Humans.
For quite some time, she was told they were unpredictable beings. For a long time, She heard her fellow beings whisper cautiously about these creatures of strange nature. But why should she have the same wariness? She wondered many times. She could remember happy times with her family, despite adversities. They always assured her that the most important thing was the love they had for each other, something that often contradicted the teachings of her people, who always said that humans were incapable of feeling it, let alone expressing it.
But in front of her, clearer than water, she could see the purest state of the love two people had for each other. Her father described it as a type of love, "Storge," a love towards your fellow beings, a love that could not be measured or controlled as it was the most basic form of bonding between family members.
Once again, reality proved her father unquestionably right.
"Well, you might not know, but I'm her older sister, my name is Severa and I won't forgive whoever made Morgan cry, got it?!"
That thought momentarily faded upon hearing such ridiculous words.
"No, wait, it's just because she loves her too much that she says those silly things," she sighed as she observed such a disconcerting and ridiculous scene.
"Wait! Waiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" Lissa raised her arms, horrified and absolutely stunned. "You... You... you're really Morgan's s-s-sister?!"
"Here we go..."
Chapter 6: The arrival
"I... I... I..." Cordelia was still in a kind of mental fog from such a declaration; she could barely process what was happening in her mind.
"Umm... Aunt Cordelia, are you okay?" Morgan's voice snapped her out of her trance. Seeing her face and her shining violet eyes, Cordelia cleared her throat to try to gather information; that would be the excuse she would use from now on.
"No," Cordelia replied in a serious tone.
"Huh?" Morgan looked concerned. "Y-You're not okay? W-Well, we c-could-"
"No, I don't mean that," she said, raising a finger. "I'm.. I'm not 'Aunt' Cordelia." She couldn't contain her blush and silly smile. "T-Tell me... 'M-Mom'." She said with a serious face for a moment.
"Uh? Oh... w-well..." Morgan had the same goofy expression, scratching her cheek nervously. She couldn't contain that feeling in her heart; a strange sweetness invaded her cheeks. "...m-mom?"
Cordelia squealed in excitement, her silly smile growing even wider.
"...yikes... mom, really? You're making the same face as when Morgan said your name for the first time..." Severa remarked, watching her mother with some disgust. Despite her sour gaze, Cordelia couldn't contain her joy, hugging them both tightly. She couldn't contain her happiness at this fact.
"Oh, by Naga! Yes! Oh, by the sacred goddess!" Cordelia exclaimed as she summoned superhuman strength to lift them both and do a cartwheel. "Of course, I'm your mother! My girls! My precious and beloved girls!" She said with her cheek against Severa, who seemed to have the same goofy smile as Morgan, although her eyes betrayed happiness and embarrassment.
"M-Mom! This is..." Severa bit her tongue when Cordelia stopped.
"Oh, sorry! My apologies! You don't like it?"
"I... I didn't say to stop..." Severa said, embarrassed but extremely happy, evident from the tone in her voice.
"Ah... then... bubbles and red, huh?" Gaius remarked, scratching the back of his neck. "That... could be inconvenient for the betting house..."
"Forget your stupid bet! What about them?!" Sumia exclaimed, causing Gaius to turn and see the other girls. In general, they all looked deflated, almost as if their souls were escaping them. Cynthia was consoling her sister while Maribelle didn't know how much longer she could keep up with Lissa's position.
"Ah... goodness... I think... this is where Ylisstol ends," Gaius muttered, taking a step back, catching Sumia off guard as she felt that threatening presence, for a moment the most worrying aspect.
"He...he...hehehehehehehehe..." Tharja seemed to be holding back.
"Tharja? D-dear? W-wait a moment! D-don't... don't do anything drastic," Sumia pleaded nervously.
"Aaaaah, my girls! By the heavens, Severa, you have... you have beautiful hair like your grandmother's, I didn't appreciate it before, but you look so much like her..." Cordelia took a few strands hidden among her braids. "Red?"
"D-Don't touch there!" Severa said, about to move her hand away from the lock of hair, but she couldn't bring herself to push her. "I... I just wanted to see... how I looked with hair like yours..."
"Oh, darling, no, it doesn't matter how you want to have your hair, whether it's the color of your father's or mine, you look beautiful in any shade, I assure you."
"M-Mother..."
"COR-DE-LI-A," Tharja snapped as she tried to contain her anger.
"Alright, enough, it's time to clarify some things," another voice said from the background.
"FRIENDS!" Nowi announced as she appeared before them, quickly running to hug Morgan. "AH! MORGAN! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"
"Ah, N-Nowi, it's good to see you again!" Morgan said.
"It's so good to see everyone! We've arrived at Lucina's birthday! I brought lots and lots of gifts!" Nowi said as she pulled various items out of her backpack. With leaps, she approached Sumia to give her several multicolored seashells with some jewels. "For your baby! I'm sure she'll love them!" Then she approached Lucina, handing her a golden ring. "For you! You'll need it later!" She went to Tharja, who still looked angry, still with her annoyed face, Nowi smiled and gave her a hug. "Tharja! I brought you what you wanted!" She said as she handed her some manuscripts.
"Goodness, even though I knew this would happen, she's still behaving worse than before," the same voice said as everyone turned to the end of the hallway.
