Chapter Five: Reunion
The next morning was the official first day of the Peace summit. Robin and King Validar were called to the meeting hall to discuss current events. Validar had gone before her that morning. Robin tugged her cloak around her and gathered her books. She rubbed at her eyes which were still red and raw as she remembered the night before. Both of her children were in her arms. It was like a dream. But today was reality. She couldn't hide any longer. She was going to meet Chrom at last whether she liked it or not. She knew her father was planning something with bringing her and Morgan here, and she did not like to think of what it might be. Her only thought was that it involved Chrom and quite possibly the exalt, and she must be the one to warn them. She flipped her hood up and over her head as she entered the meeting hall.
When the meeting began, Chrom once again found himself looking for the mysterious figure he spotted last night when finally, he found her. His eyes settled on that same familiar hooded figure. He was convinced now that this person had to be who he thought it was. It just had to. When the meeting was finally over, Chrom tried to approach this figure, but was intercepted by a tall bald muscular fellow.
"What's gotten into ya boy? You were more distracted than I'd ever seen ya before!" a voice boomed from in front of him.
"Khan Basilio…it's just…nothing." He started.
"I wouldn't say it was nothing boy. You look like a child that lost his puppy."
Just then, he caught a glimpse of the figure beneath the hood and hurried after them after bidding the khan a hasty goodbye.
"Wait!" he shouted after them as they began to round a corner.
"Chrom?" Robin looked over her shoulder as she saw the Prince hurrying towards her.
"Is it…is it really you?" he asked, breathlessly. Robin stood by the light of a nearby lantern and pulled her hood off of her head.
"It is! It really is you!" he almost shouted and threw his arms around her. Impulsively, he held her tightly against his chest and rested his chin on top of her head.
He paused when he noticed Robin was not reciprocating. "Is something wrong?"
"It's just. I don't know how to react right now. It's been so long." She looked down at her feet, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's okay. I'm just so happy to see you!" Chrom scaled back his excitement so as not overwhelm her. He held her at arm's length and looked at her in the light of the lantern. She looked like she hadn't aged a day in the ten years they were apart. Everything about her was just as he remembered. The way she shifted on the balls of her feet when she got nervous, the way she twirled her finger in her hair and even the way her cheeks colored slightly was all the same as it was when he first met, and fell in love with her.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, concern rising in his voice. Her shifting grew more frequent and her eyes kept darting back and forth erratically from the meeting room to his face.
She beckoned him to lean down so her lips came close to his ear. "It's my father. He's planning something. I know he is. I don't know what it is yet, but I can't think of any other reason why he'd bring me here and- "she trailed off. She was about to mention Morgan, but didn't quite know how she should tell him about their son.
"And what?" he urged.
Robin thought a moment, considering the best course of action before continuing.
"There is something I need to tell you about. Or rather…someone." She whispered.
"Really? Who?" he asked.
"Not here. There's too many people who could be listening. Meet me in the private gardens in an hour. I can explain everything there."
It was quiet out in the gardens, a place that Robin never thought she'd see again. The same place where she and Chrom had shared their first kiss one fateful night, and now, it would be the place where she would share a huge secret with him. That he was father to a second child.
She sat on a stone bench near the center of the garden and patted the place next to her for him to sit down. He looked at her quizzically trying to guess why she would want to meet out here.
"So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" he asked. He felt as though he was being entranced by her like he was all those years ago. The way her delicate hand tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, the way her golden brown eyes drew him in, everything about her was drawing him to her like a magnet.
"That time, when my father…he took me away." she nearly choked out the words. Chrom put his hands over hers and looked her in the eyes. She gathered up her resolve and continued. "Well… that time, I was…pregnant."
His eyes widened at her words. "P-Pregnant?" he stammered. She nodded and continued.
"My father, King Validar, he had me imprisoned after that. And I gave birth to a son."
"I have a son…" he said in disbelief.
"Yes." She said, unable to hold back her tears any longer.
"Where is he? Is he alive? Your father didn't kill him, did he?" he asked, frantically. She shook her head.
"No, he's alive. His name is Morgan. He came with me as my apprentice."