#linfan

Her initial appearance was certainly a shock, and the thought that you and Say’ri would have a daughter not long in the future made your heart swell with love and excitement (once the anxiety at the thought of bringing another life into this world, given both your pasts).

At least, it did at first.

The battle to reach Morgan was difficult, and she was almost at risk of death. Say’ri was the one who recognized her before anyone else could.

The swordsmanship the cloaked stranger used was utterly unmistakeable.

Only she and her brother could possibly know how to fight lke that. It was specific to their noble family’s lineage; a traditional sword fighting technique passed down only to their family.

And she had passed it on to her own offspring.

“Robin-” Say’ri spoke within moments of the fight beginning, the Risen slowly making their way towards the young samurai who held her own.

You launched a bolt of Arcthunder into the mob, careful to avoid striking Chrom or Stahl as they charged forward.

“What’s wrong?” Your question was immediate; Say’ri rarely spoke in battle unless it was of the utmost importance.

“It is the stranger- they fight as Father and Mother did.”

Your gaze turned to the figure far ahead, eyes narrowed as you observed their movements. It was certainly similar to Say’ri’s fighting pattern, but you weren’t versed enough to tell it apart from other Chon’sin styles (yet, at least).

“What does that mean?”

“It means…we are of one blood. They are kin.” She stated with a swift strike of her blade, another Risen falling by her hand.

You drew her behind you to follow with a powerful blast of magic, lighting up the entire squadron that acted as another barrier.

“Could it be another Yen’fay? Or another family member from a different timeline?” He wondered, “They seem small…like a child, almost…”

“Robin-” She sucked in a breath, as if steeling herself for the words she spoke.

“Say’ri?”

“There are no children. Brother and I are the last of our family’s bloodline. Unless…”

“Unless…?”

Suddenly, it clicked. Your stomach dropped, feeling a wave of urgency crash over you.

“That is our-”

“-We have to get them-”

“-We have a-”

“-They need our help!!”

You stumbled over each other’s words, the rush of adrenaline bordering into panic when you realized how much more dire the situation had become.

That wasn’t just a stranger who needed help- that was your very own child. Yours and Say’ri’s child!

“Fie!!” Say’ri bellowed, bursting forth with a renewed fire in her eyes.

It was all you could do to follow after her, alerting Chrom and Lucina that it was without doubt another future child.

The princess wasn’t far behind, the Shepherds realigning their strategy to make a beeline for that young one.

Unfortunately the Risen didn’t relent in their attack, all but swarming your battalion when your objective became clear.

It was a race to the end, and it was putting more pressure on the stranger.

More and more Risen clouded your vision, and it became difficult to see over the monsters before you. It took a few moments to realize that Say’ri was no longer at your side.

“Say’ri- hey, where did you go?!” You shouted for your wife over the clamor of battle. She did not respond- but you did spot a flash of black hair in the distance.

“Good gods- she’s just going in alone? Is she on a suicide mission??” Cordelia spotted her second, prompting you to order the pegasus knight down.

“Get me to her!!” Your demand was met with swift compliance, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other raining thunderbolts to the enemies below.

“She’s acting on her own, but for good reason- she thinks that’s our future child!” You explained in a rush, the winged beast swooping down closer to the woman who was closing in on the figure.

“What, really?!” Cordelia gasped, “That’s wonderful, but shouldn’t she be going in with you?!”

“I agree, but I lost track of her in the latest wave-- if we don’t get this under control, we’re all gonna be in trouble!”

It didn’t take long to catch up, but by the time you were able to drop in, Say’ri had already connected with the stranger.

“Say’ri!!” You called out to her, finding she had wrapped her arms around them and all but forgotten her blade.

It was wholly unlike her, and without doubt a cause for concern.

“We can reunite later!! We’ve gotta get this under control first!!” You shouted to her, which seemed to snap her back into focus.

You were shooting off Bolganone spells one after the other, your Arcthunder having run out of pages.

It was getting down to the wire.

Mercifully, their numbers were finally starting to thin out the Shepherds working on them from the other end while you blasted them from this side.

“Robin, look!!” She called to you, as she drove her sword into a nearby foe, “She is too young to fight any longer- she is exhausted!!”

“She-?”

Your heart hit your throat when you turned to her, sparing a moment’s glance at the stranger before you.

Your daughter.

A child who appeared no older than twelve…and she had been fighting on her own.

“Oh my gods, she’s- she’s just a-”

“She cannot fight any longer- please, we must extract her from this battle now!!”

You had never seen such desperation in her eyes, before. It was as though she had taken this little one into her heart, wholly.

And you couldn’t blame her- the girl looked like the spitting image of both of you.

She was scrawny, no doubt due to being a literal adolescent, unlike Lucina. She was far too young to be on the battlefield…let alone to be fighting as hard as she was.

You nodded to Say’ri then, shooting up a flare to bring Cordelia back to you. The knight was instructed to take the girl, and you left the fight to your wife long enough to reach the girl’s side.

“Hey, we’re getting you out of here! Can you ride a horse?” She didn’t seem capable of speaking, staring at you with wide eyes and mouth agape. She must’ve been in shock. “Just take my hand and we’ll- gah!”

