her back. Are they–is she–a sage?

The other figure was wearing a bulky dark purple robe, a very familiar one. Oh gods, are these two more of my children?

Newly energized, Robin let loose a powerful Arcthunder that felled each of the surrounding Risen. A loud gasp came from one of the figures, and Robin approached hesitantly.

The figures had no such compunctions, however, and quickly tackled her nearly to the ground. "Mama!" came twin cries from twin throats.

Robin groaned.

"Mama?" the figure in Robin's coat asked worriedly, leaning back enough to study her face, even while the other buried their face in her neck, medium-long black hair tickling Robin's face. "Are you hurt?"

"No, baby," she said, running her hands through his white hair, now able to see his very young face and having absolutely no idea who his father was. He was darker even than she was, and from the looks of her, so was his sister. Despite the differences in their hair colors, she was certain they were the twins Lucina had mentioned. "I'm just surprised to see the two of you. Did you come back with Lucina?"

"Who?" The girl asked, showing no recognition of the name.

Robin blinked. "Wha—?"

"Morgan!" Her son snickered. "Don't mess with Mama like that."

Her young daughter, Morgan, smiled, mumbling something about him always ruining her fun.

The boy tugged lightly on Robin's hair. "We came back with Lucina, but when we came out of the portal just now, we were alone and Risen were attacking."

Robin nodded. "It seems like that happened to everyone. Everyone we've found so far was spat out alone, at different times and in different places." She frowned, puzzled. "I'm surprised the two of you were together."

"We were…"

"We were holding hands," Morgan finished for her blushing brother. "I was scared," she said, flipping her hair defiantly in a motion very reminiscent of Severa.

"I was, too," the boy sighed. "You don't have to protect my pride, Morgan."

"It's Mama, Marc. If you can't be weak in front of her, who can you be weak for?"

Marc shifted uncomfortably. "Anyway," he said. "Where is everybody? Are you alone?" He seemed worried for her, but Morgan was impressed, bouncing on the heels of her feet.

"Did you fight off all those Risen alone just to get to us, Mama?" she asked.

"Sorry, little heart. I would have," Robin admitted. "But I didn't actually know you were here, at first."

"Aw," Morgan pouted.

"As long as we're together now, it doesn't matter," Marc insisted.

"I suppose you're right," Morgan sighed. "But it would have made a great story."

"Watch out, Mama!" Marc yelled suddenly, pulling back to shoot off a Fire somewhere behind Robin, "Risen!"

Robin sighed. More fighting.

Even in the midst of her guilt and despair, Robin's tactician mind was still whirling. "Wait, if I left when you all were young, why do Marc and Morgan still remember me? They're the youngest of you all, and they have very clear recollections of time spent with the older me."

Severa and Lucina traded glances, Severa glaring at Lucina until the older and more stoic of the two let out a sigh and turned to face Robin once again. "Because," Lucina explained. "When you left, you took Marc and Morgan with you."

"I—What?" Robin's thoughts screeched to a halt. "The twins were raised by... by Grima?" Robin's head turned slowly, like a sunflower craving daylight, towards her youngest children where they huddled near the war tent, no doubt concocting some scheme between the two of them.

"Yes," Lucina answered solemnly. "They seem little the worse for wear, however. Grima must have seen some use in keeping them in good spirits."

Severa snorted. "Maybe, but I can't really see the Fell Dragon herself being so nurturing. Doesn't it seem just as likely that Mama's nature was bleeding through? She's strong."

Gerome stood abruptly, clearly having been more attentive to their conversation than he let on. "I'd rather believe my mother died that day than think she had some control and still allowed her friends to die and our world to burn." Though no expression showed beyond his mask save the tightening of his jaw, his clenched fist spoke volumes. For a moment he seemed likely to storm off, but he calmed himself enough to merely lean against the wall, the tension bleeding out of his shoulders to make way for a bone-deep weariness.

Robin winced, having no answers for him but knowing as surely as she knew the sun rose in the east and set in the west that if the choice came between the world and her children, well, that wasn't really a choice, was it?

"So who was the twins' father? I can't tell."

Immediately, all of her children showed signs of amusement.

"Are you sure you want to know, Mama?" Severa teased. "He was your partner for a long time. It might spoil something."

She lifted an eyebrow. "I had a long-term partner?"

"From before the twins were born to the day you disappeared," Lucina confirmed.

