First I must offer an apology for all those who waited for the last chapter. I kept putting this fanfic off until, before I realised it, many months had passed and I felt bad for disappearing without a word. It was actually the push by another fellow writer on the International Cipher Discord that got me back into writing.
Another reason is because I missed writing. I had read so many fanfics, ones that got got my writer's urge awaken, until finally I couldn't take it. The last reason was because I wanted to start another fanfic after, a Morgy-centric one (as she is my favourite character) and I wanted to finish this befeore I did so.
Before I leave you to the story itself, thank you to all those who stayed and who reviewed, especially Temporal King for always giving me ideas to play about with and shepherding me into the right direction. This chapter, honestly, was done so quickly because of the introduction of a character that I hold dear. Hopefully, I've been able to retain the characters' voices despite being away for so long, but if you find anything wrong don't be afraid to leave a review or message telling be about it. Hope you enjoy!
"The Ruins of Time?" Chrom asked, surprised by the suggestion that his best friend and soon-to-be son-in-law had put forth. "What does that have to do with us?"
"Several things. Firstly, there have been reports of Risen in that area. It is our duty to clear them out before any harm befalls the nearby locals. Secondly, Libra informed me that there is an artefact said to be linked to Naga that rests in those ruins."
Chrom waited patiently for Robin to outline his last point. He knew his friend well enough to sense there was something deeper going on. "And?"
Robin grinned sheepishly. "Libra told me that the artefact was a gem of some sort, and I was hoping to have that inlaid onto Severa's Ring when we returned to Ylisstol."
Severa blushed and hid her face in her hands. Chrom shook his head good-naturedly. "Always working an angle. Now I understand how you managed to manipulate my daughter into accepting your proposal."
Robin laughed. As soon as Lissa had let Robin out he had visited Chrom to ask for his blessing. Chrom had instantly agreed, smiling for his best friend and his daughter, announcing that with this would come an endless supply of jokes and teasing that Robin would never have believed he could be subjected to before. He had also whispered that he would calm his wife down and talk to her in private about it. "I still think you're the one who matched us together, after you sent her to me."
"Dastard. Maybe that was your plan all along."
Robin shrugged. "Sometimes I surprise even myself. But shall I go mobilize the Shepherds and inform them of our new course?"
Chrom sighed. "Of course. It wouldn't do to leave our people to face the dangers alone, when we can lend a hand."
Severa stayed with her father, watching her fiancé as he urged his mount towards the cheerful group. Almost all the Shepherds had congratulated them upon learning of their engagement, although many of them teased Robin endlessly. Gerome had been his stony self, of course, only commenting that he hoped nothing bad would come out of this, while Inigo had lamented on losing his 'beloved' to the tactician. "Thank you, Father," she murmured.
"What for?"
She looked him in the eye. "For accepting Robin and me. For not threatening him or trying to break us up. I would have thought you to have done that, not to be so… easygoing about this whole arrangement."
Chrom chuckled. "I trust Robin more than any other, except maybe Cordy. He's proven himself time after time again, even when he had our full faith in him, and he's never ceased to amaze me, not only with his crazy schemes, but also his kindness and his humanity. He's good at his job but all he really yearns for is to settle down and have a peaceful life. That's what we all want."
His gaze had turned nostalgic at the thought of their future, one that would spare their present children the fate of the New Shepherds. "It was your mother and Lucina that surprised me. They took the news better than I thought they would."
It was Severa's turn to shrug. Her sister had embraced them and congratulated them, which Severa had thought was strange as she hadn't given Robin any glares or told him off. Her mother had burst out in tears of both joy and sadness. It wasn't every day that one of her daughters would be getting married, although she was upset that she didn't get to spend as much time as she would have liked with Severa before Robin whisked her away from them.
"Robin agreed to stay in the castle, so you'll still be seeing me," she had pointed out, which had lifted her mother's spirits instantly.
At the thought Severa giggled. Chrom cocked his head to the side as he studied his daughter. "I'm sorry, I just remembered the panic on Robin's face when we reminded him that he would be nobility when after the wedding."
