She couldn't recall feeling something like this before, simply couldn't think of a similar sensation.

No, that was a lie, she could think of one instance where she felt like this, a feeling of nostalgia, something that resonated deep within her memories. It wasn't from her childhood, but it clung to those feelings she couldn't let go of. She let herself drift a bit more, it wasn't exactly a feeling per se, but an experience? Her hands fiddled around trying to recognize what was happening, her nose could pick up something familiar, her cheeks and chin felt that warm, soft touch.

If she had to describe it, it was like cuddling some kind of sheep? No, too thin, and it was only her face that had that sensation.

Opening her eyes, for a moment she remembered when she dared, the audacity, to share a bed with Robin. Now she knew why that scent was so familiar, that scent one could smell when flipping through new book pages. She got lost for a moment in the sweet aroma of blackberries wafting from her hair as Morgan nestled against her chest, while Olivia couldn't help but hold onto the girl's body even tighter. Glancing for a moment at the window, she could see the same dark sky tinged with that orange sunrise, the old habits of the dancer were hard to leave behind, despite her routine telling her she had to let go. Her body and heart just wouldn't cooperate.

How could they? She remembered what Tharja had told her the night before, tears threatening to return to her eyes, but she had to swallow her sadness for Morgan's sake. Caressing her head, she listened as Morgan approved of her gentle touch with a small laugh that escaped from her slumber.

"Awww! How adorable!" One of the girls squealed as she cuddled a disgruntled Morgan.

"You're right, I don't know why Miss Olivia doesn't bring her more often," said another dancer, still enchanted with the girl, offering her more sweets. "Here, have some more."

"Ugh... I'm not a pet!" Morgan complained, raising her arms in annoyance. "I'm a strategist in training!" She pouted, and the girls squealed with delight at the sight of her puffing out her cheeks.

"Nooo~ don't be mad at us, Morgan, here," one of them offered her a pastry.

"Is... is that a peach turnover?" Morgan asked, sighing when the girl nodded. "Well... I'll take it, but I'm highly offended that you think you can appease me with just this," she said as she accepted the offering. Morgan found herself surrounded by four dancers backstage, in one of the rest rooms. Olivia entered the room with the other girls, sweating from the morning practice. These girls had fallen behind due to some ankle injuries and muscular pain from bad falls, so while they were stretching and practicing, Morgan was tasked with making sure the girls were resting for the day. Despite an unspoken rule among all the employees not to skip practice under any circumstances, whether they were dancers, musicians, or solo vocalists, these four girls who always insisted on practicing were now completely captivated by Morgan.

"Ugh... I can't take it anymore!" one of the girls exclaimed, hugging Morgan tightly. "PLEASE, LET ME BABY YOU A LITTLE BIT!"

"Alright, I think that's enough of this, girls," Olivia said, clapping her hands to get their attention. "You need to start with physical training and therapy sessions so you can get back on stage as soon as possible. I won't let you participate if it means you'll hurt yourselves."

"..." The girls seemed about to protest, but Morgan, still being held by one of them, interrupted.

"Daddy used to say even the best need to rest. Focusing on something or obsessing over a single point of view can be harmful," she said, still being hugged as if she were some kind of cat with her arms raised. The girl holding her squeezed tighter, almost squeezing the air out of her.

"Umm... well... if little Morgan says so..." one of the girls replied.

"You'll listen to Morgan but not to me?" Olivia asked, crossing her arms, annoyed.

"LOOK AT THIS FACE, MA'AM! LOOK AT IT!" Another girl emphasized, squishing Morgan's cheeks. "CAN YOU SAY NO TO THIS CUTIE?! WHY HAVEN'T YOU MARRIED THIS BEAUTIFUL GIRL'S DAD YET SO YOU CAN HAVE HER ALL TO YOURSELF EVERY DAY?!" The others nodded along, while the rest of the group burst into laughter or rolled their eyes at the scene, causing Olivia to blush.

"Th-That's very inappropriate! It has nothing to do with what I said!" Olivia replied.

"I'm sorry, but we just can't believe what you're saying. You talk about him every day, how nice he is, but still haven't married him? Ma'am, I have great respect for you, but I don't understand why you haven't secured Robin for this precious little one!"

Several girls laughed while Olivia turned even redder.

"Wait, don't be mean to Liv!" Morgan stood up with her arms crossed, cheeks puffed out in anger. "Anyone who's mean to her won't get another peach tart ever again!"

"Oh, heavenly gods, forgive us, we are unworthy," said one of the girls, bowing before Morgan.

"Wait, Liv?" another questioned.

"Yup! Liv for Olivia!" Morgan laughed. "I wanted to give her a cute nickname, but I didn't want to make Daddy think of another one since I sometimes heard him saying she was like a peach or something." She said this shyly, and the girls and Olivia couldn't help but feel both embarrassed and touched.

"By Naga! You're too sweet!" thought Olivia, hiding her face behind her hands.