There was Gregor, who was laughing, waving at them with one hand amid chuckles. Beside him was a girl who seemed quite fragile, a couple of small pigtails, but the most striking thing of all was that she had white hair, long ears, and above all, she was wearing the same coat as Robin?
"Gawds! The moment you said you heard Morgan cry, I couldn't help it, okay?!" Severa said, her face red. "Just!... just..." She looked away. "I... I didn't want to hear Morgan like that..."
"...Severa..." Morgan's eyes welled up again.
"Gawds! No! Don't start again!" The girl stomped her foot. "Yes! I missed you so much! I was so worried about you! Do you have a problem with that?!"
"N-No... it's just that..." Morgan timidly scratched her cheek. "It's... nice to have... such a cute little sister..."
"Oh no, you won't do that either!" Severa pinched Morgan's cheeks. "I was already ridiculed with that once, you won't do it too! You're my little sister, got it?!"
"Nuh-uh," Morgan replied. "I'm pretty sure you're the younger one."
"Alright, alright, Severa..." Nah sighed. "Let's all calm down here," she said as she approached, trying to soothe her.
Meanwhile, Cordelia seemed to be in a state of ecstasy for a moment, her soul almost leaving her body as she watched the three girls interact with each other.
"Cordiiiii!" Nowi quickly hugged her, delighted to see her. "I missed you so, so, so much!"
"Oh... yes... I missed you too..." Cordelia barely responded.
"Oh, you must be one of my mother's friends, nice to meet you," Nah said, bowing slightly. "I know my mother can be impulsive and... outgoing, but thank you for tolerating her behavior and being there for her."
"Tolerating?" Nowi puffed her cheeks. "They all love me a bunch and I love them too."
"Yes, true... forgive me, mother..." Nah sighed, trying to think of her words carefully as she glanced at the group and the curious eyes beginning to gather around them. Nah made a suggestion, "We should have a more... private conversation, perhaps? I'm sure you must have plenty of questions... but this isn't the place for serious discussions."
"It seemed like that day was going to be quite a show, and what a show it was!
Though nervous about her earlier outburst, Morgan felt relieved. It seemed that little Lucina hadn't noticed she'd left. In fact, in the short time she'd been gone, Chrom had managed to distract her. The little princess seemed more interested in her afternoon nap than in what was going on around her. So it was just a matter of Sumia giving a few thank-yous, farewells, and within minutes, the main event would be over. Only the guests attended to by the servants would remain to keep the party from ending too quickly, using the excuse that Lucina would soon be indisposed.
In silence, Morgan thanked and apologized for using her favorite person as an excuse to buy time and resolve the situation.
So, until the queen returned with her husband, everyone remained silent in the music room. Cordelia was beside Severa, who in turn had Morgan in a hug, playing with her hair. Nah and Nowi were on the other side of Severa, while Lissa, Maribelle, Lucina, Cynthia, Olivia, and Sully were present. Tharja, for her part, had retired for the moment upon seeing Nah and Nowi."
"Sumia, calm down for once! What's so important as to interrupt the party-" Chrom fell silent when he saw the group. He had been pushed by his wife, who fervently ordered everyone else to remain silent about what they had heard. Chrom raised an eyebrow and greeted Nowi back, who was the only one seemingly reacting to the presence of the leader. "- of Lucina...? Um... nice to meet you?"
"Chrom, we have like ten or maximum twenty minutes before the guests start suspecting our absence. Miriel and Stahl can only entertain them for so long with their conversations. We have a little family emergency here, and I need you to support me on this," Sumia told him.
"A family emergency? But..." He turned to look at the group.
"Exactly what is the emergency?"
"Mother, please, it's not... not a family emergency," Lucina said. "It's just that..."
"I... I have a daughter... two daughters..." Cordelia said, raising her hand, unsure of what to think or say exactly.
"Oh... oh! Another child from the future? Why do they look like that?" Chrom asked.
"The problem is that..." Lucina couldn't find the words.
"Darling, my love, my reason for being and feeling, my gallant knight in blue armor," Sumia began. "Allow me to introduce you to Severa, Cordelia's daughter." Chrom greeted her again. "And we have Nah, Nowi's daughter, who has graced us with her presence," Sumia said, once again Chrom greeted. "Ah, right, they're sisters."
"Uh? Who?"
"All three are sisters," Sumia said with a wide smile.
"All three? Sisters? Who are sisters?"
"Nah, Severa, and MORGAN are SISTERS," she emphasized.
"Oh... oh! Aaaaaaaah... ahahahaha... haaaaaaaaah..." Chrom tried to find something to say under his wife's stern gaze.
"Tell me, darling, at any point in existence, did you consider telling me that you were aware that your best friend was considering having multiple women? Didn't you say that Robin thought polygamy was bad?!"
"B-But Robin considers it bad! When nobles use women as objects... particularly in Plegia and Chon'sin... and after the difficulties that entails... and after what we promised on our wedding night, I don't think that's the case..." Chrom nervously laughed.
"Robin... is he... against polygamy or not?" Cordelia asked, feeling somewhat down. "I... he never... Did he deceive me?"
"By the way... who's the oldest?" Morgan asked, looking at Severa, who puffed out her chest with pride, about to answer but Nah beat her to it.
"Well, believe it or not, I'm the oldest of the three, then Severa, and finally you, so you're my little sister," she said proudly, causing Morgan to puff out her cheeks.
