This is kind of a reference chapter for what's what so far in each timeline
Lucina was too busy staring at her food to notice Cynthia sit down across from her. "Are you okay, Lucina?"
"I'm just worried about Morgan. I mean, I'm concerned for the others as well, but."
"He's your little brother."
The princess nodded.
"We're all worried about him. He's practically everyone's little brother, except Nah. He's probably more like a big brother since she's so tiny."
Nah stuck out her tongue. "You have no room to talk about how small someone is."
"Don't even start that argument again." Laurant cut in opening his book. "You're both the same size. I measured. Twice."
Lucina smiled slightly.
Inigo cocked his head crossing his arms in thought. "You know, if there's an infinite number of timelines where anything is possible, there could be a timeline where Lucina marries a male Robin."
All the future children turned to stare at him as one.
"That's disgusting." Lucina punched him in the bicep. "In that timeline he'd be my father's best friend. I hope that version of me has more sense."
"That also means a female Robin could marry you." Nah told him.
Inigo smirked. "I wouldn't mind that at all. Robin would be one of those lovely ladies that stays beautiful even in old age."
"Why does it have to be female?" Laurant asked not looking from his book. "In theory, couldn't Inigo marry a male Robin as well?"
"How could you even suggest I'd do that?"
"Anything's possible, remember?" Severa sneered.
Inigo considered this. "Is he at least pretty?"
Robin was hunched over his table when Chrom entered their tent. The man was always doing something. "What're you working on?"
"I'm organizing all the different timeline data. It's hard to keep track of it all." He showed the parchment to his husband.
Timeline A
-Chrom marries Female Robin.
-Have two children: Lucina and Morgan
-Grima is resurrected and kills the Shepherds
-Risen King (Who is he?)
-Emmeryn killed during assassination attempted
Timeline B
-Male Robin (Grimleal)
Timeline C
-Our timeline
-Chrom marries Male Robin
-Lucina born through surrogate
-Emmeryn survives assassination attempt, but killed in Plegia
Chrom wrapped an arm around his waist reading what he'd written. "Why is our timeline 'C'?"
"Because Lucina A is older than Lucina C."
"Then why not 'B'?"
"Because we've met another Robin. He can't be from Timeline A or C, so he has to be from a third timeline."
"Then why isn't he Robin C?"
The tactician couldn't figure out why this mattered. There really was no reasoning behind it. He was making it up as he went. "Because Chromtime."
The prince flushed. "I said that once as a joke and you're never going to let me live it down."
"Nope." He kissed his husband's cheek. "I'm teaching it to our grandkids."
Chrom shook his head. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the whole alternate timeline idea."
"Think of it this way. Yesterday you chose to train with Vaika. There's a version of you where you didn't train with Vaika, but with someone else and there's a version of you that didn't train at all. There's also the same possibilities for a female version of you."
"If anything's possible then." He scratched his head. "There's the possibility that we never married?"
"There are timelines where we've never even met for one reason or another."
The Ylissen prince hugged Robin's head to him. "I'm glad I'm one of the lucky Chroms that not only knows you but marries you. Those other Chroms will never know this happiness."
"Oh, Chrom, you big sap." Robin hugged him back. He felt pity too for all the Robins who weren't married to their Chroms.
It was at this time that Robin's stomach chose to remind him that he hadn't eaten since breakfast.
Chrom laughed. "And that's the reason why I'm here." He pulled back. "You never showed for lunch and dinner's about to wrap up."
"I've been a bit preoccupied, I suppose."
"Then I think it's time you had a break." He took his husband's hand. "Everything will be here when you get back."
They entered the mess hall almost bumping into Lucina.
She smiled. "Father!" Her smile seemed to pinch when she saw who he was with. "Robin." She greeted in a monotone.
Robin tried not to let that bother him. "Hello, Lucina, where are you off to?"
She glanced at the tactician before focusing on Chrom. "I was on my way to look for you, Father. I was hoping we could spar."
Chrom turned to Robin. He wasn't asking for permission. He wanted to know if Robin would think he was being ditched.
The other man gestured to Lucina. "You two sparing sounds like a great idea."
"You sure?"
"I'm an adult, Chrom. I think I can manage to feed myself."
"Which is exactly why you hadn't even considered eating until I found you."
"Minor details." Robin waved his hand dismissively. "Go with Lucina and try not to break anything, especially each other."
Lucina blushed slightly. The last time they'd spared, she'd accidently broke her father's nose and the time before that she'd twisted her ankle trying to perform a flashy dodge Owain had showed her.
"We'll be careful." Chrom assured his husband who snorted at the very notion. "Careful-er." He kissed his temple before leaving with Lucina.
Robin heaved a heavy sigh. It was silly to be jealous. He should be happy that his kind of future daughter was happy. She clearly deserved it, all the future children did. Still, it hurt that she was distancing herself from him. He had to remind himself that this was not foreshadowing how baby Lucina would react to him.
Lucina tossed a practice sword to Chrom who easily caught it.
He gave the sword a twirl. "You're not warming up to Robin." It wasn't a question.
Lucina frowned. How was she supposed to explain it? The Robin of this timeline was a very nice man and she appreciated the fact he wasn't trying to force friendship. "Have I don't something to offend him? It's a large army. Not everyone is going to like everyone."
For a second, Chrom felt angry. Angry that Lucina was purposefully being obtuse, but that changed as quickly as it'd come. Getting angry was pointless and a bit unfair. Pain caused people to do things they wouldn't normally do. How would Emmeryn handled this?
Emmeryn.
He felt a sad smile pull at his lips. "I get it, you know? The pain of losing someone you care about. That you let them down even though there was nothing you could have done. Emmeryn was more than just my older sister. She was mother, mentor, and friend and I'd give anything to see her again, to have her guidance. Female or male, she'd still be Emm."
The practice sword suddenly felt heavy in Lucina's hand.
"Enough about that." Chrom held his sword at the ready. "Give me your best shot."