"Wait, wait, waaaaait!" A blushing girl approached Morgan, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Are you saying your daddy thought of cute nicknames for Miss Olivia?"

"N-Not exactly," Morgan said, a bit embarrassed. "It's just that I asked Daddy a bunch of things, and I... tricked him into saying a couple of nice things for me," she added, sticking her tongue out.

"Wait, what? Are you saying that..." The dancer's eyes sparkled. "You have never-before-heard information about Robin?"

"Ehh... Rona, you're... you're scaring me..." Morgan said under the intense gaze of the dancer who was drolling and had crazy eyes.

"W-Well, we've gotten a bit off track, we should focu-"

"Excuse me, but forgive me, Miss Olivia!" Rona interrupted, looking even more excited. "Do you really want to waste this opportunity? We could know what sweet or cute things Robin has said about you, we just need to get the information from little Morgan."

"Excuse me?" The tactician felt a bit offended by the insinuation.

"Wait, Rona, calm down," another girl said, trying to contain the situation. "Morgan isn't a spy or a tool for getting information. She just wants to help us."

"I'm sorry, it's just...!" Rona lowered her gaze, embarrassed. "It's just that... we're all very curious and well, Robin is... you know..."

"W-Well... if its nothing important... i think i´ll allow it... if it ok with you Morgan" Replied Olivia

"Well... so..." Rona watched as Morgan nervously averted her gaze. "What are you going to do?"

"Ummm..." Morgan glanced at everyone, especially Olivia, whose eyes seemed to sparkle with anticipation. "Um...ummm... ah! How about something from his notes?" She rummaged through her coat. "Umm... oh! I remember now!" She pulled out a small blue book. "Data analysis notes!"

"Data analysis..." Rona sighed.

"...data?" Olivia followed.

"Sweetie, why... why would we care abou—" Rona was interrupted as Morgan began to read aloud.

"As Gaius suggested, I need to get these things out of my mind. Following Libra's advice, I tried to do things outside my duties. Gaius insisted on these 'body language and social language' classes because he was interested in some of the books I found. He urged me to give nicknames as he does with everyone. According to him, it's liberating, so my first attempt was a failure," Morgan read while some girls leaned in to listen more closely. "Princess Lissa is 'yellow' to him. I don't know why he hid his face when he heard my reasons for trying to nickname Lissa 'bumblebee.' Even with my explanation that she wears a lot of yellow, always has fruit candies, and hums unconsciously while walking beside me, he excused himself from the room when I proposed that nickname."

Olivia blushed, seeing how several girls looked away, embarrassed by the sweet thing Morgan had said. Rona, on the other hand, stepped back, hitting the floor with her fist. The tender words of Robin had deeply touched them, feelin guilty for almost forcing Morgan to read something so private.

"Umm... this is..." Morgan pouted as she flipped through the pages. "Well... here it says I'm a 'glazed cinnamon roll'? That's weird. It says because I'm small, sweet, and fluffy, everyone would 'eat me up.' Am I a glazed cinnamon roll?" She stomped her foot. "Daddy! I'm not a cinnamon roll!"

"Yes, of course you are!" all the girls thought in unison.

"Oh! This is good!" Morgan said as she looked at Olivia with a broad smile. Olivia blushed and tried to stop her, but the other girls held her back. "Ahem," Morgan began again, dramatically imitating her father's voice. "Miss Olivia seemed somewhat... reserved at first. Her way of dancing is spectacular, but I've observed she is more than that. She treats her students with care, those close to her with affection, and less fortunate people with respect. Gaius scolded me again for being too analytical and formal in something like this and asked me to try the nickname experiment again. I couldn't know it before, but being soft to the touch, her hair silky and smelling of gardenias, I don't know if it truly happened or if I was delirious when I was sick. Still, I remember this from a time we cuddled when I was bedridden. So, I can't be sure, but considering this, I suppose 'gardenia bud' would be an appropriate nickname. Gaius hit me with one of his sweets again before leaving the room and shouting at someone outside."

"...gardenia bud..." murmured Rona to Olivia with a wide grin on her face. Olivia was redder than usual as they repeated the nickname, affirming how fitting it was.

"Cuddling with the grandmaster..." One of the girls smiled, as the other followed her behaviour with that comment "Kind of... daring"

"S-Stop it! It's not what it seems!" Olivia said, barely able to stand from the embarrassment.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the castle, a certain princess felt a strange gust of wind rustle her pigtails. Despite being in a windowless room, she found it odd that a breeze would suddenly disturb her.

"What's up?" Severa asked as Lissa grumbled.

"Nothing, just... felt a disturbance in the force..." Lissa replied, returning to their conversation. Cordelia and Severa were trying to get along, but Severa's attitude was proving to be a major obstacle. Meanwhile, Nowi was playing with Nah's hair, braiding her pigtails as Nah sighed at her mother's carefree behavior.

"Ugh... not you too..." Severa rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance.

"Excuse me?" Lissa responded, slightly offended by Severa's tone.