"Ah... I thought... if Severa was the oldest... then Nah would be the result of the affair... but if that's the case... I'm the other woman..." Cordelia said, her face draining of color. "The other woman... with whom Robin cheated on Nowi... to have two daughters out of wedlock... I agreed twice..."
"Wait, wait, what? Who said that?" Severa interrupted, while Cordelia looked at her puzzled. "Do you really think you and Dad stopped with me and Morgan? There were days we had to talk to Uncle Chrom and Aunt Sumia to get you to stop being so touchy-feely with Dad. My sisters and I couldn't even go into the house at times because you two were so lovey-dovey."
"Oh, please, don't speak! Please, don't say that!"
"By Naga... I even remember we had to lock one of the rooms because they were into some stuff straight out of the books they read. Morgan once found one of those maid costumes—"
"No! Don't tell me we played that role-playing game! Not the one with the Black Maid!" Cordelia looked horrified, her face matching the color of her hair.
"For heaven's sake, Severa, we should put an end to the confusion by now," said Nah, looking at the group, who had an idea of what she was talking about. "I don't think they appreciate what you're saying at this point."
"I... I didn't think Robin had... those kinds of fetishes..." Lissa murmured, trying not to imagine Cordelia in the same type of clothing as the maids.
"Well, now that Chrom is here, I suppose we can start," said Nah as she stood up to greet the king. "There are many things we need to talk about, but first things first," she said, pointing to Severa. "There's no doubt that Severa is the daughter of Robin and Cordelia, just as there's no doubt that Morgan is the daughter of both of them. The issue here is that there's also no doubt that I am the daughter of Nowi and Robin, just as there's no doubt in my mind that Morgan is the daughter of Nowi and Robin too."
"What?" Lissa scratched her head, looking around at everyone. They all seemed to have the same doubt in their minds. Everyone except Morgan, Nowi, and Severa appeared confused by Nah's words. "Wait... wait, wait! I know..." She swallowed nervously as she blushed. "I've had to go through a lot to learn about... the nighttime service," she said, clearing her throat. "I'm pretty sure that's not possible."
"Maybe implicitly?" Morgan suggested, looking at Severa. "I mean, if Dad likes to play... maybe you two were together when I hatched!"
"Haaaaah... Morgan... I missed you so much..." Severa said, hugging her. "But... why an egg?"
"Isn't it obvious? If Cordelia and Nowi are both my moms, I'm sure they both laid me!" Morgan laughed. "Maybe I need to go to a mountain to find a dragonstone to make sure I'm not a dragon. It would be great if I could fly in the sky!"
"...Manaketes... don't lay eggs... well... at least not hybrids," Nah sighed. "If they were two adult manaketes and the female got pregnant while in her dragon form, then that would be the case, but I remember how you came into the world."
"Hump! So I'm not a majestic dragon?!" She crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks. "Are you sure? I feel like I'm about to breathe fire from anger."
"Well, there are many things we must consider."
"Hump!"
"And we haven't finished explaining everything yet."
"Hump! Hump! Hump!" She puffed out her cheeks as much as possible.
"STOP MAKING THAT FACE! YOU LOOK LIKE A FLUFFY SQUIRREL WHEN YOU POUT!" Nah thought to herself as Morgan emitted smoke. "Uh, in any case, there's something we need to consider here, which is the basis of everything."
"That you deceived us from the beginning of all this and put us all on alert," Tharja said irritably as she entered the room, approaching with several papers in hand. She saw Morgan pouting and rolled her eyes. "Morgan, if you want to be a squirrel so badly, I can grant your wish."
"No thanks, I'm good~" Morgan said, smiling and sitting up straight.
"Deceived us? Aren't they Robin's daughters?" Lissa asked nervously.
"No... I don't understand, this doesn't make sense," Olivia said.
"What doesn't make sense? What Tharja said? Or that they're not Robin daughters?"
"No, not that... I don't... I don't think there's any member of the club who wouldn't want... to be Morgan's mother, and you know that," Olivia said, very embarrassed as she said that. "What doesn't make sense is..."
"Why these girls are here? It makes perfect sense," Tharja said irritably. "I had to read some reports and testimonies, but I'll need to ask you a couple of things," she said, looking at Lucina and Cynthia. "We can verify the facts step by step, so I hope you don't lie because I'll figure it out."
"We won't lie, that's for sure," Lucina declared. "There's no way we w-"
"Tell me exactly your feelings for Robin."
Lucina came to a sudden halt, losing some of her composure with that request. Sumia put her hand on Tharja's shoulder, her icy gaze not intimidating the witch. "I don't think this is the best time for you to toy with my daughter," Sumia said.
"I'm not playing, I just needed to set an example of when she hesitates to answer to have a reference," Tharja replied with some malice in her voice. "But seriously, both Lucina and Cynthia and Severa are officially members of Ylisstol's small number of soldiers, so, would you mind showing us your insignias?"
"Huh? Why?" Severa asked, pulling hers out from under her blouse. Lucina and Cynthia, on the other hand, only showed their insignias sewn under the folds of their gloves.
"Interesting," Tharja said, looking at Severa. "A quick question, where you come from, there's no war, right?"
"Huh? No?"
"Are you asking me?"
"No! I mean, no, there's no stupid war where I come from."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Lissa asked.
