As the city was slowly waking from the night's slumber, even though the amphitheater sign read 'closed,' a certain individual was at the bar, sipping not from the typical jug but a regular glass of spirits. Taking one of the bottles, they poured themselves another drink. Despite their constitution, the 'dragon's breath' they were imbibing seemed to have a stronger effect this time. The staff passed by, not bothered but finding the presence rather unusual, considering the person's behavior.
Just as they took another sip, the bouncer arrived with the establishment's owner, who sighed, hands on hips. Sully turned to her, a faint smile on their face, lifting the glass to pour another.
"Already? You must look presentable for today," Olivia said, taking the bottle before Sully could pour more.
"I'll be ready by evening. The event is at night... so it's all good," Sully replied, struggling to meet Olivia's gaze.
In fact, they couldn't help but observe her body and face, whistling as Olivia moved behind the counter to arrange the bottles. Hated to admit it, but among all possible candidates, Olivia seemed to be the logical choice for most in terms of physical attraction.
A round posterior, slender waist, a beautiful back, delicate skin with silky hair. Though Sully knew many girls who could envy her figure and were more egotistical than any noble, the addition of a shy and serene personality was incongruent, creating an attractive contrast for many men. Until recently, it hadn't bothered Sully, but Tharja's words continued to echo strongly in their mind. They never felt insecure before, but for some reason, they now saw all the shortcomings within themselves.
"It's useless to compare yourself to others." Those words reverberated in their head, perhaps due to the alcohol, but they could see Robin's shadow beside them, reprimanding. "Each person is unique. Comparing ourselves out of envy will only lead to unhappiness," they heard Robin's words.
Feeling terrible for having to repeat those words over and over, that advice was given when they had issues with their grandfather and mother. At that time, Sully confided part of her past to Robin, how she felt a certain envy towards Stahl's family. He emphasized that without her family, she wouldn't be the strong and reliable woman she was today. It was the 'shortcomings' that forged her strengths and character.
"Are you feeling okay? Do you need me to take you to the castle?" Olivia asked, pulling Sully out of their reverie.
"No... just... thinking..."
"Are you still on about what Tharja said a few days ago?"
"I think... not anymore..." Sully said, smiling. "Damn, it really hit me hard... seeing my comrades like that... made me feel bad..."
"I don't see why you should feel bad. We're here for you," Olivia said with a kind smile. "After all, you've helped me a lot, along with the others."
"Heh... I guess you're right," Sully said as they rose with some effort, feeling they were reaching a point where they weren't thinking clearly. "So... there's just a couple of things left to clarify!"
"Clarify? What are you talking about?"
"Well, the next club meeting!"
"The club?" Olivia pondered for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking about... there were no pending issues."
"Oh, of course there were!" Sully exclaimed, clapping their hands on the table. "I won't just stand by while that girl takes all the glory and Robin. I'd rather share than lose it."
"S-Sorry?!"
"Yeah! You know, share it!"
"No, wait, what?!" Olivia blushed, looking around. Fortunately, no employee was close enough to overhear their drunken conversation. "W-What are you talking about?! R-R-Robin isn't some object to be sh-sh-shared!"
"No, no, it's something some people do," Sully whispered. "You know, Chrom's grandpa did it, even something I heard from Say'ri... something anyone who can afford it can do... at this point, wouldn't it be weird for Robin not to have an extra wife or another concubine?"
"Sully, I don't think it's that simple," she sighed. "Besides, imagine how uncomfortable it would be for Robin. It's not something you can just bring up..."
"Why not? I really, reaaaally want him to pick me. I like him, he's not an idiot, and it's not like it's the first time I've touched his biceps and he's touched mine," Sully said with a mischievous smile. "Plus... if it's you... I wouldn't mind... sharing..."
"For Naga's sake, Sully..." Olivia sighed, trying to regain composure. "F-First... what you're talking about isn't just a whim; it affects many people and needs deeper discussion. Second, I don't think they'd accept that considering Robin's dubious social status..." She began listing the reasons, but seeing Sully with that cheeky grin, resting on the bar, seeming to have fallen asleep, she couldn't believe she'd been knocked out so quickly. Olivia took the bottle to see what she had consumed, surprised that only half a bottle from Anna's shop had rendered her completely drunk. She took a small glass to calm her nerves.
"Goodness..." She blushed, taking another sip. "I can't believe she and Sumia made the same proposition to me..." She whispered, remembering when the queen hypothetically asked how she'd feel if it were Lucina, and Olivia was the consort. "These nobles... they're too liberal..."
A strange feeling, a familiar sensation, ran through their body. Once again, they felt an uncertainty they hadn't experienced in a long time.
It was a tough time, or as Robin put it, "interesting times," a peculiar way of describing tense moments and extreme stress, at least during that season. Before anything else, Robin managed the militia so that each member had a full week off for the next month while he rearranged the final strategy.
To be honest, they didn't trust Aversa's advice much, but that unhinged woman knew how to make a point when it was important and logically sharp enough to make anyone opposing her feel like an idiot. So, there weren't many objections when she argued for giving their forces extra time to prepare in the upcoming month, utilizing that free time.
Obviously, many didn't know what was going on, but most took advantage of that week off to return home and spend some time with their families before coming back to train. Tiki could hear a man in a nearby room venting his frustration and anger, something unusual and almost impossible for him. Such behavior would be expected from others, but many times when she saw him tired and worn out, he hadn't collapsed like he was doing now.
She approached the door and timidly knocked. The hustle inside stopped for a moment, with a brief pause of silence; she heard him say, "come in." Tiki pushed the door open to reveal an unusually disorganized room.