Taking hold of her pigtails, Severa mimicked a mustache and beard while clearing her throat. "Severa, I love you very much, but I swear I feel a disturbance in the force every time you, Morgan, Calypso, or Wendolyn try to pull a prank on your mother or me. I swear, if you paint over any of the military strategy books I lend to Chrom again, you'll never have peach tarts ever again." Severa imitated her father's voice. The hilarity came from how eerily accurate her impersonation was.

"What?! Your Robin made empty threats like that too?" Lissa tried to contain her laughter, while Nowi couldn't hold back and Nah barely stifled a giggle. "By Naga! How do you mimic his voice so well?"

"What do you mean? I am Robin," Severa replied before coughing as Cordelia handed her a glass of water.

"Why do you mimic him so well?" her mother asked, curious.

"Hmph! Well, you and Dad were always busy in the afternoons. Uncle Frederick and Gaius tried to look after us, but managing four rowdy sisters in the castle wasn't easy. I had to entertain them somehow."

"By mimicking his voice?"

"Well, I had to get the books Morgan wanted somehow. Wendolyn and Calypso kept themselves busy with Aunt Sumia at the stables, while I... kept an eye on things."

"Excuse me?" Cordelia asked, embarrassed by her daughter's expression. That frown said it all.

"Well, Aunt Emmeryn and Aunt Sumia always put naughty ideas in your head. I couldn't allow us to be banned from another place just because you and Dad couldn't keep your hands to yourselves."

"She what?!" Cordelia hid her face in embarrassment at her daughter's words. Noticing the expressions on Lissa and Sumia, she hadn't realized when the queen had arrived. Sumia, with a smile that made Chrom tremble, held her teacup and took a small sip while Cordelia tried to compose herself.

"Well, I'm glad Lady Emmeryn is alive in your world. Tell me, dear, what else did she do?" Sumia asked, still sipping her tea.

"Eh? W-Well... if you insist," Severa began. "There were certain things Lady Emmeryn would do, like monopolizing Morgan."

"Excuse me?"

"Sometimes you two would disappear for days, right after an important event like mourning the fallen pegasus knights during the invasion. Mom would get all melancholic and wander around until Dad made it a tradition to take her out of town after paying respects. But that was a problem," Severa said, a bit annoyed. "I don't remember much since I was two or three, but all of my sisters' birthdays are suspiciously close to important events. Mom didn't want to take up too much of Dad's time, but wow, they did a lot to bring us all into the world. After Aunt Emmeryn fell in love with Morgan's way of being, whenever they disappeared, she would look after Morgan. Calypso and Wendolyn would play with Lucina and Cynthia, so I was left fixing Uncle Chrom's messes while they were there."

"Oh? What kind of messes?"

"Well... Uncle Chrom would do things Dad told him not to do, and then you'd scold him. I had to help because Uncle Chrom also gave Dad crazy ideas. I don't know why, but they're not allowed in Porthtown... uh, it's a fishing town north of Ylisstol, really nice, but there was a scandal there, as far as I know."

"Scandal..." Sumia looked at Cordelia, who was even more embarrassed. "Tell me... do you know about this?"

"Your Majesty! W-Why would you ask that? I-I haven't done anything yet!" Cordelia tried to defend herself, but Severa thought for a moment while pulling a small book from her bag.

"Gawds, I don't know why Uncle Chrom stopped you, but apparently, he convinced you not to burn some scribes' studies. All I know is you confiscated several books from Mom. I don't have them, but I think they're by the same author as this book. I don't know if it exists here..."

Cordelia's eyes widened when the cover of the book was revealed. Before she could grab it, Lissa was quicker.

"Oh? This is..." Lissa's grin widened as she saw Cordelia's reaction. "Sumia~ is this what I think it is~?"

"Wow, this is..." Sumia took the book, flipping through the pages. "Mmm... well, the index has fewer chapters than the one I know, but if it's the same author..." Sumia's eyes widened. "Wait... no... you... you want...?" Her accusatory look made Cordelia shake her hands desperately.

"What's happening? I don't understand?" Nowi pouted.

"Dear... this... haaaaaah..." Sumia cleared her throat. "It's a novel about a young paladin being rescued by a young foreigner... well, here he's called a 'man from the north', but..." Sumia raised an eyebrow. "...this book is pretty tame, the sequels... not so much..." She looked at the back cover. "...did you do the restaurant scene? People eat there!"

"I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING!" Cordelia yelled. "I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING YET! YOU CAN'T BLAME ME FOR SOMETHING MY 'OTHER SELF' DID!" She looked at Severa. "A-AND WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS? WHY ARE YOU CARRYING THIS SPECIFICALLY?"