"...I think... it's not possible..." Lucina replied. "In fact, I find it strange that if she's part of Ylisstol's militia, why is she wearing..."
"The old military recognition system?" Tharja intervened.
"The old what?" Lissa asked, confused.
"Maybe you don't remember, little princess, but there are things you should study about your nation," Tharja began. "While I understand that the absurd feelings of the princess of the future are complicated, I highly doubt she would have hidden this information from us, that two important members have the same relationship with Robin without us noticing? It's absurd and quite improbable that this would come out of nowhere..." she sighed as she paced back and forth. "First of all, Ylisstol has had some changes in its policies. About fifty years ago, during the war against Plegia and the extermination of the taguels, due to the high mortality rate, the soldiers' insignias distributed by the castle changed from being what they are to being part of the military equipment. Lucina and Cynthia have that insignia sewn to their clothes in case... they need to identify bodies in case they fall in combat, considering also the war against Grima, it's easier to find them that way than just having the insignia like this girl, not to mention that..." Tharja looked at Severa with some displeasure in her gaze. "...She seems extremely spoiled."
"Hey! What's your problem!? I'm not spoiled!" Severa protested.
"Well, maybe I expressed myself poorly, but that doesn't change the fact that you don't seem like someone who... fought for their life against a deity several times," Tharja addressed Severa, crossing her arms as she tried to choose her words carefully. "...in fact, there's something that seems to be hidden from us, can you give us more information about yourself? Can we trust you?"
"Haaah?! What? Are you doubting me now?"
"Well, I can't trust you. You appear out of nowhere, claim to be Morgan's sister, and show us something that doesn't match the current military code, so I must have my reservations about possible little girls who just want to meddle in our affairs."
"Gawds!" Severa turned red. "I would never do something like that! I-I might bat my eyelashes at Daddy to get some money... b-but there's no way I'd lie about something like this! What's wrong with you?!"
"Wait, what? Y-you're not my sister after all?" Morgan turned to Severa, tears in her eyes. "T-Tell me it's not true! Prove to me that you're my sister!"
"W-What? Morgan, please! I am your sister, I can assure you of that, there's no doubt th-"
"Enough," Cordelia intervened. "Tharja, I don't know what you're trying to prove with this, but it seems we're getting off track... even if I don't agree with thinking that Robin and I had those... inclinations, I have no doubts that they are my daughters."
"Yes! You're being very rude!" Nowi chimed in. "Weren't we friends?! How can you say that?! How can you be so mean?!"
"It's not about that, I just want to confirm some things," Tharja said, looking at Severa. "You may convince other people, but until Robin returns, it's my duty to watch over this pathetic and ridiculous group he calls 'family,' you've already shown that you're not following our military code, so you must give me something to ensure that you are who you say you are... you must give me any evidence you have to continue this conversation."
"Evidence? I... " Severa bit her lip.
"No, you don't have to do that," Cordelia said. "I'm sure if we ask her, she'll tell us everything, I don't see why we have to-"
"GAWDS! UNDERSTAND! VERY WELL! YOU WANT EVIDENCE THAT I'M ROBIN'S DAUGHTER?! I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU!" She said, pointing at Tharja with her finger. "GET READY! BECAUSE I'LL MAKE YOU FALL ON YOUR ASS WITH HOW I'LL PROVE IT!" She said angrily as she looked around, took off her jacket, and tied her hair into a ponytail on the right side of her body.
"Severa? What are you..." Cordelia couldn't finish her question. Severa walked over to the instruments and picked up one of the violins on display, looking at her mother, she blushed.
"I... wanted to surprise you on your anniversary... we all wanted to... " Severa said sadly as she started to play.
"That's... "
"Yes, it is..." Morgan murmured as the group listened silently to Severa playing the violin. There were some off notes, but it was definitely the song she and Robin had made, specifically the part of Robin that was always missing when Morgan played.
Tharja became annoyed at seeing Severa.
It wasn't just the fact that she was playing a musical piece that Robin took a long time to perfect with his poor musical skills, but also that she could see Cordelia's silhouette next to her. Despite her rough and clumsy way of moving, it was evident who her teacher was. Glancing sideways at Cordelia, the pegasus knight couldn't contain her pride and happiness at seeing Severa play so fluently.
Musical talent wasn't what mattered to Tharja; rather, it was whether she could demonstrate a trait that could only have been inherited or taught by someone directly from the group. One thing was the way she played, another very different thing was that someone knew the missing notes of the song they always tried to replicate as Robin did. No one outside the Shepherds knew more than a minute of that musical piece, so the fact that this girl could almost complete the song was more than evident that she wasn't someone external or outside the group."
Tharja hated having to admit that and all its implications.
"And... well?!" Severa said with a mocking and proud smile. "Is... that... enough?!" she said as she tried to catch her breath, the fast and concise notes had tired her towards the end of her performance.
"...one last question," Tharja said as she looked at Nah and Severa for a moment. "...you, the indecisive girl... Ylisstol exists... but does Plegia?"
"Huh? Plegia? What's that?" Severa asked, causing Nah to look away. "I don't know what..."
"So... Father has some good companions here... who can come to a conclusion that matches mine..." Nah replied.
"So that's it..." Tharja said as she bit her finger.
"Wait, I'm confused, what's going on here?" Sumia asked. "Can you explain what's happening?"
