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It was a day like any other, not too poor and not too fair, when a white-haired woman in a large cloak wondered about how her life got so strange as she made her rounds across the army camp. After learning of the Fell Dragon’s eventual resurrection and the future warriors that transcended time to defeat it, Robin often wondered about what kind of life she must have had in the future. Well, the future before everything was burned to the ground by Grima.
She mostly wondered about her life with her husband and children, her secret insecurities often getting the best of her. What kind of relationship did she have with them? Did Chrom love her as much as she loved him? Did the people find her rule to be lacking? Were her children at least somewhat happy?
As she finished talking with Olivia and turned away from her tent, Robin saw her opportunity to quell her burning curiosity--in the form of a blue-haired young swordswoman moving some lances to the weapons tent. Why ponder what-ifs when you can go to the source?
"Lucina!” she called, walking over to her.
The young woman spun around to see who called her, a pleasant grin blossoming across her features as she set the lances aside. "Mother," she said, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Mother, Robin thought. Still have to get used to that.
Stowing the roster in her cloak, the tactician bent down to pick up half of the lances on the ground. "I was wondering," she began, "before the calamity that occurred in your future...what were our lives like before then?"
Nostalgia washed over Lucina, and she sighed, picking up the rest of the lances as they began to walk to the weapon storage tent. "It was very peaceful," she said. "You and Father were loved dearly by the people. Both of you were busy, of course, being the king and queen, but occasionally Uncle Frederick managed to clear your schedules to spend time with Morgan and I."
"Really?" Robin smiled, happy that she would prove to be a capable figurehead. "I’m glad to know that I was—er, will be, accepted by the masses. But what about as a person?"
Lucina brightened considerably; lips curved into a reminiscent smile. “You were the best mother anyone could ever hope for. Kind, loving, smart, and fiercely protective.” She backed into the tent’s door, holding the flap open for Robin to enter. “Many looked up to the brave Queen Robin of Ylisse; a great ruler, a cunning tactician, a dear friend, and…” Lucina flushed. “A beloved wife. You and Father remained desperately in love for the rest of your days.”
As Robin sorted and stored the lances alongside her future daughter, Lucina could swear that she saw her mother scrubbing at her eyes.
“I’m so glad,” Robin said quietly, her voice a bit higher than before. Clearing her throat, she asked, “What were your hobbies? Was there anything you and Morgan liked to do in your spare time?”
"Morgan inherited a lot of your strategic thinking, so he loved playing chess. He was virtually untouchable. The only person he could never beat was you." Lucina chuckled. "Father never could understand how he would always come out on top."
Robin laughed heartily. "Chrom is the kind of man who thinks impulsively, so it's natural for him to get frustrated like that!"
Putting the last of the lances away, Lucina placed her finger on her chin. "I believe his exact words were—"
"Damn it, Morgan! How in the hells do you do that!?" Chrom's voice could be heard somewhere outside of the tent.
Mother and daughter locked eyes, then promptly started laughing. Once they calmed down, Lucina placed a hand on her chest. "I loved having small moments like these..."
"Well, I heard about what your brother likes, but not you. Was there anything you liked to do, Lucina?"
"Well, I..." she hesitated, "I aspired to be a great swordsman like Father, so I practiced swordplay..."
Robin poked Lucina in the nose. "No surprise. You're your father's child, after all."
Lucina's face slightly turned pink. "But…I also liked when we all played Hide-and-Seek."
That was more…childish than Robin was expecting. "Oh really?"
"As you know, Ylisstol's grounds and gardens are very spacious. When you and Father were not attending meetings or busy with other royal matters, we would spend family time together. My favorite hiding places included places in the walls where Father accidentally bashed holes in them." Her expression darkened. "Though… Our peace would not last. Once Father was slain, Morgan and I had to flee...and that's when Ylisse fell."
"Don’t make that face,” Robin chided. “Because that’s why you're here. That is why you and the others came back in time. You came to take up arms with us to prevent the future from happening." Grabbing her daughter’s hands, she squeezed them in a reassuring gesture. “And this time, your father and I will be fighting with you. We won’t be leaving you again.”
"Yes," Lucina said, grinning determinedly. "After all this time, I long for the day that finding hiding places and playing chess will be all we have to worry about."
More defeated groans and triumphant laughter came from outside the tent. Robin chuckled and sighed, folding her hands together to crack her knuckles. "Well, I'd better put your brother in his place. We can't have him stripping our fearless leader of all of his pride.”
Lucina's branded eyes sparkled mirthfully as she walked out of the tent. "Indeed not."