"More importantly... I didn't know Robin could be so... bold," Lissa said, flipping through the book. She cleared her throat as she read a passage aloud, "I saw him while he was repairing his equipment. Despite the fierce battle we had fought, he remained so defensive and alert. I don't know what motivated me at that moment. Maybe it was his bare chest, the way he was oiling his sword, or perhaps that unquenchable flame in his eyes. We exchanged glances, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I couldn't resist when he called me to his side. I took his hand as I sat on his lap and placed my free hand on his chest. When he rested his sword against the wall, I couldn't help but lean in closer to his face. Even in his arms, I tried to resist his fervent grip, squeezing his hand. I tried to avoid it but simply succumbed to his sweet touch. Though I didn't want to admit it, my mind was clouded by the emotions I felt, playing with his expectations. I didn't get close enough to kiss him, just enough to feel his breath on me. In response, he gently bit my lip, playing with the tension..."

Lissa had read a good portion of the page, but halfway through, she turned red with excitement, imagining herself in that situation. She glanced at Cordelia, who seemed to have the same idea. "WHAT KIND OF PERVERTED FILTH ARE YOU GIVING YOUR DAUGHTERS?!"

"I HAVEN'T GIVEN THEM ANYTHING!" Cordelia retorted.

"Pfft, please..." Severa sighed, playing with a lock of her hair. "You think that book is perverted? Compared to other things they've done... that book is like a children's story..." She pouted. "This new aunt is quite innocent and pure..."

"New aunt?" Sumia asked, confused.

"In my world, Uncle Chrom is the King of Ylisstol. Aunt Emmeryn was queen for a while until she got sick and couldn't continue normally... although I think she only did it to teach Uncle Chrom how to rule... but... Lissa... I heard my uncles had a little sister they lost when she was a child..." The atmosphere grew somber with her words.

"I'm... not in your world?" Lissa asked.

"Are you kidding? If we had someone like you in our world... I'm pretty sure Morgan would have said you were her favorite aunt," Severa said with another sigh. "I can almost see you both causing trouble everywhere. I'm pretty sure you'd be good partners in crime," she said, taking the book from Lissa's hands. "I have this because I was looking for the author... for an anniversary... now I don't know if I can ever return it..."

"..." They fell silent, feeling the weight of her words. It wasn't just that they had arrived because of some crisis; they apparently just got 'lost.' Unlike the other children, it seemed they weren't in the same dire conditions. Despite Nah's delicate appearance, she didn't seem as malnourished as when they found Lucina or Cynthia. Severa didn't appear to be in bad condition either. One of Sumia's worst fears was right in front of her. Seeing how much Robin and Cordelia loved their daughters, she couldn't imagine what they'd do if they lost one.

"Tell me, dear... how did you get here?" Sumia asked.

"It wasn't a big deal," Severa said as she returned to her seat. "Morgan gave me some clues, I took some flyers and started my journey to get this stupid signature. They told me the author was hiding behind that strange door in the south, but before I could do anything, I ended up here... I..." Severa paused for a moment, her lips trembling. Cordelia approached and gently held her.

"My child..." Cordelia stroked her head as she hugged her.

"Mom... I'm sorry for leaving like that... I didn't mean to say those things..." Severa said as they tried to comfort her.

"It's hard..." Nah sighed.

"It must have been tough to end up here without knowing what was happening," Sumia commented. "...May I ask... how did you get here?"

"It was kind of silly," Nah began. "I was on a journey exploring some ruins south of the continent. Mom and Dad were trying to negotiate with some people from Falmuth... a nation across the ocean. They're not... particularly friendly to humans, so they sent me south to hide my existence, and Morgan was taken north. I simply woke up in the middle of the night to the screams of those creatures," she sighed, recalling how she couldn't even face Grima's spawn. "All I know is that Naga told me to hide for now. I stayed hidden for quite some time until Severa 'appeared' out of nowhere at my camp."

"She just appeared in front of you?" Lissa questioned. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, I don't know how to put it into words. I was eating, preparing my meal, and right next to the campfire, I saw her fall from 'nowhere' to the ground," Nah said, trying to stifle a laugh. "At least it wasn't like what happened to me."

"Nah..." Sumia tried to analyze her face. She didn't seem affected, but if her calculations were correct, she had been alone in the middle of nowhere for at least a couple of years without any help.

"Please, don't worry about me," Nah said with a smile. "It's just... a couple of inconveniences."

"I just don't understand why you didn't come with us or why you hid," Lissa said.

"Well, it was basically Naga's whim," the young dragon sighed. "She told me there was no one on the continent" with those words, Sumia facepalmed in her head, of course she couldnt, they were fighting against Wallhart "She said that if I distracted Mom or anyone from the platoon, it could have been disastrous... so she told me to hide for now... and then she stopped responding."

"Stopped responding? Wait... you could communicate with Naga? The goddess Naga?"

"Well... yes?" Nah shrugged. "Until a few months ago, she was quite cooperative, keeping me informed of what was happening with you all. But then... she started getting very 'sleepy' and stopped responding like she used to... that is until she told me that a certain person was continuously pestering her and that she had... her reservations about showing herself."

"Certain..." Lissa looked at Sumia and Cordelia, who nodded in unison.

"Person..." Sumia rolled her eyes.