"One of the blunders of our beloved goddess who watches over the world," Tharja said, making a grimace with her palm. "...Severa... right? It's hard for me to ask this, but... what position does Robin hold?"
"Daddy's position? You mean his job?" Severa rolled her eyes for a moment. "Well, duh, it's obvious, he's Aunt Emmeryn's royal advisor, although from what I've heard, Uncle Chrom also asks him for advice." Tharja was surprised to get that information, as everyone else widened their eyes in sheer surprise.
"Wait... what? WHAT?!" Chrom couldn't contain his voice as everyone seemed stunned.
"I see... did you come up with this?" Tharja asked Nah, who nodded slowly.
"I'm afraid that... even for me, it's hard to believe what's happening... Severa didn't understand the implications, but I'm glad to see that there's someone who understands our situation," Nah said.
"Wait a moment! What's going on here?! How are you so calm saying those things?! This girl defini-"
"Calm down, Chrom," Tharja interrupted him. "She´s not being disrespectful or telling a blatant lie, it's just that this goes beyond what I initially thought."
"Come on, Tharja, please, stop the secrecy and tell us what's going on," Sumia pleaded.
"...It was just a conjecture..." Tharja began to speak. "Honestly, I didn't think that with the evidence Robin provided, it would be possible, much less feasible, but it seems that... they ruined the timeline even more than we thought," she said, looking at Lucina. "I'm not sure, but... if this girl says that Plegia doesn't exist... just like the gate that takes us to other small worlds, this girl... 'Severa' must come from another world, a world where there was no war, Plegia doesn't exist, and therefore, most of the people who affected our world don't exist in hers... or exist in a different way..." she said, looking at Severa, who averted her gaze, concern evident on her face.
"That... that doesn't make sense," Chrom said, scratching his head, feeling another headache coming on. "You're saying that she's Cordelia's daughter from another world? one where..."
"Where apparently Ylisstol exists without Plegia, where there was no war, and where apparently Robin didn't become Grima's vessel," Tharja replied, looking at Nah. "And you... I suppose you'll tell us something more implausible than Severa."
"...Well, in my world, where I come from, there's no 'Ylisse' as such, only the nation of Storge with the human border of the Feroxi Federation," Nah said as she sighed. "...my mother... isn't a queen or anything like that, my father, Robin, is the only human allowed in our nation by the work of one of Naga's daughters who leads the nation..."Nah said with a hint of sadness and melancholy in her voice.
"Why didn't you say this from the beginning?" Tharja asked.
"How could I say something like that?" Nah replied. "We know that we're not in our home, in our world. Severa has been here for months... I, on the other hand... have been stranded here for about a year..." That soured the faces of those present.
"...that's a lot to take in all at once..." Chrom commented.
"Well... I guess it was good while it lasted..." Severa said, sighing and picking up her jacket from the floor. "Since Nah spilled everything... there's no reason for us to stay..."
"What do you mean, young lady?" Cordelia asked angrily.
"Isn't it obvious? We're not the daughters you both longed for," she said, crossing her arms. "W-We're just people who look a lot like your daughters, but we're not them, so there's no reason for us to stay a-any lo-longer..." Severa was interrupted when Morgan tackled her, both falling to the ground. "M-Morgan?"
"No! I refuse!" Morgan said, her face buried in Severa's stomach.
"What?"
"I REFUSE!" she repeated. "I don't care if you're 'not our Severa,' I refuse to let go of my sister from another world."
"But Morgan, I'm not your sister... at least not the real one if you have one," Severa said sadly. "You resemble my Morgan a lot, you throw the same tantrums and even have the same smile... but my Morgan has our mother's hair, just for that I know you're not my little sister..."
"I DON'T CARE!" Morgan grumbled, tightening her grip. "I'm sure my other self would be scolding you for wanting to leave your beloved and adored sister over something so trivial."
"Trivial? But I come from another wo-"
"I DON'T CARE!" she huffed. "Lucina explained to us from the beginning how time travel works... or something like that, but the point is that every child who comes from the future is what they could be. If you and Nah come from another world, it just means that it's possible for you to be born in this one, so to me, you're my sister, no matter where you come from!"
"M-Morgan..." Severa tried to push her away, but Cordelia joined the hug.
"Truly... Morgan has a particular way of showing her affection... but as far as I'm concerned... you're my daughter, nothing else matters... so... don't speak as if we're going to kick you out just because of something like this..."
"Yeah!" Nowi chirped, who was also hugging Nah. "I found my precious family, and no one, NO ONE, will make me think otherwise that they're not mine! Nowi doesn't understand it, but it doesn't matter! Nah feels like family, SO THEY'RE FAMILY!" she said as she moved closer to join the hug with Nah by her side.
"Y-You... all of you..." Severa hid her teary eyes with her ponytail. "All of you... are bunch of s-silly..."
"We´re your bunch of silly family," Morgan said nonchalantly
They started to discuss among themselves, but Chrom, Sumia, and Olivia were focused on someone else. Before the group realized what they were starting to support Severa, the three left the music room. "Hold on..." Chrom said quickly, stopping the fourth person who left first.
"What?" Tharja retorted.
"You... knew this could happen?" Sumia asked.
"Who knows," she said, trying to ignore them. "I'm just making sure."
"Making sure of what?" Chrom inquired.