Chrom chuckled. "He wouldn't start fretting. He was pulling out books about manners and decorum and trying to scan through them. And how white his face went when Cordy reminded him that Maribelle and Frederick would want to coach him."
Father and daughter shared a laugh as they rode forward, noticing their tactician wave his sword above his head, signalling for their attention.
"Gah, these Risen aren't as I remember them," Gaius muttered.
"They do seem a lot stronger," Robin agreed. "Just like the time on Carrion Isles. They aren't as mindless as they usually are."
"Maybe you've just dulled during the trip back," Severa teased as her blade danced, slicing the last two risen that surrounded the three of them. "Why did we split from the main party again?"
"The secret passage might have held the gem, or led to another place. It was our job to explore it, which was why I had Gaius tag along."
Severa snorted. "It was to escape Frederick, wasn't it?"
Robin shuddered. "How does anyone get anything done with that man hovering over you? It was bad enough when he thought I was a Plegian spy and a danger to Chrom and Lissa… but now he's got an even closer eye on me! I can't even take a walk around the campsite without him 'clearing the way' and shadowing my movements."
Gaius chuckled. "Maybe you should have let me teach you how to move like a thief."
Severa and Robin exchanged looks. "I don't think that would have even saved me from his keen eyes," Robin sighed.
"You get used to it," Severa reassured him. "Especially with the war over and done with, he'll realise that you don't need to be followed about."
Suddenly they heard a shout from further down the corridor. "Do you think that's one of the Shepherds?" Gaius asked, popping a lollipop into his mouth.
"Whoever it is, it sounds like they need our help." Robin rushed forwards, the other two just a few paces behind them.
Risen swarmed the end of the passage, each one shambling in the same direction that the shout had originated from. All of them were chanting the same thing, over and over, but it took Robin a few moments to process it.
"Must… kill… future… child…"
His eyes widened in shock. "Severa, stay back," he shouted, attacking the closest with a combination of magic and his blade. The princess took no heed, standing by his side as they forced their way through the horde, Gaius opting to hover back and pick off any threatening targets with his bow. Yet, none of the Risen seemed to be focusing Severa…
"Maybe they're going for one of the others," Robin muttered.
Severa's eyes widened. "Lucy!"
They redoubled their efforts, making it to the exit, and into what appeared to be the main room of the ruined temple. Looking about, Robin found the elder princess fighting on the other side with her parents. He nudged Severa and pointed, and she understood immediately and headed in that direction. He was about to follow when something at the corner of his eye caught his attention.
A small figure in a cloak just like his, a broken sword in hand, surrounded by a pair of Risen. Their weapons were raised, intent clear…
A bolt of lightning hit one, throwing it aside as several arrows slammed into the second's arm, knocking its aim and barely missing the head of the figure. The Risen stumbled but tried once again, smoke billowing from its mouth, but Robin ran it through with his blade, letting it collapse to the ground.
"There we go. Are you alright?" He turned to the person he had just saved, replacing his weapons and outstretching his hand. He saw now that it was a young girl, her hood having been knocked down by the Risen, and her messy black hair framed her face. Her eyes, widened in shock, was a peculiar shade of amber, one's that he had seen only a few times before. "Strange… you don't look like treasure hunter. What brings you here?"
The girl squealed and stumbled to her feet, running and jumping into him, arms wrapping around him and linking at his back as she collided with him. He grunted and steadied himself as the girl gave him a radiant smile, looking up at his face. "There you are, Father! I was beginning to think something had happened to you!"
Robin froze. His mouth opened, but closed without a word passing through his lips. "What?"
She giggled and snuggled her head to his chest, closing her eyes in content. "Well, no harm done. At least we can head back home now!" She released him and hopped back, squinting at him. "The air here agrees with you, Father! You look at least a decade younger! Oh…" she stared at the sword in her hand sadly. "I broke your blade when those things attacked me… I'm sorry, I know you wanted me to take better care of it…" She trembled, biting her lips nervously.
