Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"I must say, Lucina, I'm surprised you got her to come."

"I'll say. She's been locked up in her room for the past six months. We all thought she became a recluse."

Lucina looked at Servera and Laurent, the rest of the future children behind them, as they were walking through the streets of Ylisse. A few people gave them looks, but most simply went about their daily lives as normal. A peaceful day in Ylisse, after having to deal with years of war, was something so many were grateful for.

It was strange, having everyone together with the only intention to relax. They were all, so use to fighting that being out in normal clothes was odd. Especially with Kjelle, considering she practically wore her armor almost all the time. 

She glanced back at the Morgan, the girl Laurent and Servera was referring to, who was in the middle of hearing Owain and Cynthia tales of their adventures. It was nice having everyone together after so long. 

While most of them stayed in Ylisse, Gerome and Inigo had left with their parents when Virion and Cherche returned to Valm after the war, with Virion retaking his place as the Duke with Oliva at his side. Cherche, Gregor, and Gerome had a home near the Wyvern Valley, to keep an eye out for the Wyverns there. Given the history between the three and Minvera, Cherche, and Gerome's wyvern, it made sense. There was Donnel, Panne, and Yarne, who had returned to Donnel's village on the Farfort and kept the village safe from the occasional bandit attack. 

Then there was Henry, Tharja, and Noire. They had initially stayed in Ylisse, but it was clear the two dark mages missed their home in Plegia. Given that the country had been in shambles, given everything that had transpired over the past 2 years, her father asked the two if they could keep an eye on things. The last thing they needed another tyrant or a mad man taking over Plegia. So they've been living in Plegia keeping an eye on the state of things.

Aside from those exceptions, the rest of the future children had moved into daily lives in Ylisse. Kjelle helped her parents trained the new recruits with Servera and Fredrick, the former still refusing to try the idea of becoming a pegasus knight but was not as hostile to it as she once was. Nah spent her days with her parents at the orphanage Libra opened, balancing out her mother's playfulness with her level-headedness. Maribelle was still trying to get Brady to act more like a noble, though she doubted that would ever happen. She had managed to turn Gaius into one, which surprised everyone. 

Owain and Cynthia, when not staying at the castle, would travel all over the continent on some adventure and return to tell their younger selves all about it. It was cute to see them and her younger self's face light up whenever the two told their tales. Laurent had joined his parents in their mission to expand the limits of human knowledge. That came to no surprise to any of them. 

As for her, she had joined Owain and Cynthia at first, wanting to keep her younger sister and cousin out of trouble, but has since stayed in Ylisse to keep Morgan company. Morgan needed someone to lean on while she is going through all this. Considering she had almost killed Robin, she felt a bit responsible for helping Morgan.

"She's been through a lot. I'm just glad she is smiling and not forcing herself to."

Kejelle and Geroome caught up, walking next to Servera and Laurent, before looking at her.

"I take it you still intend to keep what she has been saying to you to yourself?"

She sighed. Even after everything, Gerome still had suspicions about Morgan. 

"She hasn't told me anything that would raise questions, if that is what you mean, Gerome."

Kjelle was glaring at Gerome when she also asked.

"Unneeded bias aside, is it really wise to keep whatever is going on with her between yourself and her? Your parents and everyone else have been worried about her."

She knew where Kjelle was coming from, but she shook her head.

"Morgan wants to keep this to herself to prevent people from worrying too much. I'm just glad she trusts me enough to at least tell me about it."

She didn't even need to look behind at Inigo to know he was smirking.

"Careful, Lucina. You two keeping secrets like this will start giving people the wrong idea."

That was the second time someone had mentioned that. First Morgan, now Inigo. It had bugged her that Morgan wasn't telling her what she was referring to, but she had just assumed it had to do with whatever she was remembering. Inigo bringing it up meant it was something else.

She stopped and turned to Inigo.

"What are you talking about? First, Morgan brings it up, and now you."

She could feel everyone's eyes on her as Inigo was just staring at her in disbelief.

"You're...joking right, Lucina?"

"No. What idea do you think people will get from me helping Morgan?"

None of the people around her responded, all just staring at her as if she said something ridiculous. It was then that she noticed they had gotten ahead of Morgan and the others. Probably got distracted by the story Owain and Cynthia were telling.

"Look, I'm going to go get the others, you all just wait here."

With that, she walked past Inigo heading back to get the others. Meanwhile, Inigo just turned to face the four people who had been walking alongside Lucina as he was still in disbelief.

"She is joking....right?"

Kjelle and Servera simply shook their heads.

"Inigo, when has Lucina ever been for jokes."

"At this point, I think everyone aside from Lucina knows what's going on."

Laurent adjusted his glasses.

"Given who her father is, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise that she inherited his denseness."

"Right....should we maybe tell her then?"

"No."

They all looked to Gerome, who had spoken up.

"That is her business. She is capable of figuring it out, despite her inherit denseness."

"And if she can't?"

"As I said, it is her business, not ours."

Morgan had forgotten how fun being around everyone. Owain and Cynthia with their stories, as exaggerated as they may be, Brady feeling like he needs to challenge their story while her Noire, Nah, and Yarne just watch. She couldn't help but feel a moment of freedom from the fear and sadness that had gripped her for the past six months. 