"Isn't it obvious?" she said, eyeing them with some annoyance. "I'm supposed to be in charge until Robin returns regarding the security of the place, so it's my responsibility to make sure anyone who gets close to my Morgan isn't someone who wants to harm her... I can't fail again," she dug her nails into her arm as she said this, "it was unlikely... but not impossible..."
"But... shouldn't you have discussed this with us?" Chrom said.
"Besides... this raises many questions..." Sumia added. "In fact... is it possible that more children from other worlds might arrive?"
Tharja shrugged. "Who knows... maybe yes, maybe no, I have to interrogate the green lizard they call a goddess for more answers. I tried to force her to answer me a while ago, but she's good at avoiding me, so unless you have a way to contact her or happen to have a Tiki hidden in the closet, I have nothing but assumptions."
"...Tharja... you..." Olivia looked conflicted. "...please, tell us your thoughts on this... you're the one with the best idea of what's going on here..."
The witch sighed tiredly as she tried to find the simplest words they could understand. "It's still a suspicion I haven't entirely dismissed, but mainly I've had to establish some kind of connection with that stupid oversized lizard. It's exasperating that she doesn't respond as I want, and seeing the girls gave me several unpleasant ideas..." She glanced at Chrom with some resentment. "Can you repeat what Naga said?"
"That... if the bonds that unite us are strong enough, then he would return to us..." Chrom replied.
"This... can't be..." Sumia murmured as she looked at the ground, distraught and with tears in her eyes.
"Sumia?" Olivia tried to comfort her.
"It seems she understands," Tharja said with annoyance in her voice. "I thought a few months ago, 'how long would it take for my beloved Robin to return?', 'Could fate be so cruel as to let months or even years pass?' I wondered, until another idea crossed my mind. 'What if our bonds aren't strong enough?" Chrom and Olivia widened their eyes.
"T-That's not possible! It's not something we lack! Robin is my best friend! He hasn't—"
"Oh, Naga... no... oh no..." This time Olivia started to cry. "It can't be... is... is it our fault?"
"What? What are you talking about?" Chrom asked.
"Your highness, it seems you don't understand. It may be a bias of comprehension or denial, but I'll be clear on two points," Tharja said. "First and foremost, everyone here has strong bonds with someone, but in these circumstances, it's not with whom you think. Tell me, do you feel a bond with Robin right now? Or do you feel a paternal bond with Morgan to care for her until he returns?"
"What? Isn't it the same thing?"
"Of course not," Tharja said. "The lizard said 'if your bonds are strong, he will return.' The moment Morgan entered our lives, haven't we had to strengthen our bonds with her? Or a better question, has our relationship with her weakened the bonds we have with Robin?"
"That's absurd! I don't know how many women are after Robin, but I assure you that a couple of them wishing for that isn't something that could affect our bonds. Besides, wouldn't it go hand in hand?"
"That's the problem, Chrom, I'm not sure, and that's what bothers me," Tharja sighed. "In the curses I apply, it's a magic that's based on desire. If I curse someone, I have to be very specific and very petty about it. If my target is someone I know, I have to make sure 'my ego' doesn't interfere with my magic, to harm someone specific so they don't change targets. Ylissean magic doesn't work with curses, so it's just gathering magical power and using it, but Manakete magic works based on desire, which is why I want a direct answer from Naga."
"You... what answers are you seeking?"
"Mainly, how does that lizard think it's possible for Robin to return," Tharja said angrily. "I don't buy into the 'think happy thoughts, and the universe will conspire in your favor' nonsense. Things like 'think positive' aren't valid excuses. If she says he'll return..." she used her magic to conjure a vortex in her hand to try to explain what she was thinking "if Robin returns because it's something Naga can do due to the attraction he exerts on us, then she's acting through our desire, our bonds. So, regardless of what we do, he'll come back to us sooner or later... but..." Tharja transformed the weak image of the vortex into a pair of spheres, "if it's magic that's based on our... 'ego,' on what we desire, it's a magic that's based on what 'we wish for,' the same magic that brought the princess and the children who traveled to the past. They wanted to return to save the world, but they came back not at the optimal moment but much before the conflict. That 'ego' changed the arrival date of the future children, thus changing the 'objective' of the power they inherited. If the same happens with Robin, then our desire to protect Morgan could overlap with the desire to have Robin back," she said as one of the spheres took on the silhouette of the albino, fading into the air. "Which brings me to point two, the presence of our new guests."
"W-Wait, there's more? This is... a lot to take in..."
"You wanted me to talk; this is what I've thought of, which in itself is unpleasant," Tharja said. "If my speculation about the 'desire' is correct... then... can you guess how it could transform?"
"...We... have seen Morgan suffer greatly..." Olivia said. "Every time I hear her play in the amphitheater... it breaks my heart... I want to hold her, hug her, protect her, but... I-I don't know if I can do that... I think... 'she needs her family'... she needs Robin..."
"...she needs someone who understands her pain..." Sumia continued. "No... oh Naga, no... if we think that... then what you're saying about people's 'desire' is..."
"To bring a family member, not specifically Robin if their desire is for her to heal her pain in any possible way," Tharja said.
"That's absurd! It's not possible th-"
"There are only 30 people in the entire world who know that Robin isn't here," Tharja interrupted Chrom. "Every single one of us knows that Morgan suffers from the loss of my beloved Robin. Can you honestly say that at no point in the last few months of his absence, you haven't wished for Morgan to stop suffering no matter what?"