On one side, the desk, shelf, and supply boxes were perfectly arranged, as she had seen a few times before. On the other side of the room, chairs overturned, the table fallen, the bed unmade, hundreds of papers piled up in various stacks, forming two separate columns, one signed and sealed by Robin, while others had 'Not Admissible' written in red ink. Robin seemed like chaos. He never cared much about his appearance, but now the disheveled state of his hair seemed to be the most cared-for and groomed part of him. Deep, dark circles under his eyes, paler than usual, and somewhat worn out. Upon locking eyes, Robin looked away, adjusting the collar of his shirt, embarrassed for some reason.
"Tiki... I..." He tried to fix his hair upon her arrival, but for a brief moment, he seemed to realize the absurdity of that when he saw his reflection. "...sorry, give me a moment, please," he said while putting the chairs back in place and trying to better arrange the table. Tiki couldn't help but notice some of the chilling titles on the documents in red ink. At least most were there; others didn't seem to be the exception.
"Robin? What happened here? It seems like Nowi and Tharja snooped around your stuff with Morgan, and they were all mad at you," she commented, trying to joke. Robin stopped for a moment but continued, arranging the chair and inviting her to sit.
"It's nothing. This place... has seen better days. I could offer you tea, but..." seeing the teapot and opening it, a strong coffee odor emanated from it. Quickly, he went to the small tray in a corner of the room to look for more things but could only find another water pitcher with some snacks. "Sorry, I haven't been able to restock. It's not usual for me. I only have water to offer you."
"Robin, you know that's not the problem," she said, taking his hand. Again, Robin seemed to understand her expression, but before sitting next to her, he bit his lip and raised his arms.
"No, sorry, it's ridiculous. Just tell me, how can I help you? Do you need anything? I'm sorry I can't give you more time, Tiki, but I can't... I..." he looked distressed, on the verge of tears.
"Robin..." Tiki sighed. She hesitated for a moment about what to do, but seeing how the guy couldn't even look her in the eyes, her gaze wandered around the room. She noticed the papers, and upon standing up, she decided on a slightly more aggressive route than usual. She took a couple of papers from both columns. Robin seemed concerned, was about to protest, but upon locking eyes again, he refrained.
"..."
"Robin, what's this?" she asked while holding the papers.
"For Naga's sake, you must be disgusted with me...sorry..." he sighed. "I know I have to review them again."
Tiki began to read the papers more attentively. Despite only having a basic understanding of Ylissean, she could comprehend some crucial points. "These are..."
"...you could say they're the unpleasant aspects of being a tactician," he said, scratching his head.
"...," Tiki remained silent for a moment, considering the commotion she heard from outside, those nobles who were arguing with some villagers expelled from the castle by Frederick. "...Is it because of those people that your room is like this?"
"Partly their fault, but not entirely," he replied."Can't blame 'em, actually. One thing is for the nobles to complain and then avoid facing the consequences of their deeds. But it's a whole different story when you gotta tell a village chief or some governor or landowner in the area that we won't be able to provide help in the next few months. We can only give symbolic aid. With the arrival of autumn, many businesses lost significance, creating shortages... hitting the lower folks harder."
"But Robin... from what I've seen, you've got big plans for the future..."
"Yeah, I've got plans, but that's the problem, Tiki!" he said with a nervous laugh. "I'm pretty sure that even though many can say it's beneficial in the long run, the idea of sacrificing a year or two of their lives at best is madness in itself!" he said, laughing more desperately. "Right now, I gotta order the national forges to produce weapons in bulk! I gotta send provisions and cut costs. I've had to approve child labor and recruit those over fifteen! I've had to ban triage techniques to send soldiers into battle even if they're wounded! I gotta send the tired Pegasus Knight troops to defend our borders as the waves of Faceless start rolling in. Not to mention, the more time we take to prepare, the more unlikely our victory becomes! Chrom just awakened Falchion to fight, but he's struggling to handle the power Naga gave him. He's training like crazy to fight at full strength. But the most I can do is try not to plunge Emmeryn's legacy into misery!"
"You ain't pullin' that kinda stuff, you've just been makin' tough calls, decisions that not everyone could even decipher on paper, let alone in the flesh. Even though you feel like you can't pride yourself on makin' tough decisions, you do it just by the fact that, unlike many, you take your decisions very much to heart. You're aware of the consequences of your actions."
"That's the main issue, Tiki. It all hinges on a simple decision, a risky gamble." He stood up, gesturing with his hands frantically and nervously. "Technically, there wouldn't be any problem. If Maribelle can convince the nobles of the Deeprealms to lend us their aid and resources, we could have the lines supplied for years. But that investment is only temporary if the main gate gets shut on us. If that happens, I'd have to stick to the conventional strategy, turning it into a war of attrition where we'd end up losing. Not only wasting resources, but the lives of many, and above all, the opportunity Lucina has given us," he said, scratching his neck, frustrated by the multitude of ideas running through his mind. "At the end of the day... it's all my fault... if the worst-case scenario happens, even if Chrom seals Grima, we lose."
"Robin..."
"Sorry, Tiki... it's just that... this has affected me a lot. I've got several nobles tailing me for nonsense, senseless stuff. I don't see how they can think about protecting their own assets. This isn't supposed to be the time to be selfish, but even with the world burning, they remain like damn dragons in their caves guarding their pathetic mountains of gold... ah... sorry... didn't mean to offend..." he said embarrassedly, making her laugh.
"You're not offending me, Robin. You just worry me. This... doesn't seem like you..."
"I really don't know what I am in the end. Validar said it before, that I'm just a shell, an avatar for Grima. I know I don't hate anyone, but in the current situation, is there anything that could happen to make me give in? Is it another Robin who gave in? Maybe that's why I lost my memory in the first place. Maybe I did so much harm to someone that, in their kindness, they punished me this way."
"Don't say that, it sounds horrible."