"Pestering her..." Cordelia finished as the three thought of that person. Was it really possible that Tharja had enough power to not only communicate but annoy a deity? If the phrase "faith moves mountains" applied to Libra, could Tharja's obsession with Robin move the powers guarding this world? The balance of power was disturbed by that thought, and they wondered why she didn't use her abilities more consistently in the fight against their enemies.

"Well, aside from that... I have some questions for both of you," Lissa said with a mischievous smile. "What's Morgan like in your world?"

Nah and Severa looked at each other before the dragon girl laughed and Severa rolled her eyes. "Like an otter," they said in unison.

"Huh?"

"I'm not complaining, though sometimes it was exasperating," Severa began. "When she was mad at me, she would hide in nooks and crannies of the castle where no one, NO ONE could get to. Papa and Mama would spend hours searching until we found her on top of a bookshelf or tucked away in the storage spaces, sleeping soundly while we turned the castle upside down looking for her." Severa sighed. "But... I loved holding her. She looked so cute..."

"Don't even mention it," Nah said between laughs. "The Morgan in my world was a handful!" Nowi seemed curious about her words. "I remember whenever she got mad at Mother, she would fly to the highest tower of the castle to sleep between the roof tiles. She had no respect for roofs, being so slippery that the guards couldn't detect her. Sometimes you could be in a room doing something and suddenly hear her snoring because she was sprawled awkwardly..." There was a hint of melancholy in her eyes. "Though... that started to fade... Father being human, some of the more extreme factions were quite... unkind to him. So it wasn't unusual to see her baring her fangs at other children who thought Father was just Mother's toy..."

"I'd never think that," Nowi replied, her cheeks puffed out. "What was my other self doing when those bullies were saying that?!"

"Mother... you literally started biting their heads off when anyone suggested he was just your 'seasonal toy.' You started causing trouble in the castle," Nah said with a touch of embarrassment in her voice. "It was actually on Morgan's birthday when we showed that even being 'hybrids,' we were just as strong, if not stronger, than the 'pureblood' kids around." She tried to suppress a laugh but failed. "Oh... I'd forgotten how territorial Morgan was. She literally, in her dragon form, grabbed Father by his coat, handed him to you like he was a purse, and then charged at three dragons twice her size. We got into trouble that day because they were missing several scales when Morgan was done with them."

"Good! I'm sure my other self kicked all their butts," Nowi said smugly.

"Are you kidding? You got us into so much trouble! Well... everyone got into trouble, but a lot of things could have been resolved if you hadn't said anything," Nah sighed.

"Poor Morgan... I hope she at least gave them a good thrashing," Lissa said, finding the idea of an aggressive Morgan strange but not entirely surprising given how fiercely protective she could be of her father.

"Are you joking? That's where many of our problems started," Nah began. "First, it was Mother and those idiots who tried to court her despite her being with Father. Then, when Father followed traditions and crushed those fools, they started complaining that Morgan and I were 'inferior' because we were hybrids. When Morgan beat up three bullies on her own and proved we weren't weaker, Father had more issues. Several foolish women tried to court him, thinking his 'descendants were superior to purebloods,' which Mother didn't like one bit."She sighed "After Morgan gave those idiots a good beating, Mom made it clear she wouldn't accept any courtship from those fools who looked down on Dad. Morgan, on the other hand, started spending a lot more time with him," Nah began, counting on her fingers. "If Dad went to the castle to work, Morgan was his personal transport from our little house by the forest to the castle. If Dad went to visit Haziel and offer support in court, then Morgan was right there by his side, keeping any gold-digger away. If Dad wanted to take a break while the clan leaders' meeting was in progress, Morgan was there," she sighed, raising her arms. "The only time she separated from him was when he went to the bathroom or when she 'delegated' him to Mom in the afternoon!"

"So... did Morgan become his bodyguard or something?" Lissa asked.

"More like his second shadow. Even on weekends when we went fishing at the lake, Mom and Dad would sit by the lake, waiting for the lines to catch something. After the incident with the three bullies, Morgan never left his side. Sometimes, when we went to the lake, Morgan would take her Manakete form and float in the water, with Mom and Dad on top of her, fishing."

"That... sounds strange..." Sumia thought, glancing at Nowi.

"I'd treat my babies with love and care," Nowi said, puffing out her cheeks.

"Well, you taught us well, you and Dad," Nah said, blushing. "You taught us to protect our loved ones. He taught us to analyze and be good people. You taught us about our culture, and he taught us about our history. Strangely, you two complemented each other very well..."

"Nah..." Nowi whispered, embracing her.

"Normally... I wouldn't like this kind of hug... but..." Nah took her hand when Nowi rested her head on hers. "Strangely... you hug just like my mom..."

