A brand appeared on the backs of the twins' hands.
That morning, the pair had come to her in private, concern written clear across their faces, and had asked her for help.
To Emmeryn's dismay, she did not know what the brand on Robin and Reflet's respective left and right hands meant, other than her vague suspicions and a resemblance to Plegian religious iconography.
She told the twins as much as she could and attempted to comfort them, since they were clearly scared and confused, but she could tell they were still troubled afterwards.
In the end, Emmeryn sent the two young children off to go and play with Chrom and Lissa with the instructions to keep their hands covered. It was possible if any of the veteran knights from the war saw it, they would recognize the marks and react blindly before they knew what they meant.
Emmeryn did her best to hide her own concerns from the twins. She did not remember much of the first time she met Morgana in her fathers audience chamber, but she had some recollection of the woman saying she had fled to save her children from Grimleal experiments and dark magic. She prayed for their sake that the marks were harmless, but that night, she had Phila and Frederick help her search the castle library for information. She chose to share the problem with her two most trusted friends and allies, and they agreed that it was concerning, and to keep the secret for the safety of the children. Frederick had concerns about the safety of the royal siblings, but Emmeryn assured him that the Twins had not changed as a result of these Grimleal Brands.
Eventually, they did manage to find a compendium of Grimleal iconography compiled during the war, and while many of the foreboding symbols were similar to the Brand that had appeared on the twins' hands, none were a match.
Emmeryn wished that Morgana was still alive. It was likely she would know what these brands meant, and if they were dangerous. Unfortunately, with their lack of knowledge, there was nothing they could do.
The next day, Emmeryn procured two sets of fingerless gloves and gave them to Robin and Reflet.
"What are these for?" Reflet asked skeptically.
Emmeryn smiled at her. "They are to cover your marks dear. I did some research and found that they aren't dangerous, so you won't have to worry, but I implore you to keep them a secret regardless. Naga only knows how some of the war veterans might react to seeing them."
She felt guilty for deceiving them, but if the white lie gave them peace of mind, then it would be worth it. More than anything, Emmeryn wished for her siblings and their friends to have a safe, stress free childhood.
Robin looked up at her with his innocent yet strangely wise eyes. "Do we have to keep it a secret from Chrom too?" He asked.
Emmeryn's heart clenched. "You may share this secret with those you trust absolutely. I know that Chrom is among that number. For your own safety though, please do not forget that. You two are like family to me. If anything happened to you, I would be distraught. I pray for a time when this sort of deception is unnecessary, and will work tirelessly to achieve that, but for now, this is the world we must live in. Do you understand?"
Robin nodded at her and gave her a hug. Reflet huffed, and Emmeryn could tell she wasn't happy about it, but she hugged Emmeryn as well. She forgot sometimes that the twins were only nine, given their intelligence, but moments like this reminded her, and she found herself reaffirmed of her vows to create a peaceful world for her loved ones.