"It's a fact, Tiki!" he said while laughing. "By Naga, I didn't think this would happen... I felt strong before, but now that the world is falling apart, and I'm responsible for it, I can't help but think Validar is right! Maybe I was a despicable person. If not, how is it that in all these years, I haven't found a single person looking for me? Out of all the trash out there, only Validar recognized me. He wasn't looking for me because he thought I died, but what about my mother? Didn't I have any friends? Any acquaintances? Any lovers? Nothing? The fact that they found me in the middle of nowhere with elegant clothes, gold, and well-provisioned but without a single p-"
Tiki stopped him abruptly, wrapping her arms around him and caressing his head. He trembled at her touch, but even as she tried to calm him, she couldn't feel guilty for everything. "You're not the cause of this, and you don't deserve anything that's happening to you or what happened. You're just a good person who had a rough patch."
"Tiki, you know that's not true... I..."
"There was a time... when I wasn't myself either... I was manipulated by a horrible man, but even so, i was not entirely alone, even with my mind lost, my spirit remained the same. That's why I know even after you lost your memory, you're still the same. A gentle and noble soul can't change so much, even with the amount of damage you've received. The fact that you continue to question everything you do and try to solve everything without hurting anyone is proof of that..."
They stayed silent for a moment. Even though she felt his breathing calming down, Tiki could sense the doubt and concern in Robin. She looked around to see what she could use.
"Where's Morgan?" Tiki asked.
"She... went camping with Lucina and the other girls... didn't want... her to see me like this... not until I recover..."
"Fine," she said with a small smile on her face. She guided him to the bed and sat him down. Then, she quickly picked up some papers and searched among her things for something to write with. She made a small sign that she hung on the doorknob from the outside and locked it.
"Tiki, what are you doing? I..." She didn't respond, just left her hood on the nearest chair, and before Robin could understand what happened, she gently pushed him down, with his head on her chest, and began to massage his back gently with her hand. "T-Tiki?! W-What are you doing?! T-This isn't like you!"
"Sshh"She said as she caressed his head and laid his head on her chest. "Right now, I ain't 'the voice of Naga,' I'm just a woman ready to bear this weight with you. Right now, you ain't the grand strategist of Ylisse, you ain't Robin, you're just a handsome and strong man who needs a shoulder to cry on. So, just let it out; I'm here for ya."
Hesitant, Robin doubted a lot. Her gentle touch and the sound of her heartbeat were hypnotic. Despite everything, he was still reluctant to open up. "...I... no, I can't... can't bother you with this, it ain't proper or right..."
"Why d'ya say that?"
"Askin' for your help... this way... feels like I'm givin' up... like I'm takin' advantage of your goodwill, ain't right."
Tiki smiled. Even in his fragile state, he kept coming up with one nonsense after another to go on alone. Even in that state, he still thought about the 'well-being' of others. "Robin, please," she said with her cheek on his head, "I'm doin' this of my own accord. I see someone dear to me at a crossroads, so you ain't obligatin' me to nothin'. Just wanna help you. Besides..." she continued with a little giggle, "You're the one who told all of us that askin' for help ain't givin' up; it's refusing to give in."
"But..."
"But nothing!" she said somewhat indignantly, pouting. "You ain't gonna wriggle outta my grasp even if ya wanted to, so ya just gotta accept your fate and trust in me."
During that precious moment, during that instant, Robin had let go of the burdens and responsibilities that weighed him down. For that brief moment, he simply sobbed under her comforting embrace.
In those days, Tiki shared her concerns with Sumia and Chrom. Robin being so close to a nervous breakdown due to everything that had happened was new to them. They knew he had made plans for the worst-case scenarios, but they were unaware of the immense pressure he had on his shoulders. Despite the limited time they had, they devoted themselves wholeheartedly to try to ease the tension and stress weighing on him. Those weeks were especially happy for Tiki, as she could be the pillar helping Robin move forward.
And then, he went and sacrificed himself for everyone.
She knew it was the logical choice, what a responsible parent should do, preventing her offspring from taking on the burden of responsibility to defeat the fallen dragon. Even with all that, she suggested that if he stayed with them, she could be the guide leading others to prepare for the imminent arrival of Grima in the future.
"You're not our jailer," Robin murmured over and over when she suggested or hinted at anything similar.
For a long time, she regretted being so negligent during that encounter. She had done everything to ensure Morgan's safety while Chrom and Sumia had sworn to protect Robin. In the end, they couldn't protect him from his own conviction and determination.
She remembered all this as she watched the waves, recalling that ocean while sailing on Say'ri's personal boat. They had been at sea for a couple of days, and she had the curse of reminiscence. Even in her drowsy state, the sea air reminded her of those days in Ylisstol. In the final battle, Grima had flown over the ocean to reach the Mila Tree and burn it. Fortunately, it never reached.
"My lady, still feeling the same?" Mao Mao asked, approaching with a cup of tea. Tiki accepted the gesture as she adjusted her coat.
"I'm sorry, I know they told us to stay in our dressing rooms, that after passing the icebergs, the weather would get warmer, but I'm somewhat uneasy."
"Well, I'm surprised Miss Say'ri agreed so quickly," Mao Mao said with a mischievous smile. "It's not normal for her to have this boat ready so fast."
"I suppose she was thinking of visiting Queen Sumia on her second daughter's birthday," Tiki said, taking a sip. "Although I'm surprised she took the northern route for it."
"She would usually take the southern ocean current to move, but the northern route is faster this time of year, so I'm glad to see our lady doing her best to please her."
"With a bit of luck, we might arrive before the week's end."
"...My lady, excuse the impertinence... but..." Mao Mao tried to choose her words carefully. "Is there something else besides the celebrations that you scheduled?"
"Excuse me?"
"Well... it's just that... your expression... it ain't the same as usual," she said as Tiki raised an eyebrow. "Normally... when you're talking with Lady Say'ri, your noble demeanor remains, even with other delegates or people of higher social status than average. But..."
"But?"