Gerome fiddled with his mask. "He didn't care that she wasn't romantic. He would say there was no need for romance when they understood each other so well."

Robin smiled. "Sounds like my kind of man," she admitted. "Who was he?"

"Khan Basilio," Lucina admitted.

Robin was breathless and speechless for a count of one, two, three, four, five, six. A strangled noise left her throat.

Severa was giggling, but Lucina seemed concerned. "Robin?"

Suddenly, Robin whooped. Loudly. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" She was not ashamed to say she even jumped a couple times, pumping her fist in a way that probably looked very strange with her heavy coat.

Lucina smiled, while Severa cackled and Gerome sighed.

"IgotBasilioinbedandIgottokeephim," she sang. "Go, future me! She had it all figured out!"

Each of her children winced at the reminder of her sleeping with someone.

"Hush, children! This is amazing, and he understood, and–" she gushed.

"Ugh," Severa said with what was surely mock disgust. "Even young Mama was stupid for Khan Basilio." She was not wrong. Robin admired him for his convictions and his jollity, and frankly, ever since the words, 'I need you on my staff, Robin', left his mouth, Robin's mind had been perpetually in the gutter for Basilio.

"Of course," Robin winked at her, then paused. "Do you really call my partner 'khan'? I wouldn't think you called him 'stepdad' but surely you could go with 'uncle' or something?"

"Can you imagine calling anyone as intimidating as Basilio 'Uncle'?" Severa lifted her eyebrows. "Don't be stupid."

"Er… Good point. Not the 'uncle' type."

"He's surprisingly good with kids, actually," Lucina notes. "He never had a lot to do with me or Gerome, since we were so far away and we already had another set of parents, but he helped you raise the rest of them before you disappeared and the other Shepherds took them in."

"Even then, he helped Olivia and Lon'qu with Inigo," Severa pointed out. "Frankly, it's no wonder he became such a hopeless flirt with that influence. Only, Inigo has Olivia's shyness and none of Basilio's experience, and it's an utterly embarrassing combination."

"Olivia and Lon'qu had a child?" Robin asked with interest.

Lucina shook her head. "No, Inigo is another of our siblings. Lon'qu, his father, married Olivia, however, and they took custody when you left."

Inigo… what a curious name. She had never heard it before, so she supposed Lon'qu or even Olivia herself had had some input into naming him. Come to think of it, none of the names of her children, save Morgan, seemed like her taste. Perhaps that was another way of honoring their fathers: letting them name the child. She hid a smile. "Lon'qu's son is a flirt? I'm sure he loved that."

"Lon'qu was one of the first to go," Gerome said roughly. "When Inigo was young."

"Oh," Robin said, her voice small. Even as she found things about the future to celebrate, more and more, she found negative aspects in equal measure.

They had finally landed on the continent of Valm, and they were set to meet with the khans and beat out a strategy for liberating the continent. Robin was nearly buzzing.

"Calm down, Robin," Lissa hissed. "You'll give it away."

"I don't know what you mean," Robin denied vehemently, looking at her askance.

"You still have to tell him about your children, and I want to see it! I haven't seen anyone else's reunion with their children, and it's frustrating. I bet your face even did that rubbery thing!" Lissa pouted. "And if you mess it up now, Khan Basilio won't be shocked."

Robin did not bother being surprised that Lissa had already heard; the youngest princess and Severa had been closer lately than two unrelated people had any right to be, and she doubted it would have taken much for Severa to let the news slip.

"I'm not sure I can calm down," Robin admitted. "Imagine you were about to tell Frederick he was going to be a father."

Lissa paused, paling swiftly as her hands went to her abdomen. "How did you know?" she whispered.

Robin's eyes bulged. "Really?"

Lissa burst into giggles, letting her hands drop. "No, of course not. Chrom would kill Frederick, and I've been on moon tea for months."

"But you just got back together," Robin said, puzzled, flicking Lissa lightly on the forehead for scaring her, ignoring her resulting giggle.

Lissa shrugged. "You never know what the morning will bring, and if I'm on the moon tea, it's not bringing anything I'll have to take care of for nine months."

Robin snorted. "Believe me, you'll be taking care of it for more than nine months."

Lissa laughed lightly. "Don't pretend you aren't enjoying this, Robin! You love those kids!"

"I do." She smiled. As much as she hated to admit it, even with how crazy her life had become as a result–perhaps because of that–she felt more alive now than she ever had in her living memory. The more she had to deal with, the more her mind could engage, in her personal life and on the battlefield, the more it exhilarated her. She always felt the most at one with herself when she was stretched to her limits.