"It doesn't surprise me, given what we know—they spent months without contacting anyone," Lissa thought, watching the affectionate exchange between mothers and daughters. With a hand on her belly, she became lost in thought. "I wonder... if I'll ever be like that…" she mused, trying not to get too wrapped up in her fantasies. Why did she feel so jealous? She was happy that Cordelia and Nowi seemed content with how things had turned out, even if these were 'daughters from another world.' Yet, she couldn't help but feel a pang of envy seeing Robin not only as a competent and loving father but also someone who stayed true to his ideals in another world. And despite Nah's shy demeanor and Severa's gentle expression, they seemed more relaxed than yesterday, though still anxious about the news that Robin was missing.

"…Oh, Lissa…" Sumia tried not to say anything, but Lissa's expression spoke volumes. Seeing her sister-in-law like this, Sumia couldn't help but wonder if it was right to encourage her own daughter to pursue something with Robin. She knew Chrom would initially have issues with it, but she couldn't deny how smitten the girls seemed at the moment. The presence of these two girls, while welcome, didn't seem to be making things any easier. She couldn't imagine Sully, Tharja, or Lucina stepping back with this new information, and certainly not Lissa, who now seemed more determined than ever.

Lucina was still in her room, wearing her nightgown and standing in front of the mirror, with various dresses and outfits scattered across the floor.

If it was just about strength, she knew she could keep up with Morgan, but flexibility and grace? Olivia far outclassed her in that area. She hadn't felt this anxious in a long time—at least not since Tharja had given her that ultimatum. Before, whenever she saw the figure of that witch, she couldn't help but feel that she was lacking in much—both in her chest and her hips.

Well, at least that's how she perceived things up until that moment.

It hadn't been obvious to her before, the glances she could attract, until just a few days ago. Now that Tharja had made her intentions clear, Lucina couldn't help but recall something that had always bothered her—the number of looks that woman garnered compared to herself.

At first, she supposed it made sense. After all, no one who knew her origins would dare give her a second glance. But now that she thought about it, there were times when, alone or even in company, Robin's attention was caught by Tharja. Often, he remained stoic, showing respect to his companions, but there were moments when it was inevitable, and Lucina couldn't help but feel embarrassed for him when he couldn't help but notice Tharja's pronounced feminine features. Such glances stopped happening after they found Morgan.

Still, she couldn't recall even a single time Robin had looked at her that way.

She felt ashamed for being upset that her father's best friend didn't see her in that light. It was a complicated feeling, but now that she was looking at her own figure, she lamented the little progress she had made in her own curves.

Well, she had been a malnourished girl who gave everything she could to her sister. Turning to see Cynthia, who was busy looking for more comfortable dresses and clothes, Lucina couldn't help but notice that her sister had inherited their mother's curves.

Lucina gave herself a light slap on the forehead for thinking such things. She couldn't believe she now felt a bit jealous over it. She placed her hands on her hips and then on her chest to assess the figure staring back at her in the mirror. She wasn't the scrawny girl who had survived on her own for two years anymore, but seeing that she had more muscle than curves, and that her chest had grown only a little, she realized she might have to resign herself to not competing—not just with Tharja, who was impossible to match, but also with Cordelia or Sully.

"You're pouting again," Cynthia commented.

"I'm not," Lucina shot back as she grabbed one of the dresses Cynthia tossed her way. She looked at it for a moment, noting the lace and the low neckline—it wasn't her style, although, to be honest, her clothing choices had always been questioned.

"Robin will like it~" Cynthia teased as Lucina threw the dress back at her.

"I-It's not what you think!" Lucina retorted, embarrassed, as she picked up some other clothes from the floor. "I just thought… it was time for a wardrobe change."

"And that's why, as soon as Morgan left with Olivia, you decided it was time for more revealing outfits?" Cynthia asked, holding up a set of outfits that looked similar to Olivia's—obviously less revealing, but still quite daring compared to what Lucina usually wore.

"Cynthia! You said you wouldn't tease me if I asked for your help!"

"Well… yes, I like helping you, sis… but…" Cynthia held one of the outfits up to Lucina. "It seems like… you're a bit desperate to make up for something…" Lucina pouted, turning away and crossing her arms. "Well, it's not like you have to try too hard, we've seen Robin's... preferences."

"Cynthia!"

"Sorry, sorry! Bad joke," she said, laughing with her hands raised. "I-I'm sure whatever Mom tells us after her secret meeting, there won't be anything to worry about. This is coming from the second-in-command of the Robin Fan Club," she said, sticking out her tongue with a smile.

"Are you still doing that?" Lucina sighed.

"Hey, you're the one who refuses to come to the meetings. Besides, the last meeting was about Morgan."

"Please, those meetings are just for tea and cookies..." Lucina said, placing a hand on her forehead. "Not many people even go."

"Well, there's me, Mom, Lissa, Maribelle, Panne, and Cordelia," Cynthia counted on her fingers. "We're only missing Olivia, Sully, and you."

"Lissa only goes for the cookies and to see if she can find something to use against Robin. Maribelle goes because she doesn't want to hear any nonsense that isn't 'noble lady stuff.' Plus, she's there to make sure poor Panne doesn't get confused trying to learn her husband's culture by using these... 'meetings', Cordelia just wants to support her friend. Sully..." She sighed. "Aunt Sully... I didn't think she'd join in after a while too..."