"I can't help... thinking that someone's got you in heat" Tiki spat out her tea upon hearing that.
"EXCUSE ME?!"
"Or it was 'smitten'? Anyway, forgive great exalted one! But I don't know how else to say it," she said, covering her nose. "Humans can't perceive what Manaketes can. When you talk to Say'ri about the great strategist Robin, I can feel that kind of sensation our kind has with their mates. When you talk about this girl... Morgan? I can see in your eyes the same look any mother has for her offspring... it's lovely to see how you care about her, my lady... but... seeing you like this so many times is perplexing... and... I don't recall ever hearing that the great Robin is your partner, let alone that you've had his offspring... is there something we should prepare for his arrival in Ylisstol?"
"Look, first of all, I forbid you to say that... im 'in heat', especially out loud and in public. Secondly, no, I haven't planned anything yet about th-"
"Not yet?" Tiki blushed profusely upon hearing this. "Ah, I understand, it's still something others shouldn't know, right? Don't worry, my lady, I can return at any time to serve you and assist you in your courtship. We can do it right away, just give the order!"
Meanwhile, Say'ri, who was hiding behind the door, simply cursed her own bad luck. "Ahaaaaaaa, no, Mao... I..." The empress sighed as she made sure no one else heard the ridiculous conversation. "When I asked you for help to support Lady Tiki... I didn't mean this, nor embarrassing her... I feel like I'll pay for this later..."
As the hours passed, little Lucina clung to Morgan, clearly her special day.
From early morning until late afternoon, Morgan, Sumia, and her daughters (both from the future and the present) had spent much of the morning together.
Morgan indulged little Lucina like never before, carrying her most of the day, taking her from one place to another as she commanded, giving her little kisses from time to time, and playing with her constantly. It was certainly quite useful for Sumia to have Lucina distracted in this way until the evening event. Fortunately, hyperactive Lucina was no match for equally hyperactive Morgan, so while Sumia arranged the preparations for dinner and talked with the staff, she could occasionally hear their constant laughter as they went from the garden to the game room, to her room, and back again.
"Well... it fills me with joy to see them get along so well... but..." Sumia turned to Luci and Cinthia, who were helping her with the small preparations for later. "I wonder... why aren't you with them?"
"Mother... I..." Lucina paused for a moment, thinking about the words Tharja had said. Of all the things that could affect her, those words hit her quite hard.
"My little sister seems down, and I don't know why," Cynthia pouted. "I agree with Mom, why aren't you playing with them?"
"It's not that simple..."
"Lucina, please, you can tell us anything," Sumia said as she finished preparing the small decorations for her daughter's dress. "We're here for you and to help you with anything you want."
"Well... I..."
"Mom, I have a question," Cynthia said as her sister hesitated. "Has Dad always been this dense? Because I think Lucina really takes after Dad in this way, she blocks herself in things that are so easy to do and think about."
"Cynthia!"
"Girls, calm down, calm down," Sumia said with a sigh. "Although, I have to agree with your sister this time, it seems like something is really worrying you. Tell me, is there something I can help with?"
"I'm telling you, it's not that simple," she said as she walked to the door and closed it, surprising both of them. "It's just that... Mother... there's a lot on my mind... and I don't want to overwhelm you on this special day..."
"Lucina, my dear, this is your day, of course, you can ask me for anything. If you can't be a little selfish on your own birthday, when can you be?"
"You know that's not true... this day..."
"Lucina, please," she said as she took a seat near the table, inviting both of them. "Forget about the little trivialities, technicalities often prevent us from seeing the big picture and don't let us see the whole image. So, tell us what's worrying you."
"Well..." She timidly walked back and forth, her hand on her chin, having what both women could describe as an 'inner debate.'
"Psst! Where did Luci get this from?" Cynthia asked, whispering to her mother as she laughed.
"Well, who else?"
"Robin?"
"Robin," Sumia confirmed as she tried to contain her laughter. She had noticed some habits that man had instilled in her daughters. She was greatly appreciative that Cynthia's intrepid and somewhat naive nature was reinforced with the common sense instilled by their uncle. Though it didn't seem like the lessons were entirely useful to Lucina, as many times the seriousness she took things with seemed like a mix between Chrom and Robin, who both worried profusely about how their actions would impact others.
"Well... it's just that..." Lucina tried to speak, but her timid voice and how she avoided eye contact with a blush didn't let her continue fully.
"Here we go," whispered Cynthia.
"Well, she looks very cute, I wonder how Robin never noticed this?" Sumia responded.
"What are you two talking about?" Lucina asked.
"Nothing, dear, nothing, carry on," replied Sumia as she passed coffee and cookies to Cynthia.
"...it's just that... Tharja... told us something... that certainly worries me..." She said, playing with her fingers. "Mother... what would you think if... hypothetically speaking, let's say that in a certain case... under extraordinary circumstances... I liked a certain person?"
"Hypothetically speaking, I would say you should tell me first before your father," she said, taking a sip. "But let's say you dare to talk to me about it, what would you want to say?"
"Well... the thing is that... this person is very, very special, but I have no idea what they think of me, or if I would even have a chance with them. Not only that... but there are several things that we would have to discuss."
"First of all, you would have to tell me what these things to 'discuss' are that worry you. My advice is to stop being so cryptic."
"Okay, I know... it's just that... I've always respected him. Before, I didn't see him that way, he was just someone close, but for years... I've seen this person with completely different eyes. I didn't remember how much he impacted others and us, it surprises me in a way that he was alone until where I remembered... but..."
"But?"
"But... I feel like I'm abusing his trust. Not only has he helped us a lot, but I've always had to hold back for several reasons, age, people, even now because of his daughter."
"Wooho! My sister likes those they call 'older gentlemen' it seems! Bold!" Cynthia said sarcastically, earning a tap on the shoulder from Sumia.