"Wait," Robin shook his head. "Let's go back to 'Father' thing. Did you…" his gaze wandered and lit on his fiancé and her sister fighting side by side. "Did you come back from the future with Lucina?"
A wave of doubt and fear hit him. If this was his daughter, then did that mean Lucina and Severa had been lying to him about his status as a bachelor in their time? Did the friendship between him and the younger princess altar the timeline?
"Huh?" He felt a tug on his sleeve, and found the little one looking at him in confusion. "Who's Lucina? And did you seriously ask me if I travelled back in time? And why are you looking at me like that? This isn't one of your games, is it Father?"
"Uh…"
She rolled her eyes. "Hello? It's me! Morgan! Your daughter… you know, the love of your life and Daddy's little princess and all that? Wow, maybe you are getting too old… let's hurry back and put you back to bed before anything happens. But… where is home?"
Suddenly, she bent over, clutching her forehead and crying out in pain. Robin hurriedly knelt beside her, hand on her head to try help her. "Easy, don't try and force anything. Listen, this might be strange to hear, but I believe you came from the future. In fact," he added with a wry smile as he remembered why her eyes had been so familiar to him. "I think I know who your mother was. And if it is, then my theory is correct."
"Are you out of your mind! That isn't even possible!" Another wave of pain hit her and she hissed. "Mother… I can't… remember…"
"We can leave that to later. But look at me, Morgan." The name rolled off his tongue smoothly, and he thought that it had a nice ring to it. His daughter looked up, her large, innocent eyes ringing with disbelief. "You said I looked younger, but look again closely. There's no way that I'm at an age where I could have a child as beautiful as you. At this point of time, in our time, you haven't been born yet. Heck, your mother and I haven't even had our wedding."
She had giggled when he had called her beautiful, and it sent a feeling of joy running through Robin. "You do look younger…"
"It's hard to understand, I know. I you don't even have to believe me this minute. But you must stay with me. It's dangerous to be alone, especially if your memory is misplaced. I was in your position once. If Chrom and Lissa hadn't found me in lying in the field… well, who knows what might have happened."
He shivered at the thought. It had been something to cross his mind the during the first few years, but he had eventually shaken it away as he had bonded with his new family.
"Wait, you woke up in the middle of nowhere too?" Morgan laughed, a brilliant sound that echoed across the room. "Like father, like daughter, huh?"
Robin scratched the back of his head. "Glad to see you've inherited my optimism. Stay close to me, will you, Morgan? After we make it out of this alive I'll explain to you everything."
"Yessir!" She glanced down at her sword. "But…"
Robin smiled and offered his own. "Take this for now."
She gasped. "But that's your personal weapon! You wouldn't let me touch it whenever I asked to see it…"
He shrugged. "Maybe I was different in the future. But you need a weapon, and I'm fine with this." He lifted his Thoron tome to show her. "What matters if that you're safe or, barring that, you have something to protect yourself with."
Tears welled up in her eyes and she engulfed her father in another hug. This time Robin allowed himself to return it, and he felt himself tearing up as well. He patted her head. "Time's wasting away, young grasshopper. Let's go help your mother out."
She perked up at this. "Mom's here? Let's go!"
Chrom surveyed the desolate remains, wiping sweat off his brow. "I've never seen a Risen Griffon Rider. Maybe Robin was closer to the mark when he was ranting about Risen riding wolves…"
He looked down at the gem that he had found in the middle of the temple. "This feels like what Robin was describing… even I can discern that Naga's influence is in this. I guess I'll keep this for him later."
He had noticed Robin fighting with the young girl, and had seen Severa scowl. He hoped that his best friend could defuse the situation before anything happened.
"I understand everything you've told me…" Morgan began. Robin had just explained, as quickly as he could, a run-down version of the events that had transpired up to this point. "But even after you explained everything to me, I still don't remember anything but you."
Robin shook his head. "Don't apologize to me. We'll pull your memory back, even if we must do it little by little. Besides, if you start apologizing, I need to do so as well. My past is still full of holes, but you'll get by with our help."
