Lucina sat patiently as Lissa examined her like she did with most of the family during her visits. They had physicians in the castle, but they all felt more comfortable with the sprightly cleric who had turned into quite the physician herself–she said that being in Ferox where so many injuries abounded helped. Morgan had taken to her almost immediately after her first visit some two years ago, though the candy helped.
"Well, you seem fine," Lissa stepped back, "Anything in particular I should know about?"
"Well, I have been feeling sick some lately. Just a little nausea."
"Hmm," Lissa struck a thinking position, "You don't have a fever, so I doubt it's anything too serious. Check will Stahl to see if his brother has anything for it. Anything else?"
"Um," Lucina fidgeted with her hands, "It's probably nothing, but, um, I've been a little…late."
"I see," Lissa nodded in understanding, "How late are we talking?"
"A couple of months," Lucina replied bashfully.
"That's more than a little," Lissa replied urgently.
"I know. I guess I just thought it might be part of my…condition."
"That may be, but I'd like to check something real quick just to be safe."
Lissa pulled out a regular healing staff causing Lucina to look at her with confusion. Lissa caught the look and started to explain, "Close range staves like this can lock on to a person to help with the healing," she pointed it at Lucina, "See? It gravitates to you." Lissa lowered the staff down Lucina's body until she noticed something and her face went pale.
"What is it?" Lucina asked in concern.
"You may want to call for Robin."
Robin held Lucina's shoulders; she was stunned into a silence at the revelation: she was with child.
They both waited for her to recover somewhat before saying anything. Eventually she spoke, "I-I thought I couldn't have children?"
"No, it was just highly unlikely. It seems that you beat the odds," Lissa replied solemnly.
"But," Robin breathed, "Didn't you say that there was a good chance that we could lose Lucina and the baby if she ever did become pregnant?"
"Yes," Lissa swallowed with a downcast expression as the room fell silent once more until Lucina broke it.
"But…it's not a given?"
"I-I don't know. You could theoretically carry the baby to term and both live, but…I wouldn't say it's likely. I promise that I'll do everything I can though. I'll write to Lon'qu and tell him I'm staying as long as I have to. He'll understand."
Lissa gave them one last sympathetic look before leaving them alone.
"I-I can scarcely believe it," Lucina whispered feeling over her stomach.
"Are you okay?" Robin asked with worry in his voice. Personally, he was terrified. First, he learned that they would probably never have children of their own, and now that they beat the odds it was incredibly likely he would lose both his wife and the child.
"It's so odd," Lucina murmured, "I had made my peace with not being able to have children. We made a home with Morgan. Now…I don't know what will happen. I just found out and I'm already fearful for our child's life. Robin," she looked at him, "I want you to promise me something here and now."
"Of course, dear."
"I want you to promise me that…if I don't make it and our child does, that you will not hold it against them."
"Lucina, don't talk like that," Robin pleaded for his own sake. He could not bear the thought of losing her.
"I know the power of grief," she looked up at him with pleading eyes, "Please. Promise me."
"Of course I wouldn't blame the baby," he force a smile as he caressed her cheek, "It's my child too after all."
Lucina found herself speechless once again and he pulled her into a tight embrace with Robin eventually breaking the silence, "I wonder how Morgan will feel about being a big sis?"
"I don't want one!"
"Why not?" Robin asked the girl.
"I don't!" Morgan was not being forthcoming.
"Morgan," Lucina knelt down, "Why do you not want a baby brother or sister?"
"I just don't," Morgan puffed with folded arms.
"Morgan," Robin stepped in, "Come on, tell us what's wrong."
"I-I," Morgan wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "If you have a real baby, then…you won't need me anymore."
"A real–" Robin started, "Morgan, that's not true."
"Your father's right," Lucina assured, "We will always love you."
"Promise?"
"Of course, dear," Lucina pulled her into a hug and was soon joined by Robin.
Morgan sniffled and returned the hug glad that she would get to stay. She had never been as happy as she was with her new parents, but despite their reassurances, she was still afraid that she would be second rate to a child of their own.
As the months went on, Lissa worked with healers from across the realm to find anything to help with Lucina's pregnancy. It seemed that everyone was eager to help in whatever way they could. Lon'qu even came down to Ylisstol both to stay with his wife, but those who knew him knew that it was also because he really did care about his niece underneath all his stoicism.
It was encouraging to see the Shepherds rally around her, but Lucina felt their gazes in another light as well.
"Lucina?" Robin asked as he came in from his office. Chrom had reduced his hours to give him more time at home which the tactician was thankful for.
"In here!" Lucina called. Robin entered their bedroom to see his now visibly pregnant wife struggling with her shoes.
"Here, let me help," he moved to help her, but she shooed him away.
"No, let me do it."
"Are you sure? I could–"
"Please! Robin, let me put my own shoes on. I'm pregnant, not an invalid." Robin stared at her in shock before Lucina sighed, "Sorry."
"You wanna talk about it?" He sat next to her.
"It's just the way everyone treats me lately. They act as if I can't do anything and insist I lay around all day doing nothing. It's maddening!"