There was that part of her that, the more things changed, asked how her future—her kids—could possibly turn out the same way when all of this was known beforehand. Would those connections with her children's fathers still develop so organically if they already knew what the result would be? Many of them, it seemed, ended up with other people after her, and she could never begrudge them that, but would any potential relationships with her be cast aside in favor of what was perceived to be the endgame? Would she herself still spend those years searching, exploring other people when she now knew Basilio could be such a fit for her? Or could only those same years of experiences fashion her into something that could connect so deeply with him? He was, after all, far older than her, and although she had stumbled her way through one war, it was a far cry from what Basilio had seen or even what the future version of herself had experienced. That took a bit of the wind out of her sails. Surely the current Basilio saw her only as an upstart, a talented child who had yet to face life's harshest realities.

She ran a hand through her hair. Truthfully, she was a bit surprised by her excitement over this issue, anyway. She loved fully, but she was hardly one for infatuations. It was just nice, she supposed, that sometime in her future, she actually found someone who understood, who was not disappointed that she would never be like Sumia, sighing over her love and snuggling into his side, kissing him tenderly in front of their friends. She loved, and did she really deserve to be shoved from one person to another simply because it would never be in the same way? It only troubled her at her worst times; she had friends, of course, and that was enough for her–far more important, in her opinion–but it would certainly be nice to have a partner who understood and did not resent her.

She supposed that meant that it was not so much Basilio that had her so infatuated, but the idea of belonging, that her aromantic nature would be accepted as something other than just another one of Robin's weird quirks. That, she decided, was not fair to Basilio, and with that in mind, she calmed herself down. She refused to treat him like some daydream. He was a friend, a worthy companion and a strong warrior, and he deserved respect from her, not idealization.

Her shoulders back, she shot Lissa a teasing grin. "You think you have any future kids?"

"Oh, dear," Lissa gasped. "I hadn't even thought–I've been so caught up in yours and Chrom's nonsense, I hadn't even considered that!" She grinned, but there was a hint of worry in her expression. "I suppose Lucina and I need to have a little bit of a talk, don't we?"

Privately, Robin suspected she had thought about it, but was simply scared what effect confirmation either way would have on her relationship with Frederick. Still, now was not the time or the place to draw attention to Lissa's insecurities, especially when Lissa's knowing gaze told Robin she had done her the courtesy of overlooking hers.

Robin took Lissa's hand, squeezing it tightly. "You ever think how far we've come? Since we first met?"

"Oh, yeah! It's not every day you find a pretty girl just lying in a field! And one so smart, too!" Lissa leaned her head against Robin's shoulder, swinging their hands together. "I don't regret stopping that day, Robin. I know after everything with… Emm… and with your father just now, that sometimes you feel we're better off without you. And you think Chrom's too infatuated to see you straight." Robin smiled guiltily as Lissa winked up at her knowingly. "But we're your friends, Robin, and every day you've been with us has been a blessing from Naga, okay?"

Robin felt gratitude and affection well in her heart, but she simply smiled and playfully accused, "Is there a frog making its way into my coat right now?"

Lissa drew her hand back, pouting. "Aww, Robin… You spoiled it."

They both laughed, and when Chrom and Flavia Finally entered the tent, Basilio following, all Robin felt was the familiar affection and attraction she always felt in the Feroxi warrior's presence.

"Robin, Lissa," Chrom greeted. "It's never a good thing to see you two looking so chummy."

Lissa giggled, and Robin shot him a confident smirk. "Just keeping you on your toes."

"Gods forbid," Chrom chuckled. "I'd much rather a peaceful day, if it's not too much to ask."

"This is war, boy," Basilio boomed. "You want peace, you have to fight for it!"

Flavia chuckled. "Pipe down, oaf. This tent isn't that soundproofed."

Chrom held his ringing ears. "Thank you, Khan Flavia."

Flavia knocked him on the back. "I won't always be here to babysit the big oaf, Your Highness. You ought to learn to handle an animal like Basilio yourself!"

Chrom chuckled. "That's what I have Robin for."

Robin blushed straight to her roots. "C-Chrom!"

Flavia and Basilio did not seem to think much of his comment until her outburst, and both turned to take in her flushed face. Basilio looked her over contemplatively while Flavia asked, "Did we miss something, young p–exalt?"