"Seriously? All of you make goo-goo eyes when talking about Robin," Cynthia sighed, still amazed that Lucina thought she was hiding her crush well "Everyone except Robin and Daddy had noticed, EVEN MORGAN HAD NOTICED!" she clamied

"I don't make those eyes," Lucina said, even more embarrassed.

"Yes, you do, sis." Cynthia leaned back in a chair. "In fact, I remember at the last Shepherds' meeting, you were always near him, listening to what he said. Your eyes lit up when he included you in the plan against Grima." She struck a dramatic pose. "You were like, 'It's not possible, Robin. I should be by your side for this mission. It's the end of the world. I have to be there with you.' or something like that!" Cynthia watched as Lucina turned as red as a tomato. "Not subtle at all, sis."

"But... that has nothing to do with it!" Lucina retorted, her voice faltering. "Dad and Mom were paired together, Lady Tiki with Morgan, it was obvious someone needed to cover him!"

"Why not Aunt Sully? Or Aunt Cordelia?" Cynthia smiled. "I can even remember when they were making the teams, I had to suggest it be you to make sure nothing went wrong, even though most people on that mission thought it should be those with flying mounts or those who could fly."

"W-Well, we managed to make it work in the end, didn't we? At least... mostly..."

"...Are you still regretting that?" Cynthia asked.

"How could I not? We were supposed to all come back together that day... Instead, Robin sacrificed himself for everyone... even though I tried... to hurt him..."

"Well... I don't think backing down is exactly 'hurting him' entirely, or anything," Cynthia said, resting her head in her hands. "In fact, I might be a little jealous of that event. He carried you like a princess after you got hit by that wyvern, then he left you with me and Morgan before going back to Chrom while Aunt Maribelle healed you... I swear I could feel Tharja was just about ready to curse you for that," she said with a sigh.

"I... I'm not talking about that..." Lucina sighed, sitting down next to her sister. "...Before Grima... before we went to the mountain, I tried to 'get rid' of Robin after what happened with Validar..."

"...What?"

"It all happened so fast, it's something Father forbade me to talk about... which is why I don't feel like I deserve a chance," she said sadly.

"But... w-what exactly happened?"

Lucina looked distraught, worry, sadness, and above all, regret, were etched on her face. "It was after we returned from the continent... after Walhart... after Validar..."

"...Wait... are you saying it was when..." Cynthia paled. "That... that time when Tharja almost lost control? Was it you? Were you the one who provoked her?"

"It was the day before her rant... right when Validar controlled Robin. He had distanced himself from the group to think, even Father had said that despite what happened, it wasn't his fault. The day he insisted we imprison him and our parents refused, I wondered... what would happen to Morgan? What would happen to everyone?" Lucina clenched her fists. "I don't know if I was just being selfish, but that day I tried to take his life..."

"But... but Father wouldn't have allowed it, he couldn't approve of that!"

"No, Father couldn't bear the thought of leaving him behind, let alone doing something like that. So the day I tried to harm him... I just asked for advice, tried to find a moment to talk and see if I could do it... discreetly. But that day when I spoke to him... his expression was one of sadness. He told me he would follow me wherever I wanted, and well... he just accepted his fate in front of me..." Lucina said, biting her lip.

"B-But... Lucina! Wh-what were you trying to do?! What did you try to do that day?!"

"What else could I do? Robin just accepted my judgment... that day... he just asked me to take care of Morgan, that if I told her he had to take charge of the castle's security, she could take command... I tried to take his life that day, but I couldn't. All I could see when he knelt before me with his head down, all I could hear was Morgan crying in my mind. In the end... we just stayed there in silence for hours... Father was furious when he found us after Gaius told him what I was planning," Lucina said, tears streaming down her face.

"...Sis..." Cynthia couldn't help but hug her, trying to comfort her.

"That's why I keep telling Mom I don't deserve a chance!" Lucina shouted. "I was about to do something horrible to him! To Morgan! We still don't know who her mother is and yet I couldn't stop thinking about Father's life! Like a fool, I went to such an extreme, even when Father had rejected the options Robin had suggested to contain him if something happened!"

Lucina tried to wipe her tears away. "This is why I don't understand why I keep insisting, I don't deserve this! I don't deserve the chance to have Morgan as mine when I almost took away the only thing she has!"

"Oh for crying out loud, not you too," exclaimed another person, surprising them both. Sully had entered, carrying a box with various clothes. "Seriously, why does everyone think so poorly of Robin?"

"E-Excuse me?!" Lucina exclaimed, now looking a bit indignant. Sully closed the door as she continued. "I-I have nothing but respect for R-Robin! I don't have any resentment towards him! And—" Sully silenced her by placing a hand on Lucina's head.

