Neither Robin or Chrom had been back to the Shepherds' barracks since the defeat of the Mad King. There had been a lot to do in Ylisstol and now the ruler of the halidom, Chrom couldn't really run around leading the Shepherds like he used to. It was a bit weird to be back, but also refreshing.

"I know that face." Robin peered curiously at his husband. "'Dueling with unpleasant thoughts', are we?"

He gave him a small smile. "You know me well, Robin."

"I also know that you get a wrinkle right here." He gently poked Chrom between the eyes. "When said duel isn't going in your favor." He paused. "What's wrong?"

"It's…nothing you need to worry about."

Robin cocked an eyebrow in lieu of reminding him that they were married and Chrom's concerns were his concerns but decided that the Ylissen prince would tell him in his own time and changed the subject to what he hoped as a happier topic. "Remember when Lissa first brought me here? When I met all the Shepherds? That's one of my first memories."

Chrom's smile turned warm. "I suppose so."

"And bear meat!"

"I can't believe you actually like it." A chuckle rumbled from Chrom's chest. "I thought the poor chief was going to have a heart attack when you insisted it be served at our wedding."

"It's delicious and I don't remember YOU adding anything to the wedding plans."

"Bear meat is the only thing you volunteered. You dumped it all on Lissa and Maribelle."

"Who were happy to do it. I was still more involved than you." Robin crossed his arms in a fake huff. "I still can't believe you kissed me before Libra even started the ceremony. I didn't think anyone would stop laughing."

"Yeah, well, in my defense." He trailed off.

What could he say? That Robin had been the most beautiful and handsome person he'd ever seen in his entire life and that wearing the traditional Ylissen ceremonial garbs had somehow made him even more beautiful and handsome that Chrom become too overcome with emotions that he'd kissed him the first chance he could?

When Chrom had eventually explained to Lissa, after her relentless pestering, she'd laughed so hard she'd started crying then proceeded to call him a sap and that someone can't be beautiful and handsome.

She was wrong, of course, because that's exactly what Robin was. Beautiful and handsome. Handsome and beautiful. Beautsome.

Yes, Robin was beautsome.

Yet he'd never reviled this to Robin. After all this time, he was still too embarrassed, and the mess of his love confession still haunted him. Of all the things he'd been forced to learn, why had none of it involved talking about your feelings without humiliating yourself? That seemed like important information to have.

At least he hadn't accidently punched Robin in the face at their wedding.

Chrom cleared his throat reflecting the conversation back to his husband. "Who serves bear meat at a wedding dinner?"

"For your information, it became very trendy."

The prince shook his head. "I wish all our memories since could have been as joyful."

"I know." Robin placed a gentle hand on his bare arm, his fingers automatically seeking out the brand. "So much needless bloodshed. So many days of pain and doubt and fighting." He smiled. "We would have never made it without you there to guide us, you know."

"Funny. I was going to say the same to you."

The tactician chuckled pulling Chrom towards him, embracing him. "I guess we really are two halves of the same whole."

They held one another in silence.

"I've sent Frederick to search for Sable, the final Gemstone." Chrom said at last. They pulled apart but only arm's length away, hands cupping elbows. "And I've been reading more about the Awakening ritual. It seems that whoever attempts the rite must brave Naga's fire. If both body and spirit survive the agony, they are blessed with the dragon's power. Otherwise." He hesitated.

"Otherwise you lose all your hair?" Robin asked in an attempt at humor.

"The candidate dies."

"No!" The door burst open hard enough to fling back and smack the wall. "Er, that is." Lucina caught the door before it could hit her. Her face flaming from embarrassment. "Father, must you attempt this?"

Robin covered his mouth to keep from laughing at her flustered appearance.

"Eavesdropping, young lady?" Chrom raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Young lady? The two of you are practically the same age."

"Me too!" Morgan bustled in to stand by his sister. "I was eavesdropping too!"

"We weren't." Lucina stopped then looked sheepish at her parents. "Forgive me, Father. I didn't intend to. I came to speak with you, but I couldn't find the right moment and."

He held up a hand to interrupt. "It's all right, Lucina."

Robin was more curious to what they'd over heard.

"And yes, I'll be all right, too. I will withstand Naga's fire. I'm sure of it."

"I'm sure there's actual no fire." The tactician assured their children. "It's probably metaphorical."

Morgan brightened. "Like Walhart's metaphorical million-man army? Or." He clamped his mouth shut when his mother shot him a dirty look.

"Milord, I have returned." Frederick announced with a bow.

'Perfect timing'. Lucina thought.

"Yes, Frederick? Did you find it?"

"I believe so, sire. King Validar has extended an invitation. He says Plegia has been guarding Sable, and now he wishes to return it to you."

"Wait." Morgan scratched his head. "Why does Plegia have a gem? The gems go into the Fire Emblem which is used to defeat Grima and aren't most, if not all, Plegians, Grimleal?"

There was a pregnant pause.

Frederick cleared his throat. "They sent word to me, milord. They must have caught wind of my search. In any case, Validar asks that you visit him in person, that he might formally present it. Perhaps needless to say, milord, but I don't like this one bit."

"Neither do I, Frederick the Wary. Neither do I."

"That's a terrible title." Brother whispered to sister who promptly elbowed him.

"At best, it's selfish political maneuvering at a time when the world can ill afford it. At worst, our run-in with those Risen last visit was no accident." Chrom noticed Robin look away. They'd told no one of Valiar's parental claim. He had wanted to, just those he felt should know, but Robin had vehemently vetoed the idea. He had rattled off some tactical jargon, yet Chrom had seen the shame in his eyes. The Ylissen prince understood the feeling. He'd let his husband sort everything out himself and be there if needed.

"What're you going to do, Father?" Lucina asked.