"Cynthia!" Lucina cried out in embarrassment.
"Girls, please, let's have at least a somewhat serious conversation about this," Sumia said, containing her laughter. "Lucina, let's start as Robin used to say, with baby steps, the most basic, what prevents you in the first place from starting a romantic relationship with Robin?"
"Robin?! him? wait, we were hypothetically talking about something unrelated, youcan'tsaythat,whydoyouthinkit'sRobin?!" Lucina tried to deny it, almost biting her tongue.
"Lucina, my sunshine, please, how many people do you know who have a daughter and have such a big impact on your parents and yourself?"
"Yes, sister, it's too obvious."
"What?! no! it's not...obvious...wait..." She saw their faces, horrified "Oh, by Naga, is it so obvious? you know? wait... do the others know?!"
"In most cases, you're lucky that your father and some girls are so dense as not to see it."
"Haaaah... no, it can't be... me... wait...D-Does Morgan know?"
"Probably."
"Haaaaah... ah...ahahaha! no! what horror! I..." She turned totally red, falling to the floor in a ball with her hands on her head. "So... all those times I... was with her... she knew... she knew I like her dad... that I like Robin..."
"Oh, by Naga... you can slay evil dragons, but you have a breakdown over something like this?" Sumia thought for a moment, then sighed a little relieved. "Well, if she's having this kind of reaction, I suppose the Robin of the future raised her well. She's acting like a teenager... even if it's a bit late, it's nice to see my young adult daughter having these moments of realization..." Sumia coughed into her fist, cleared her throat to try to think of something quickly. "Dear, please, it's not a big deal, in fact, this is good."
"I-It is?"
"Of course, Lucina, just think about it," Sumia approached her, helping her to stand up. "Of all people, is it so bad that you're in love with Robin? Your family will always support you, Robin I'm sure will be understanding, and Morgan, despite her mischievous nature, knows about this and fully supports you on this matter. Tell me, exactly how many times have you seen the children of noble families accept someone as their mother?"
"I... I..."
"Not only that, but Morgan embraces the idea that anyone could be her mother, all she asks is to fill her life with love and happiness, as Robin once said, those are the lightest and most basic needs to satisfy, my daughter, you fulfill them abundantly."
"But... it's not just that, mother," Lucina said, regaining some composure. "First of all, I shouldn't even be here, what if Morgan's mother is another woman? If I take away the opportunity from another to have such a wonderful daughter? what about Robin? It's practically unheard of for me to snatch away another woman's chance at happiness! And what about the others?! Aunt Lissa, I've seen her with the same expression Panne has when she sees her son Yarne, if Aunt Lissa is Morgan's mother... I... I... I could never forgive myself for robbing her of her happiness."
"I don't see why both can't get married, does it matter who is the first and second wife?" Cynthia spat out her tea upon hearing these words, turning to look, beside the princess was Gaius who was happily eating honey cookies. "Bubbles in the other hands... I have no idea what he might think, but Padre could provide logistical support for this whole thing."
"G-Gaius?! h-how long have you been standing there?" Lucina asked nervously.
"Long enough, anything juicy I have to protect from the royal family, I'll always be here to support you," he said, taking another sip. "Your Highness stumbles, tell me, what would Blue think of such an idea?"
"Are you kidding? Chrom would be thrilled if his best friend became part of his family by marrying Lissa or, more importantly, Lucina, after threatening him not to hurry in fulfilling certain marital obligations."
"I find it hard to believe seeing how Morgan would encourage them with that," said Cynthia, wiping her lips.
"I don't see how Chrom could tolerate calling Robin 'son-in-law' and 'brother-in-law' at the same time."
"So... it's really impossible..." Lucina murmured, with her hands around herself. "Not only that... but Aunt Tharja... knows how to seduce men... Aunt Cordelia, Maribelle... even Olivia..."
"Well, while I'm glad to bring introspection, there's something I must say, Princess Lucina," Gaius said as he stood up. "Bubbles certainly has many special people in his heart, I have no doubt that upon his return, he will turn the very foundations of the castle upside down if he announces that he's tied the knot with someone. What I mean is, don't feel bad about these things, you yourself have said that this world is new and unpredictable, if you've stayed here, it's because Bubbles convinced you to, right? Then why not take the initiative for once and seize the opportunity he's given you," he said as he handed her one of his peach candies. "By the way, stumbles, I know it's none of my business, but you shouldn't mention this possibility of polygamy to Blue just yet, I don't think many would be willing to share bubbles, at least not willingly at first."
"H-How do you know that?" Lucina asked.
"Well, if you attended the club meetings, you'd know the opinions of the others, dear," Sumia said. "Anyway, we can talk more about this now that you've finally opened up, it's pos-"
"Oh, right, sorry Stumbles, but bubblegum is about to bathe with the little princess, are you sure you don't want to join them before the event?"
As the evening approached, Morgan was welcoming the different guests to the princess's birthday celebration, most of whom were Shepherds coming to congratulate both princesses. While one was stunned by such support and affection shown, the younger one undoubtedly appreciated all the attention she received on her birthday.
She enjoyed seeing her old comrades-in-arms arriving at the venue; for some strange reason, she seemed to have a bit of a hangover even though the expensive bottles at the bar in the back of the garden had not yet been opened. Cordelia and Maribelle were in charge of the ambient music for the moment (hoping that Sumia wouldn't decide to decapitate some musicians for arriving late, with any luck, they would come out in one piece), while Vaike and company were up to their usual antics. Meanwhile, Tharja and Miriel were embroiled in their typical weekly argument about who had more right to materials related to magic and their peculiar practices, all while Henry encouraged them to fight in a more traditional manner, while his son, on the other hand, insisted that they not do such a silly thing.