Robin could certainly see that. Lucina liked to feel that she was doing her part so being forced to rely on others to do just about everything had to be infuriating. Still, she was in a sensitive situation, "I know, but they just want to help you out."
"It's not just that though. I've seen the looks they give me, Robin. They wish me well, but their eyes are full of pity. It's like they've already given up on me and the baby, Robin, and I hate it!"
"Oh Lucina," Robin pulled her close, "Don't worry. Lissa and the others are doing everything they can, and you have the full support of all your friends and family. Don't let a few looks get to you."
"I'm scared, Robin," she breathed, "I'm terrified, but not just for me. I'm more scared for the little one."
"I know. I am too. Just…hold on. Don't give up hope for them or yourself, and I'll do my best to be strong for you too."
They just stayed like that for almost an hour trying desperately to draw strength from one another in uncertain times.
Lucina smiled politely as she was handed yet another present. Her mother had insisted on having a shower in hopes that it would cheer Lucina up. To Lucina though, most of the women's smiles looked hollow and forced. Perhaps she was simply projecting her own fears, but she did not feel particularly happy to be there.
She opened it and held up a pair of small boots. They were cute, but she had received several pairs of shoes. One would think that a group as eccentric as the Shepherds would give more interesting gifts.
"Thank you," Lucina kept the smile up until Cynthia thrust a box in her face.
"Open mine next!"
Lucina hesitantly took the box from the exuberant girl and slowly opened it. Once she saw what was in it, she gasped in delight. Inside was one of the gaudiest little baby hats that anyone gathered had ever seen and Lucina loved it.
"I wanted to get you something special," Cynthia explained, "And after seeing you and Morgan walking around, I decided to look for the most eye-melty thing I could find!"
"Thank you," Lucina hugged her sister, "It means a lot."
"You're welcome, sis!"
A few weeks later, Robin, Lucina, and Morgan were playing a game. Lucina was still bundled up in bed, but it gave her valuable bonding time with her family. Lucina was close to winning and looking forward to a hard won victory over her husband and daughter–who despite her young age was a formidable opponent–when she suddenly felt something akin to a cramp only much worse.
"Lucina?" Robin's face flushed with worry.
"It's time!" Lucina forced through gritted teeth.
"Time, b-but it's not supposed to be for another month!"
"Tell that to the baby!" Lucina moaned out in pain.
"R-right, I'll go get Lissa!" Robin barely slowed down as he vaulted over the couch in the living room and yelled back at Morgan, "Stay with her!"
"Ngh, come here," Lucina motioned for Morgan to come up next to her.
"Mommy?" Morgan was scared. Her mommy was sweating and looked like she was in a lot of pain.
"Shh," Lucina wiped the tear from her daughter's face, "Don't worry. Mommy's just, ah, going to be busy for a while. Do what your father tells you, okay?" Morgan nodded and Lucina smiled, "Good girl." Lucina pulled her in for a hug and held back her own tears. She wanted nothing more than to be able to be a family with their newest addition.
Soon, Lissa came rushing in with Robin hot on her trail. Morgan was told to wait in the living room. Her mother gave her one last smile and Morgan wiped her face on her sleeve. She would try to be brave for her mother.
Several hours later, and Morgan was sitting beside Chrom on the couch trying not to pay attention to her mother's screams in the next room. Her father refused to leave Lucina even if it meant sitting in a corner and out of the way, and Sumia had insisted on helping her daughter through it.
Noticing Morgan wince at a particularly harsh cry, Chrom put a hand on her shoulder, "You want to talk?"
"I-I don't want to lose her."
"I know, but she's tough. Trust her. Can you do that?"
"Uh-huh," Morgan nodded with a sniffle.
"Don't you worry," he pulled her into a hug, "Don't you worry."
Robin looked down into the crib solemnly. He had been going back and forth between Lucina and their new son. Both survived childbirth and Lissa said that Lucina was now through the worst of it, but their son…they still were not certain.
Robin grimaced as a few stray tears found their ways from his eyes.
"Daddy?" Morgan walked up to him after having awoken from her nap.
Robin quickly wiped his tears away, "Morgan."
"Is that the baby?" She walked up to the crib and looked through the bars.
"Yeah, it's your new baby brother."
"What's wrong?" Morgan asked seeing that he had clearly been crying.
"He's, uh, he's not well."
"Oh," Morgan looked back at her new brother. Somehow, she forgot about her reservations about having a younger sibling, "I hope he gets better."
"So do I."
After a few more minutes, they heard the door open.
"Mommy!" Morgan ran to her mother.
"Lucina! Lissa said you should rest."
Lucina kept moving forward slowly, "I want to see my son."
Robin did not say anything further and made room for Lucina to stand next to him. Morgan looked up to see tears running down her mother's face. Morgan grabbed her mother's hand, "Don't worry, mommy, he'll be fine! I know it!"
Lucina smiled weakly and rubbed Morgan's hair. Morgan looked at her baby brother again and whispered, "Please get better."
A/N: Alright, I have one more planned chapter for this.