Chrom bit his tongue. "But I've always wished for it to be Robin who comforts her, who protects her! Who comes back to fulfill Morgan's most cherished desire, to have her famil—" Chrom realized what he was saying, bringing his hand to his head, feeling his throat go dry. "Wait... you're saying that this... 'desire' can move in this way... it can... it can act to do something else than what we want but still fulfill the condition?"
"Yes."
Without a second of hesitation, without a moment to think about her response, Tharja was decisive and ruthless.
"Why... why didn't you tell us this before?"
"Because i would rather die than accept the... 'most practical solution,'" Tharja said, catching them off guard. "What I'm saying is more than just a thought that came to me due to the lack of information. At this point, I'm not sure if it's the case, as if I were right, the most practical thing would be to remove the problem from the path."
"T-The... problem..." Olivia murmured before flushing with anger. "MORGAN, A PROBLEM?!"
"Calm down, it's just a way of expressing what I was thinking. As I said, it's just a negative idea that arose from the lack of information. Severa doesn't help me think otherwise, but Nah almost assures me that's not the case."
"E-Explain, please... I can't handle all of this..." Chrom said nervously.
"If we only take Severa into account, I could think she's the 'solution' from that lizard, or it could be due to the effect of the 'desire' that would have brought Robin back. If it were the solution, then it would be the admission from the lizard that there's not a bond strong enough to bring Robin back. If it were the 'solution,' then I might think that the 'desire' requested at that time was altered and brought Severa, but those two options are almost nullified by Nah, as she arrived while we were in full war, so I'm not sure if it's because Lucina's desire to return here dragged others to this place or it's something related to Robin."
"..." They fell silent as they tried to comprehend the situation. "What can we do?" Sumia asked timidly.
"I need... to go talk to that woman..." Tharja gritted her teeth. "I hate having to think about the idea of asking her a favor, but if I can't, maybe the precious golden daughter of the goddess can help me convince her to give me more information," Tharja could see the guards gathering behind them. "It seems our time is up," she said as she began to walk away. "Keep acting as usual; Morgan can't know anything about this conversation."
Chrom fell pensive as the guards escorted them back to the music room. There seemed to be a small issue with the security protocol; Nowi had let in outsiders, and she was being scolded by some of the commanders who were supposed to be patrolling the area.
Meanwhile, Olivia was overwhelmed by the information. She didn't fully understand it, but she could draw a conclusion. Tharja had hidden this from them because of the terrible implications it held, that they might be the cause, although not entirely proven. The thought that Robin hadn't returned yet, and might never return because they didn't have strong enough bonds, broke her heart. She felt like crying and pleading for a clear answer to the impending explanation that Tharja would have to give, or worse, that she couldn't give any clear answer at all.
She didn't know which was worse, but she was certainly scared and outraged by the situation.
"Again... I can't do anything... again... I'm powerless... useless..." she thought as she approached the group with an empty gaze.
"Eeeeh?! But why not?!" Morgan's voice snapped her out of her trance. Cordelia had this disgruntled look with one of the royal guard commanders.
"I-I'm sorry, but, but those are the rules, madam!" the young man said, quickly approaching Chrom. "E-Excuse me, Your Excellency, b-but we can't just ignore this!"
"What's going on here?" Chrom asked.
"L-Lady Nowi brought in a couple of strangers without notifying anyone; it's not part of the protocol to leave them unattended in the presence of any unarmed Shepherds during a full-blown event."
"Seriously? I don't have time for these rules..." Sumia sighed. "No... I don't have the mental energy to deal with this, not now..."
"My queen, Your Excellency, I regret to say but... th-those are the orders Robin left regarding how to handle these 'known strangers.' If you order it, we'll have no choice but to disobey Robin´s orders" the commander explained.
"I see..." Chrom fell pensive, watching as the group was distressed by the news. Nowi was only guilty of being too innocent and naive, unaware of social standards, but if he lifted Robin's order just like that, he didn't know what the other nobles might think. "...they've been seen by someone?"
"Your Excellency... Nowi flaunted them at the main entrance, and before we could grasp what was happening, she slipped through one of the corridors..."
"Practically everyone will know by tomorrow..." he sighed, looking at his friends. "Alright, we won't ignore Robin's directive."
"CHROM!" Lissa and most of the people protested.
"Relax, I'll have Cordelia and Sully guard visitor Severa in their private chambers in the castle so that tomorrow we can thoroughly check her intentions. Visitor Nah will be with Nowi and accompanied by Panne, Lissa, and Lucina. Is that okay? They'll be under custody."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Hey, but that's not fair!" Morgan pouted.
"Morgan... we... we..." Sumia approached, her hand on Morgan's cheek, only to withdraw it after sighing "Sweetie, there's a lot going on right now. We don't want to worry you or leave you out. Just... let us take care of things for now, okay?"
"Eeeeeeeeeh?! But Aunt Sumia! I-"
"Well, I don't know what to do," Olivia sighed. "Sully was my escort, but now that she's staying here... I don't know how to get back to my room in the amphitheater... if only there was someone to help me..."