"Sweetheart, there's no need to be embarrassed. I heard everything, and I have to say, Cynthia is right." She sighed. "And don't you dare say again that I'm making googly eyes, at least not in front of Robin when he comes back, understood?" She said, eyeing Cynthia.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Cynthia replied nervously, nodding frantically.

"And you, princess, answer me—why do you think so poorly of Robin?"

"I-I'm telling you, I don't! I never—"

"Look, this is the first time I'm hearing about this," Sully began. "It bothers me that no one told me anything, but in a way, I also understand that Robin was only thinking of you a few days after this happened," she said with a teasing smile. "He could only hold Morgan and ask Chrom how you were doing. You're not the first person to do something incredibly reckless, and you won't be the last. So my advice is that if he forgave you and even put HIS LIFE in YOUR HANDS against Grima even after what you did, you shouldn't think he holds any resentment towards you. He has your best interests in mind, whether you end up being Morgan's mother or her favorite aunt. Are we clear on this?"

Lucina stared at her for a moment, unable to decipher what Sully was getting at. But the carefree way she was trying to cheer her up... Sully had learned a thing or two from Robin over the years. "I... I..."

"Listen, I'm trying to do something good here, so listen to your Aunt Sully for a moment," Sully said with a huff. "Robin forgave you a long time ago. If you really think you don't deserve a chance when he specifically put his life in your hands at his most difficult moment, then I don't know what clearer proof you need that he forgave you and that you deserve this 'whim'. I'm not going to repeat the obvious again, understand?"

"...I... understand..." Lucina said, calming down a bit. Sully smiled while Cynthia looked exhausted from such a confession. She could only imagine how long this intrusive thought had tormented Lucina. "...Thank you..."

"If you're grateful, then help me get rid of this," Sully said, handing over the box. Both girls checked its contents and were surprised to see they were all red dresses.

"What is this?" Cynthia asked.

"I was just passing by, wanted to see Sumia to return these things. They're really not my style," Sully said, embarrassed. "Besides... I thought you could use a motivational talk."

"Specifically me?" Lucina asked.

"Well, not specifically you. I would never dare mock a wounded maiden, your father and Robin maybe, but not the feelings of a woman who has the same goal as me. I just want it to be fair in the end," she said with a smile.

"Fair? What are you talking about?"

"Well, Sumia just finished interviewing the girls, so she's likely to announce a meeting to go out searching for Robin again at any moment. So before we leave, I wanted to make sure everything was in order."

"Leave? But we just had little Lucina's birthday party, why would Mom want to search for Robin right now when we're still in this mess?" Cynthia asked.

"Well, I know Sumia, and I know she can be passionate at times, so I think she wants to give her little princess an edge," Sully said with a laugh.

"An edge? What are you talking about?" Lucina asked.

"It's obvious," Sully said with a smile. "Now Cordelia's on cloud nine, I'm not sure if Nowi will push when the moment passes, but it's more than clear now that we know Robin doesn't dislike redheads," she said, emphasizing her own hair.

It all made sense now. Cynthia was a bit slow to catch on, but Lucina understood immediately. She had been terribly passive on the matter. This talk of 'wanting it to be fair' was just to give her a bit of spark, some pride as a woman, not just as a 'poor convalescent maiden'. Who better than Sully to emphasize this 'competition'? The box was a declaration to the royal family: 'I don't need this. If those two in other worlds could win Robin over by being themselves, they didn't need adornments or anything else.'

"Wow... I see... I see everything now..." Lucina sighed, laughing. "...I think I'll take Mother's offer if she calls me to travel the path again."

"Sure? You don't want to stay here like a good girl and wait—" Sully was interrupted when Lucina pushed the box into her hands.

"If you'll excuse me, I think I have a lot of things to do and prepare for. With your permission," she said, leaving the room.

"These kids..." Sully sighed. "I swear I'm going to start charging you if you let this happen again, Sumia..."

"Umm... excuse me, what was that?" Cynthia asked, confused.

"Nothing, sweetheart, just paying off an old debt," Sully said, sighing again. "A double debt, I suppose."

"But... Aunt Sully... you like Robin, don't you? Why help my sister like this?"

"Well, Robin likes women with character, so I figured if I want to do what I want, I need someone to back me up," she winked.

"Back you up... wait... you..."

"Maybe I mentioned it once to Olivia, it was something I said while drunk, but now I confirmed it with what I heard from Nowi and Cordelia," she smiled. "In fact, it was from the girls, Nah said they would never accept someone in their union who had mocked her or her girls."

"...Ugh... this doesn't sound... like something Father would accept... not with Lucina, you, and Aunt Lissa," Cynthia sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

"Wouldn't you support something like that?" Sully asked.

"It doesn't matter what I or the others accept, what matters—" She was interrupted when they felt a tremor in the castle. "... what matters is what SHE wants to accept."

"Yeah, I'll take care of that," Sully said, moving closer to the window and looking at the tower in the distance. Some smoke was coming out, but when they saw Tharja open the windows, Sully crossed her arms. "We'll have to see if we can convince her to share."

Chapter 7: Resilience