"Just Chrom, please," he sighed, his eyes nevertheless twinkling with mirth. "And before we start this little conference, Robin has a little news for us, I believe."

"Traitor!" she hissed at him, before clearing her throat and speaking loud enough to drown out Lissa's giggles. "Ought we not wait until after the meeting? It might be a distraction…"

Basilio laughed. "Well, now, you can't just leave us wondering, lass. Come, now, out with it!"

Robin glanced between the others in the tent desperately, and, finding no support, cleared her throat and began. "You heard the news about Lucina? That she came from the future?"

"Not sure yet that I believe it, but hell if I want to fight her over it! That 'Marth' or 'Lucina' or whatever she wants to call herself is a fierce warrior," Basilio praised.

"Right. Well…" Robin saw from the corner of her eye Lissa stifling a squeal. "Two more travelers came back from the past, as well, a few weeks ago. Morgan and Marc, they were named."

"Mark…" Basilio said, blinking his one visible eye as if in recollection.

"Do you recognize the name?" she asked him curiously.

"There are tales in Ferox of a warrior with that name, from very far away and very long ago," Flavia explained. "He was an astounding tactician."

She smiled proudly. "That's very fitting, then. He takes after his mother," she said. Chrom laughed, and Lissa rolled her eyes.

Flavia caught on. "So you have a future child, then? Congratulations, Robin."

"I have a few, actually," Robin admitted. "But the last two were of particular concern to you, Basilio." Here she turned to him, where he stood, leaning on the table looking particularly staid for someone so boisterous.

"They're mine, then?" Basilio asked, pinning her with his one, deep black eye.

She nodded. "They weren't quite old enough when they were taken to be able to tell me their father's name, but their half-siblings knew who you were, and the twins themselves would probably recognize you on sight." She looked him over, noting his resemblance to their children. "Not to mention, they greatly favor you."

Basilio chuckled. "Poor kids. A beauty like you for a mother, and they got this old goat's genes."

Robin smirked. "I think they're lucky. Marc will grow up a heartbreaker, for sure."

"With you as a mother? Definitely," Chrom commented a little too quickly, as if he had not quite thought through what he said.

Robin recoiled, stung. It was one thing to joke about their appearances or her children, but Chrom's remark had the taste of bitterness in it, and it felt like a personal attack. She hated that she could not force herself to fall in love with Chrom, hated that she had hurt him, but he had Sumia now, and she knew he was content with her. Why must he bring this up now?

Lissa hissed softly, and Chrom looked at Robin, panicked. "Robin, I'm so sorry–"

"Save it, Chrom," she said, knowing he was truly repentant but not finding it in herself to offer him an out. "It's my greatest hope my children will never have to suffer what I did."

Chrom's demeanor softened even more at the reminder that their experience had pained the both of them. "If your son's anything like you, he'll be a blessing to anyone who knows him. I'm sorry for my implications, Robin. I spoke hastily and with bitterness."

"I don't think I've ever seen the two of you fight," Flavia remarked once Robin nodded at him in forgiveness. "Every time we've spoken, you've been as thick as thieves."

Robin sighed, revealing all in an effort to get the conversation over with. "We were in a relationship, towards the end of the Plegian campaign. It ended badly."

Basilio chimed in with a thoughtful look at Robin. "Not mutually?"

Chrom shook his head. "It was mutual, it was just… painful."

"For both of us," Robin reminded everyone, then tried to move the subject along. "Now, I was talking about my babies."

Lissa rested a supportive hand on Robin's shoulder, apparently perfectly willing to help take the focus off Robin now that she had gotten the reaction she wanted out of Basilio. "They're so cute! And Morgan has your hair!"

Chrom stared at Lissa quizzically, and Flavia ruffled a hand over Basilio's bald head, laughing boisterously. "Hear that, oaf? Your daughter's bald!"

Robin giggled. "She has black hair," she said, stepping forward to lightly touch Basilio's goatee. "See?"

From the corner of her eye, she saw Chrom looking as if he were berating himself for his own stupidity. Clearly, he had not been looking the way she and Lissa had.

Basilio caught her hand with his and held it, lightly massaging her palm with his thumb in a way that had her blushing. "Will you let me meet them, Robin?" his deep baritone surprisingly solemn, although perhaps the situation called for it.

Robin considered. "Be careful. They've had a difficult life. But I'd be honored for you to get to know them."