"Ah... aaah! Wait... you... me... ugggh!" It was incredible how many strange faces Olivia made in just a few seconds. Finally, she settled on one that was a combination of excitement and discomfort. "I-I can't... if Luci doesn't see me tomorrow... we were supposed to... play together tomorrow..."
"Morgan," Chrom cleared his throat, taking the opportunity Olivia gave him. "Lucina will be busy tomorrow with family meetings, so for now, I need you to help Olivia, okay? I'll make sure you both have some free time tomorrow afternoon."
"...Promise?" Morgan looked at him skeptically. When he and Sumia nodded, Morgan sighed. "Well... but you haven't gotten rid of me yet. We need to discuss... this!" She pointed at her sisters. Severa rolled her eyes while Nah smiled, quickly joining the group to give them a hug. "Sorry... I have a ton of questions, so many many many! Like that book you mentioned mom used, I think I know which one it is," she said with a mischievous grin, causing Cordelia to blush.
"Yeah, yeah, we also need to settle some scores," Severa said, playing with Morgan's hair. "Don't let them make you cry again. You know what Dad said, right?"
"Um... go for the eyes?"
"That's my adorable sister."
"I'm sure Robin wouldn't approve of that," Cordelia sighed.
Well, among all things, she figured that was the best bait for Morgan, at least at that moment.
Olivia, being the artist she was, only had a few rules in the world of entertainment.
Don't let anyone accompany you to your quarters at night.
Despite everyone knowing the kind of relationship she had with Morgan, she couldn't prevent the spread of putrid and sick rumors from nefarious people seeking to ridicule her. So it was rare for her to spend the night with Morgan. The girl's tendency to invade the personal quarters of other club members was well known. At one point, she had rejected the idea, but now, that was futile in the face of what pierced her soul to the core.
"Removing the problem from the path."
Those words bothered her immensely. Even in her timid demeanor, she couldn't help but furrow her brow in such a way that her blood boiled.
Her precious Morgan labeled as a 'problem'? What kind of ignorant and incompetent person would say that?!
Then she remembered the incident with the stones.
No, she had to think fast, and the way to protect Morgan from what Tharja said was to act in a way that couldn't be questioned as the best for the girl and her father. So as soon as it was decided she would spend the night with her, Morgan quickly grabbed one of Robin's coats, a couple of pillows, and, like a little explorer, hopped in front of her to go for her precious loot, the artist's quarters.
In general, her resting place wasn't anything grand in her opinion, just a bed, a hammock, desks, and the essentials she could have in the amphitheater as her home.
Morgan had already visited the office, and in fact, she moved the hammock from the office to her room because she couldn't resist the urge to cuddle with Morgan when she fell asleep in it. Now, everything seemed so irrelevant in the face of that situation.
After arriving and settling in, they only took the necessary time to go to bed. Morgan brushed her teeth while trying to wipe away the remnants of her tears. Olivia had scolded her and quickly forced her to have a check-up with the healer they had reserved in the amphitheater to make sure she didn't have any problems from the bump she got while running and the cheerful girl tried to dismiss what happened as nothing.
With everything checked and knowing that everything was in order, Olivia sat on the hammock, watching as Morgan got ready.
That girl looked adorable in the pajamas she had given her some time ago, even though they were a bit small. Morgan didn't seem to have any problems wearing those white clothes with small clouds woven into the fabric.
"Hey... are you hiding something serious from me, aren't you?" Morgan said as she finished cleaning her gums.
"Um? Why do you say that?" Olivia asked as she finished braiding her hair.
"It's just that... it seemed strange that they wanted to follow protocol. It's not something Chrom would do at this moment, especially during Luci's birthday, and to be honest... I was hoping to have more time with them."
"With Nah and Severa?"
"Yeah! It's... it's strange," Morgan said, scratching her head. "No... I don't remember them... well, they themselves said it was unlikely, if not impossible if it wasn't 'their Morgan'... but, I feel... happy..."
"Are you happy because you could be Cordelia's daughter?"
"No, it's not that... it's just that..." Morgan quickly approached her, borrowing her lap, and Olivia began to comb her hair. "...I feel happy knowing... that dad can be the same fool no matter where he is."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Oh, right, you went out with Uncle Chrom when we had a family moment!" She laughed while trying not to bite her tongue because of how fast she started talking "You see, there are many things that can happen in this case, but it's amazing how dad can have this kind of regular behavior, not only they told me stories, but what they said are very similar to my memories with dad, so being something as specific as teaching me how to tie a tobacco knot in broken bags, or being able to make certain inks, they can't lie! Nobody knows that, I never shared those memories... but it makes me happy that wherever my dad is... he raises us with the same love and affection..."
"...Morgan..."
"That's why... I can't wait for him to come back," Morgan chuckled a bit, followed by a deep yawn. "I can't... wait to tell him that... he impregnated two women... in his absence... it will be hilarious to see his expression..."
"So... you want Nowi or Cordelia to be your mother?"
"Well, so far... I thought either could do it... Lissa...Lucina...Tharja... you... I wouldn't mind," Morgan said as she began to drag her words as Olivia started swaying the hammock. She couldn't help but smile as she hugged her with special care and affection, wrapping herself in one of the many blankets she had, making sure she was comfortable. Looking at her face, she couldn't help but get excited about the prospect she had in front of her.
"Morgan... I..." She kissed her forehead as she wiped her cheek. "...I won't let you be unhappy... that's my promise as your future mother..."