Chrom didn't hesitated. "We will meet with him. Send word at once."

That had snapped Robin out of his reverie. "As your tactical adviser, I strongly side against this. If this doesn't scream 'hey, I'm a trap' I don't know what does."

"I agree with Lord Robin. Are you certain that's wise?" Frederick concurred.

"No, but we haven't time to be certain. If he doesn't give us the stone, he may at least reveal where it is."

Robin crossed his arms. "Yes, I thought of that and do you honestly think he'd be that careless? He's not Gangrel."

"My sister never refused a diplomatic gesture, no matter how foul smelling and neither will I."

"Please send someone as your representative, instead." Frederick implored. "Validar could not outright deny Lord Robin, and I would protect him with my life."

The person in question blanched for half a second. Just because he agreed with that plan didn't mean he had to like it.

"Don't worry, Frederick. I'm not walking into this blindly. We will make certain everyone is armed to the teeth."

A heavy sighed escaped the great knight. "Then the Fire Emblem, milord—you ought at least leave it behind."

"Unless that's what Validar expects, and he comes to steal it with my best men away."

Morgan opened his mouth to say something, but both Robin and Lucina slapped a hand over it.

"No, it's safest with me, for now. We'll learn the truth of Validar's motive soon enough."

"As you wish, milord." Frederick bowed before leaving the room completely ignoring the other three.

The young tactician ducked under the hand barrier and said. "Validar could also anticipate that and have even more men to attack us at the palace then we planned for or that he knows that we know it's a trap and won't let us in with weapons or he could send sneaky assassins again or."

"Yes, Morgan, sweetie, we get it." Robin rubbed at his temples. He really needed to teach the kid there's a time and a place for everything. "Chrom, if you're basing your decision off me, please don't. I'm fine."

"I know, and I'm going personally because I feel like that's what I'm supposed to do. I don't doubt you could handle it."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know that too."

Lucina glanced from one parent to the other. "You're hiding something." It wasn't a question. "Don't try and deny it. I was observing Mother. He was acting oddly."

"Your mother's always odd." Chrom said.

Robin shot him a halfhearted glare.

"Odd for him." She stressed. She met his golden eyes with her blue. "When Uncle Frederick mentioned Validar, you became destressed. It was painfully obvious, and you usually do a better job of masking it. So, what are you hiding?"

Chrom opened his mouth to answer, but Robin hissed. "Don't you dare."

"They have a right to know." He protested.

"It might not even have an effect on them."

"They're our children."

"She may have a different father than I do. Alternate timelines."

"Infinite possibilities." The prince sighed. "What're the odds that out of everyone here, you're the only one who's parents aren't the same as another you?"

Robin pointed to their children with a 'seriously?' look on his face.

Morgan blinked. "Mother, who ARE your parents?" He turned to his sister. "Do you know?"

Lucina shook her head. "I only remember Father's. Mother never mentioned it. I figured it's one of the things she forgot."

The two children stared expectantly at Robin. He couldn't meet their gaze.

How could he tell them something even he didn't want to know? That in the timeline they hailed from, their grandfather had successfully assassinated Emmeryn?

Chrom placed a comforting hand on his husband's lower back. "It hasn't changed how I feel about you. Why would our children be any different?"

He had a point and Robin knew it too.

The tactician took a steadying breath. The feel of Chrom's hand was reassuring. "Validar is my father and that would most likely make him your biological mother's as well."

"Could be worse." Morgan said cheerfully. "It could be crazy Gangrel."

"Always the optimist." Lucina muttered before speaking to their mother. "I agree with Father. This information doesn't change how I feel about you or my biological mother."

"Mother is mother." Morgan side hugged Robin not letting go. "Father's father did some bad stuff, but that doesn't automatically make him a bad person."

"I suppose it doesn't." Robin forced a smile.

Lucina couldn't fault their mother for being cautious. The Ylissens had no love for Plegians. The Mad King's War wounds hadn't fully healed so any mention of Plegia would bring up the horrible event. What's more, Robin had been a major factor in the victory and his father just so happened to become the new king? It wouldn't be too far a leap to think it had been planned. Robin was a master tactician after all. Help kill Gangrel, marry the ruler of Ylisee, make sure Validar filled the empty void and have the Plegian people view him as some kind of savior. It wasn't that outrageous of a theory. Yet…

One look at Chrom and Robin together would blow it out of the water. You could see how much they loved each other. Her original parents had been the same way.

Unless…

It could be an act or perhaps that was the plan until Robin fell in love with Chrom or.

Lucina shook her head. No. she believed in her mother, both of them. This was no diabolical scheme. This was real.

This was not where Robin wanted this whole mess to go, so he changed direction. "Did you two know Chrom can sing?"

"What?!" The siblings said in unison.

"Oh, yes, and he's quite good at it too."

The prince's face flushed. "How, how do you know that?"

A sly grin spread across his lips. "I may or may not have over heard you singing to our baby back at the palace. Something about an ocean with grey waves." He chuckled. "Seriously, where did you even learn that song?"

Chrom rubbed the back of his head. "A servant was singing it as she worked, and I guess it just stuck."

Lucina frowned slightly. "I don't remember Father singing."

"Well, if he's like this lug." Robin jerked a thumb towards his husband earning him a 'hey' in protest. "Then he was probably too embarrassed and stopped singing before you were old enough to retain the memory."

"I wana hear it!" Morgan went from clinging to his mother to his father. "I wana hear it!"

The older sister joined her brother in invading Chrom's personal space but didn't latch onto him. "As do I. It's such an unexpected talent to have. Please, Father."

The flush on Chrom's cheeks grew darker as he looked pleadingly to his husband for support.

Robin waved cheerfully. "You three have fun. I have some boring tactical stuff to do." And with that, he spun on his heel and left the main room of the barracks.