In essence, it was a perfect private event, although it was not very private, as in a way, some nobles had managed to convince Sumia to let them join so that their own children of similar ages could bond with the young princess. It was something poor Frederick had to supervise, seeing how the poor man had to follow a squadron of children with barely any support from other guards was difficult, fortunately, the children couldn't pass Kellam's invisible wall.
When Morgan's relief arrived at the entrance, she quickly sneaked off toward the bar; the gift she had hidden for Lucina was there, so there was no better time to infiltrate and place it on the gift table.
"Damn bitches," she heard some of the nobles who forced their way in say.
"I can't believe he's not here, his little girl is around here, right?"
"She's not even a little girl, she's almost an adult, but I don't see them, are they with King Chrom?"
She heard the whispers of the women sharing drinks, glancing towards Sumia.
"Just stay away from the witch, she's the only one openly wanting to get rid of us, Queen Sumia wont kick us out if we dont bother that parlot"
"Just her? Are you kidding? Miss Maribelle practically swooned over his introduction a few days ago, maybe that's why she's with that lackey? What's her name? Cordelia?" she heard someone take a big sip of their drink. "Damn lucky bitches... just go with someone else, we need something ourselves..."
"Sssh! You'll get us in trouble," one of the nobles whispered. "I don't think I see Robin around here; is it even worth being here?"
Those kinds of conversations were typical to overhear in the amphitheater with some nobles attending the plays. Lately, some brazen young ladies had been visiting that place and the castle to offer assistance to Robin. Generally, they were a large group who went with some Shepherds to ensure social status, but she had definitely heard the voices of those three women many times before.
It was ridiculously atrocious what they were pretending.
Firstly, how could they be so openly brazen? It was her favorite little person's birthday in the world, and they were coming to try to make a vile spectacle? Secondly, she was sure that the youngest of that trio was only a few years older than herself; how could they think that her father would be with someone who could be her own daughter?! That thought only lasted a moment as she remembered her own circumstances.
In any case, she wasn't going to allow these horrible people to ruin a birthday, or even bother Chrom and Sumia with silly questions. Tharja deceived everyone with her illusions of "Robin," but she couldn't tolerate that kind of shameless behavior.
Fortunately, they didn't see her, but before she could say anything, a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the bar before she could react.
"Panne?"
"Don't worry, I already told the others about them; they'll be leaving soon," Panne said as she continued pulling her. "Don't let these things bother you; it's useless."
"I... wait, what? But I didn't..."
"Don't let it get to you."
Morgan remained pensive for a moment; her face seemed neutral, but deep down, she knew it still bothered her, someone trying to take advantage of her father was something that bothered everyone, but for some strange reason, Panne seemed more upset than usual.
"Here she is," Panne said as Tharja, Miriel, and Henry turned to look at her.
"Oh ho ho! But look who's here! My best friend, ready to continue with the experiments, my little assistant?" Henry said cheerfully. "Although... I think if I mess up your outfit, someone might get angry," he said, watching as Tharja rolled her eyes. "Although, I must say it suits you well, even without anything red."
"...I would have preferred it to be more black or purple, but I suppose it's not suitable for a birthday," Tharja commented.
Morgan, on her part, checked her own attire; she still wore the ribbon Maribelle gave her, with a simple long blue dress with white details, a gift from Sumia. Despite how much she loved Sumia's gifts, she found it somewhat uncomfortable to wear a skirt and heels, but she was happy to please the queen and her daughters with it. "But... don't I look pretty in this?"
"Like a cupcake!" Henry chuckled. "One that if someone takes a bite, they'll end up with internal bleeding," he said happily, causing Tharja and his wife to roll their eyes.
"Mmm... well, that doesn't matter," Tharja sighed, also dressed for the occasion. Unlike the other guests and Shepherds who had more conventional attire, she was a bit bolder, especially in the front area. "Here, it's time for the show to start, so do me a favor and leave the gifts on the table," she said as she pulled out the gifts for Morgan, Miriel, Panne, and herself from behind the bar.
"And this? Wait... what? You're giving something to little Lucina?!" Morgan asked excitedly, while Tharja looked away, giving her little pats on the head.
"Yes, yes, yes, something simple, just deliver it," she said somewhat embarrassed, Miriel and Henry couldn't help but show surprise at such a gesture.
"Why don't you deliver it yourself? I think this should be known! N-not t-"
"No, thank you, I prefer to stay as far away as possible," she said as she poured herself some wine. "I dressed for the occasion, but I'm not here to deal with those lascivious looks from some of our... illustrious guests," she said as she momentarily looked at a certain crowd watching her from a distance. Morgan, upon turning around, noticed that little by little, some nobles were starting to gather not only in the garden but also in the adjacent hallways to observe what was happening.
"Well... all right! I'll complete this important mission!" Morgan said with her chest puffed out, saluting Tharja. She took the gifts and walked away from the group.
As she walked away, Miriel adjusted her glasses, looking at Tharja appraisingly. "Are you sure you don't want to say or do anything else?"
"This kind of thing isn't my style," Tharja replied, a little melancholic, playing with her glass and looking into it. "I don't want to ruin this event for her. Besides, if everything goes according to plan, we might all be in for an unexpected surprise."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying that I didn't prepare in vain for tonight," she said, taking a final sip. "That lizard better respect the deadline."
Meanwhile, when Morgan approached the table, she noticed Lissa talking to some servants. Her face lit up when she saw her dressed that way.
"Oh, Morgan! What do you have there?" she asked with genuine curiosity.
"Gifts, more and more gifts! Let's hope Luci loves the gifts we prepared," Morgan replied, placing them on the table.
"Well, but aren't they many? Whose are these?"
"One each from Tharja, Panne, Miriel, and me."
"Wait... from Tharja and Miriel? Ummm..." Lissa looked at them somewhat warily, despite them being small packages, she couldn't help feeling a bit apprehensive. "Are you sure there's no explosive or frog-transforming thing in there?"