She smiled, eyes shining. "There is one other thing I do remember," she began shyly. Seeing him nod his head encouragingly, she decided to take the plunge. "I've always strived to be a great tactician like you, Father!"
Robin chuckled. "That's my girl. Wherever you're from, Morgan, I'm glad that I found you when I did. Now come, do you want to meet your mother?"
She looked away. "Is… is that such a good idea? What if she hates me for not remembering her? What if…if she doesn't want me?"
He gently tilted her chin up, and kissed her forehead. "Nobody in their right mind would do that," he reassured her. "Your mother least of all. Now come, Morgan; let's have a happy family reunion."
They walked towards Severa, who watched them with her arms cross and a scary expression on her face. "Robin, why did you just kiss her? Are you already sick of me, now that you've found another's heart to play with?" Her voice trembled as she spoke, even though she tried to keep her mask up.
"What? No!" Robin took her hand in his and held it tenderly. "Severa, I want to introduce you to someone amazing. You'll know what I mean when we explain."
He turned back to see Morgan hiding behind his back. "Morgan, come out and say hello to your mother."
Severa's eyes widened. "What?"
"Um… hullo?" the girl squeaked, her eyes peering around Robin's cloak. "I'm Morgan…. Your daughter, apparently. I'm sorry, I don't remember much of anything…"
Severa felt a strange kinship to the girl. She studied her, looking at her messy hair, noting how similar it was to Robin's in colour. The cloak seemed similar too, albeit looking older than how Robin's was. Yet it was her eyes that caught her attention. They were filled with determination and fear, and within them she could see a glimmer of desperation and hope.
It was the same sight she had seen every morning in the mirror.
"Wait… how is she my daughter? I didn't have one when I came back in time… and she's also yours… oh gods."
Robin shook his head. "I suspect that she originated from a different timeline. A third one, potentially, where we married and had this little grasshopper." He playfully ruffled Morgan's hair and brought her forward. "She has no memory of you, or of anything that isn't me, and those are only faint ones at that. But it's obvious who her mother is. You both share the same aura and beauty."
Severa ignored him and looked down on Morgan. "This is too early," she muttered. She had an inkling now of what her parents had gone through.
He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I know what you're thinking. But we'll take care of her. Besides, this means that we must have done a good job in the future if she turned out as brilliant as she did."
Severa nodded, still stunned for words. She saw something glimmer around Morgan's neck and stared at it. "What is that?"
The girl fumbled for the necklace, bringing the item strung to it out. It was a ring with a gem inlaid onto it, a gem that Severa had seen her father retrieve just before. "I-it's my mother's… I mean, your wedding ring, Ms. Severa. I remember Father said that he gave that to you to give you protection during times of need."
Morgan looked down, worry filling her mind and causing a pit in her stomach. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms pull her into a hug, and red hair filled her vision. "Call me mother, dear," she heard Severa say, and tears started spilling from her once again.
"Oh Mother!" the girl cried as she threw herself into the embrace. "I'm so sorry I forgot you! I'll try anything I can to get back the memories of us!"
Severa patted her comfortingly as her eyes crossed with Robin's, the same thought of protecting this strange but young girl that was theirs crossing their minds in the same instant. "Let's go introduce you to your grandparents. I'm sure they will love to meet you."
The two walked away, Morgan drying her tears with her sleeves as she tried to smile again. A rush of foresight went through Robin, and he knew, somehow, that Cordelia would be planning his funeral. "Time to face the music, I guess," he sighed.
"Exactly so," a voice from behind agreed amicably, Robin jumping in surprise as he turned to find Frederick. "I, too, would like to have words with you later about how you disappeared without informing anybody of your whereabouts. I'll be sure to double my senses on you."
Robin stared as the knight walked away. "Double?"
He had no time to ponder it, however, as Morgan ran back and took Robin by the hand. "Let's go, Dad!"
He shook his head, hiding a smile as his daughter from another time led him forward, and wondered how impactful this event would lead in his and Severa's new life.