Lucina and the rest of the group had ended up ahead of them, with Lucina glancing back to check on her every once in a while. Honestly, this had been the best choice she has made in recent weeks. Time with friends sure does help keep her mind off things.

"There ain't no way you two took down an entire bandit camp on your own."

She glanced up to see Brady arguing with Cynthia and Owain about the story they were telling. 

"Did too. Come on, Brady, we survived worse than bandits. How is this somehow unbelievable?"

"Indeed, they were no match for the Justice Cabals."

"They probably weren't as tough as you two are making them out to be."

She couldn't help but laugh a bit. Sadly, seeing Owain and Brady together along with Yarne and Inigo, being here began to drag up memories of that battle...that canyon...

Luckily, she was quickly shaken out of it by Nah and Noire, both looking at her with concerned faces.

"Hey, you okay, Morgan?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just haven't been getting much sleep as of late."

"Y-you know, Morgan, I'm sure if I ask my mother, she could create something to help with that."

She looked at Noire and smiled.

"Thanks, Noire, but I doubt any hex could fix it."

Yarne sighed as he stared at them.

"Well, something needs to be done. The fact you haven't tried anything to mean to me like you usually do is creeping me out."

"What I can't grow out of it?"

"Morgan, I've known you long enough to know you don't grow out of habits, especially those habits."

She would retort, but the moment she went to look at Yarne, that memory of the battle came to the front of her mind. She turned and noticed that Lucina and the others were way ahead of them but have stopped. She couldn't make out what had happened, but it seemed like something was said by Lucina. Everyone was looking at her as if she had said something unbelievable. Before long, Lucina walked towards them.

"Hey, you guys coming?"

Owain, Cynthia, and Brady stopped as they turned to Lucina and noticed that the others had gotten ahead. Everyone went past to catch up, but Lucina didn't follow as the two of them were left staring at each other. 

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing alright. To be honest, it's nice to have the group together again. I kinda forgot how lively things could be."

Lucina just smiled.

"Looks like it. I don't think I've seen you this happy in a while."

She couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"I suppose I have been a bit down in the dumps."

"A little?"

She laughed more as Lucina ended up joining her. She wasn't sure what it was that made her like this around Lucina. She should be afraid of her the most amongst the group, if not second to Gerome, if they ever found out what happened. Yet, she always felt better around Lucina. 

"Hey, Lucina?"

"Yes, Morgan?"

"I wanna thank you for letting me come. I know I didn't come along with all of you to this world but-"

"Morgan, we've been over this. Just because you weren't with us doesn't mean you are not one of us. Besides, you may have been at our side before coming here. Regardless, you're one of us, no matter what happens."

If only she knew, would she be saying that if she knew the truth? She shook the question out of her head. She had promised herself not to think about it, at least for today.

She was going to say something, but they both heard Cynthia calling.

"Hey, hurry up, you two. We're almost there to the spot me, and Owain scouted out that Servera wanted to have our picnic at."

Lucina turned and nodded at her sister before looking back at her.

"We should catch up. I still have questions for them."

"I noticed. Did Inigo say something rude?"

"I don't think it's rude, but I don't know what Inigo is trying to say. Inigo said what you said earlier about people getting ideas about us."

"Oh..."

Lucina sighed as she stared at her.

"I didn't think much about it because it was coming from you, no offense, so I thought it was just you being stressed. With Inigo saying it, I have to know. What ideas do you two think people will get?"

She bit her tongue a little trying to think of the best way to explain it. She had meant it differently than what Lucina believes, but she couldn't tell Lucina that. Without many options, she decides to, for the second time today, lie and hope Lucina believes her.

"Well...given what my father was and who your father is, people may think, given how much time we are spending as of late, that I've corrupted you, and we're conspiring to do something. Can't say if that is what Inigo thinks but that was what I was talking about earlier."

Lucina just stared at her for a moment before starting to laugh. She couldn't help but feel her face heat up at embarrassment. Yet, she couldn't help but join Lucina in laughing. Even to her, the lie was so absurd she couldn't take seriously.

"Morgan, I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't believe you are capable of doing anything evil, even with the knowledge of who your father is. The most people would guess we are conspiring to do is a night raid on the kitchen, and they'd probably guess we got roped in by my younger self and the other children."

Lucina calmed down after a few moments and looked at her.

"The point I'm trying to make is that, aside from a few exceptions, nobody would ever think of you as a threat. Besides, you're my friend, Morgan. If you are hurt or down, I won't let what others think of us get in the way of helping you."

"You sound a lot like Chrom whenever he would speak to Robin. What was it they call themselves? 'Two halves of the same whole'?"

"Father did believe, even now."

"Well, as much as we can go on, we should probably catch up to the others."

"Right."

The two started walking back to the others. As they all dived into conversations as they neared the spot Servera thought would be nice for them to hang out and relax for the day, she couldn't help but think about what Lucina had said. She had called her a friend and, while the fear she had regarding her past was one thing she felt towards hearing that, she also felt another thing. A feeling she wasn't sure why she felt. Lucina wasn't wrong to say they were friends and yet...

No. The chance for that life was gone. She could never be with Lucina. She is just some outside while Lucina a well-respected leader. It would never work. Lucina probably wasn't even interested in her that way. 

"Just another secret I have to hide, I suppose."