"What?! No! How could you think that?" Morgan laughed sincerely, but then her laughter turned somewhat uncomfortable. She touched Tharja's gift and felt something glassy. She swallowed nervously and looked around to see if the witch was watching. Fortunately, she was busy discussing something with Miriel. "Yeeeah... let's... ummm... this gift is from Freddie?" she asked, pointing at the square thing next to the table. Lissa nodded. "Yep, let's... put this here... just in case~ and also Miriel's... I trust her, but... the last chemistry set she gave me wasn't entirely... safe..." She said as she rearranged things so that in case of imminent combustion, everything wouldn't explode. "...And there they look good!" she said, wiping her hands. "So... what's up?"
"What's up with me? What's up with you?" she said as she hugged her. "You look adorable in that outfit! You look like a blueberry muffin I could eat without any guilt!" she said, spinning her around and squeezing her.
"Why does everyone say I look like a pastry? Do I look so fat?"
"What?! No! It's just that you look sweet and adorable, and that bow Maribelle gave you goes really well with your dress, you look like a decorative cupcake," Lissa glanced at the main table where other waiters were bringing in the cake with some treats, noticing the detailed decoration, she pointed at the table. "See? You're full of joy instead of fat, you're pleasant to the eye, and everyone wants a piece of you."
"Wait, what? But I'm not delicious!" She said while trying to break free from her grasp. "Ah! Lucina! Save me! She wants to eat me up!"
"Haaaaaaaaaaah!" The little princess arrived with her wooden sword, 'stabbing' Lissa's leg, fortunately, the sword was soft and couldn't cause any real harm. "Monster! Stop eating Morgan!"
"Eh? L-Lucina! This... this isn't what it looks like!" She said as she turned around, then 'bit' Morgan's arm.
"Ah! No! Stop! Stooooop!" Lucina began hitting her faster.
"Ahahahaha, no!, I'll eat her up, and there'll be nothing left for you~"
"Noooooo!"
"You're gonna make her cry," said Morgan angrily, squeezing her cheek. Lissa sighed defeated, let her go, and immediately little Lucina stretched out her arms for Morgan to carry her. "Alright, alright, naughty Aunt Lissa is a bully?"
"Yes..." said Lucina, snuggling into her shoulder.
"Bad Aunt Lissa!" Morgan pointed at her.
"Bad! Bad!" Lucina said while sticking out her tongue. "She's mine, mine!" She said while hugging her around the neck.
"Tch, lucky girl," she whispered as she looked away, unable to believe how jealous she felt of a little girl.
"Did you say something?" Morgan asked.
"Nope! I didn't say anything!" She stuck her tongue out at little Lucina before ruffling her hair. "Look! They're bringing your cake! Let's go!" She said as she carried her niece, Lucina was excited about it, while Morgan followed closely behind.
Approaching the main table, they were warmly greeted by Sumia and Chrom, who looked uncomfortable in his elegant attire. Unlike his wife, social events weren't his forte, but he would obviously make exceptions for his family.
Despite the discomfort of some members of the group with such a family spectacle, the more stoic members maintained respectful silence, while the closer and friendlier ones joined the celebration.
The rituals of the followers of Naga were simple; each passing year was celebrated with a ritual where the birthday person received a sip of nectar brought by the priests from Naga's temples. It was a celebration of growth, learning, and above all, valuing life.
One by one, the most important figures in Lucina's life were responsible for giving her a sip of the nectar brought by Libra. Chrom, Sumia, and Lissa were the first to give her sips. Lucina and Cynthia had decided to abstain from this to avoid confusion. The next person on the list was obvious, but unfortunately, they weren't there. Maribelle had stepped away from the musicians to attend this ritual along with Gaius.
Normally, Robin should have been there. Morgan could hear the murmurs of some guests, surprised that the person they expected to be in charge of the princess's well-being wasn't present. The Shepherds, in general, applauded when little Lucina took the last sip of the nectar from Maribelle, who, to Morgan's surprise, looked somewhat dismayed.
"The most important thing in this life is to share with the people you appreciate and love, Morgan," she could hear her words echoing in her mind, though the memory was vague, and she couldn't recall her face. She could almost see her mother's eyes as they performed the same ritual she did when she was a little girl.
"The bonds that unite us are what make us stronger," she also heard her father's voice, momentarily blurred and distant, but certainly it was his voice. For a brief moment, she had been captivated by such a memory, not even realizing she had taken a few steps toward the gift table to try to focus on the memory. She could feel her heart racing as she tried to concentrate on their figures.
No, it wasn't just their figures; a certain warmth in her body remained with that memory. She could recall the sound of the ocean accompanied by her parents' words, the laughter and compliments of some close friends. She could see that crib in the distance as she discerned the shadow of several children in the distance accompanied by their parents.
Had she remembered something precious about herself? Each sip the children took from the chalice with the temple's nectar represented a year of life. She remembered giving small sips to that chalice nine times, but it was neither ostentatious nor luxurious like the one little Lucina had. She desperately tried to remember as she once again felt that pang in her head.
As quickly as it came, it vanished. She tried to hold onto that pleasant memory, but at that point, she couldn't bear the pain or the fact that her father's voice seemed more distant than before.
She feared that at this point, she might be starting to forget.
Quickly, she snapped back to the present. She couldn't afford to daydream for so long in the middle of everyone and during such an important event, but once again, she could hear those whispers from some present who only spewed venom.
"So... he's not coming today either?"
"What a jerk."
"And to think he doesn't appreciate our customs..."
"A Plegian rat will always be a Plegian rat."
"HE'S NOT HERE BECAUSE HE SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR YOU! YOU IDIOTS! SHUT UP ALREADY!" Morgan thought frustratedly, focusing on those words. A hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Morgan? Are you okay? We're about to..." Lissa interrupted her, while Morgan smiled.
"Yeah! Sorry, I just got a little dizzy. Silly me, I thought I could handle a bit of the brandy Sully brought," Morgan said casually.
"Morgan..."
"Huh? What's up, Aunt Lissa? I'm telling you I'm fine, just a little lightheaded, and—"
"What's wrong with you, Morgan? Why are you crying?"
"What? Crying? No, no, it's—" She couldn't finish as she felt the dampness on her cheek. Quickly, she turned to look at one of the utensils to see her reflection. She couldn't understand why, out of all moments, she couldn't contain her tears now. Her vision gradually blurred as she tried to regain control. "No, I didn't... it's just that..."
"Morgan? What's wrong? Does something hurt? Tell me what's going on!" Lissa tried to hold her shoulders, but she couldn't do it for long. Morgan looked around, fortunately not many had noticed. Even Chrom and Sumia were still absorbed in how Lucina was cutting the cake.
"Ah... no... I... I'm sorry!" Morgan pushed away Lissa's hands and quickly took off her heels to run.
"Morgan?! Wait! MORGAN!" Lissa shouted in vain as she ran away, distancing herself from them.
For a moment, in the reflection of the windows of the hallway before heading up the stairs, she caught a glimpse of Chrom and his worried family before disappearing down the hall.
"STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!" She pounded her fists against her head as she tried to hide her face from the prying eyes of others. No matter how hard she tried to contain herself, the tears kept flowing. "WHY TODAY? WHY COULDN'T YOU HOLD ON UNTIL TONIGHT?! YOU RUINED SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR LUCINA! ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE STUPID! ARGH!" She kept thinking as she ran, hearing footsteps behind her, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't afford to be seen like this, couldn't ruin Lucina's birthday any further.
She ran as far as she could, trying to get away. Maybe if she could go to her room, she could figure out how to fix things later. For now, she had to get away.
Despite her best efforts, she stumbled roughly at a corner of the hallway, hitting her head.
"Ugh... I..." Amidst sobs, she could hear people approaching. Maybe if she tried hard enough, she could avoid them seeing her like this. "Dad... I... sorry... sorry..." She continued crying with her forehead on the floor, clutching her fists. "Sorry for... not being strong... I still need you..."
"Morgan?" Another voice interrupted her sobs as she tried to get up, but she was in such bad shape that she couldn't even support herself properly. "MORGAN?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" That person approached, and she had hit her forehead so hard that she could feel the bump with some blood on her face. The person sounded concerned as she started to wipe her face with a handkerchief and applied some alcohol to her forehead. "Gawds! What happened now?! You..." Morgan continued sobbing while apologizing. "...for Naga..."
"Huh? Wait, no..." Morgan couldn't help but succumb to her hug as she caressed her back with her palm open. "But... what are you doing? I..."
"Don't hold back."
"Huh?"
"I said don't hold back, I'm here, you're with me," She said tenderly with her head against hers. She didn't know who she was, but just treating her so kindly made Morgan unable to contain herself and she started crying profusely in the hallway, clinging to her with her face in her chest.
Somehow, she could remember her father holding her like that, whenever she had something she couldn't express and needed to let it out. That was how she could do it.
Several minutes passed until her tears finally stopped.
"Gwads! Don't worry me like that! You know I'll always be here for you," That person said as she wiped Morgan's face again, who just nodded.
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't apologize, you know you can count on me for everything, right?"
"I..." Morgan wiped away the remnants of her tears, and she could hear other people approaching.
"Morgan?! What's wrong? What happened back there?! Are you okay?!" Sumia's voice resonated at the end of the hallway.
"Morgan?! What happened? What fool made you cry..." Maribelle was accompanying Sumia. Morgan turned to see Sumia, Maribelle, Cordelia, Lissa, Gaius, Lucina, Cynthia, and Tharja approaching. "Morgan... dear... who is she?"
"She?" She turned her gaze forward to find a girl with long hair in long pigtails, looking angry and glancing at them with some suspicion. She wiped Morgan's nose as they both stood up. "Wait... who are you?"
"Hah?!" She squeezed her cheeks as she sounded hurt. "After all this time, is this how you greet me?!" She looked at the group. "Mom! Say something! No... wait... you were running away from her?! What did you do?! Why weren't you taking care of your daughter?! Mom?!"
"Mom?/What/ uh?" were the group's responses.
"Don't give me that look, you're too old for these scenes," She said, crossing her arms. "Heavens, I leave for a moment and this happens..." She looked at the still puzzled group, but they still seemed confused. "And now?"
"Wait, I think we're skipping several steps here," Sumia scratched her head, confused. "T... To whom are you calling mom?"
"What do you mean 'to whom'? Don't tell me you're pretending again for those silly romances?!" She said, glancing away for a moment. "...I missed you all too... and you can't act like adults..."
"No, no, no, wait, no," Lissa could feel her throat dry. "Okay, girl, you don't seem-"
"Gods! why are you still standing there?! Your daughters need you and you're not moving?!" She shouted, arms in the air. The girl approached the group, everyone except Sumia and Gaius took a step back in unison with her first step "Huh?! Stop playing around!"
"No, wait! WAIT! WE WERE N-" Maribelle tried to protest, but the girl grabbed someone's arm and pulled.
They were left speechless when after a few moments, Cordelia was practically pushed towards Morgan. "Well?! Why did you make Morgan cry now? It's weird for you to do that and even if you're my mother, I'll never forgive you for making my sister cry."
"Huh?" / "What?" / "WHAT?!" / "SISTER?!"
"I... I..." Cordelia blushed as she looked at Morgan, then at the girl, and then at Morgan again. "I... I-iiiiiiiiiiii..."
"Wait... what? You're Cordelia's... daughter?" Morgan asked.
"Yes! who else?!" She crossed her arms, looking challengingly at the group. "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?!"
End of Chapter 5: Life in the Castle.