You were cut off by her nearly squeezing the life out of you, hugging you for dear life.

“Papa!!”

It made your heart skip a beat; she was so little…but she was so happy to see you. It took only a moment for your thoughts to gather, and then you were quick to reciprocate.

“It’s all right. I’m here now, and we’re taking you somewhere safe.” She nodded into your shoulder, and the featherlight child was lifted in your arms, taking her onto the pegasus’ back.

You didn’t notice the look that Say’ri had on her face as you lifted away.

After all; the child didn’t acknowledge her as “Mama”…and it was Say’ri who had to hug her, not the other way around.

It did not sit well in her heart.

-------------------------

“Come now, that does not mean she doesn’t love you, Say’ri.” You tried to comfort her that night, in the warmth and darkness of your tent.

“But she did not recognize me. She knew you so well, and yet I was but a stranger to our own daughter. And she is so young! Fie, am I not living in Morgan’s future? Before she even had a chance to know me?”

“No, that can’t be. Look at how she fought- she clearly trained with you in the future. It must be her amnesia.”

“We cannot know anything but what we see before us; and I see a daughter who does not recognize her own mother.”

She would have sounded angry to just about anyone else. But you recognized that heartbreak when you heard it; a similar voice had revealed itself when discussing Yen’fay countless times before.

“Hey…” You closed the distance between you, wrapping your arms around your wife and drawing her into your chest. “Morgan is a good girl. And I’m certain she loves you and knows you; she couldn’t have fought like that without your guidance. And so what if she has a favorite parent? Every parent has a child they favor more than the other.”

“You lie! I could not love one of my children more than another.” She snapped at you, appalled at the very suggestion. You just laughed and pecked her forehead, drawing a bashful grunt.

“I jest, of course. I know that if we had a thousand children, you would love them all equally and without question. And I know that they would all feel the same about you, no questions asked.”

“But…what do we do with Morgan? Isn’t there a way to cure her amnesia? I o not wish for her to continue growing up without remembering herself or her pat…it would be cruel for a child so small…”

“I’ll speak with Libra about it tomorrow morning. I don’t disagree; she’s barely over 12 years old. She’s just a child, and I don’t want her to suffer any more than she already has."

“Nor do I.” She agreed, finally returning the embrace. “Forgive me. I did not mean to be so irrational. I was just…”

“Jealous?”

“…Never. Such a foolish assumption.” She hissd, swatting your hands away with a far reder face than before. You watched as she stalked away and threw herself below the quilts of the bed roll, fighting to keep your laughter from being heard.

Your wife was really so precious…you doubted she realized how cute she was when she got angry.

“It’s all right, Say’ri. Morgan will get her memory back and she’ll remember just how much she loves you. Until then, I’m sure you will show her all the love she deserves.”

“And more.” She huffed, leaning back into your chest. You smiled to yourself, burying your face in her hair as sleep started to take you both.

There was no doubt in your mind that she’d make good on that promise.

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Another battle, another child from the future. So was the pattern over the next few weeks, with Lucina passionately campaigning for the Shepherds to take some time from the war to try and find all the other children that had been brought here from the future. They would all be capable fighters, and invaluable to the army’s cause.

Chrom couldn’t find a reason to say otherwise; though you were sure there was a lot of curiosity piqued when Lucina mentioned she had a younger sister she wished to reunite with.

Cordelia’s thorny daughter was recovered not long after Morgan, followed by Laurent, Nah and the mysterious Gerome. It wasn’t long after you found him and had crossed back into Valm that you discovered another one.

A strange, small child who was fighting with a Levin sword, but handled it much like your wife would.

Say’ri was quickly putting the pieces together (after all; what fool would try and wield an enchanted, jagged blade that was wholly impractical to use with her family’s methods).

It was when the battle ended and the field cleared that the new child made a beeline straight for your family. Specifically, your wary wife.

“Mama!! Thank goodness I found you! And wow, you look so much younger here! The air in this valley must be good for you!!”

The squeal of excitement you heard kind of threw you for a loop. After all, Morgan was standing right next to you, the battle having been just finished.

Neither you nor Say’ri expected the young child that suddenly ran up out of nowhere, immediately throwing his arms around your wife. You and Morgan jumped, ready to pull the stranger off of her, but Say’ri did not seem bothered.

Instead, she seemed surprised, but appeared much calmer than either you or your daughter.

“Uhh…who are you?” Morgan gathered herself first, and the other child pulled back to look at her. Said child had the same eyes and nose as your daughter…and called Say’ri “Mama”…was wearing a coat eerily similar to yours.

No, wait- it was your coat.

“Oh, Sister!! I can’t believe you’re here, too! This must be where you all were hiding, huh?” The young one removed himself from Say’ri, closing the gap between himself and Morgan and grasping her hands.

They looked to be the same age, same height, same…everything, save for opposing colors of hair; a shock white versus a dark brown. Say’ri’s eyes snapped to yours, realization dawning on both of you.

“You’re-”

“-Twins.” Say’ri finished your thought, looking incredibly surprised. The boy nodded at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Of course I am! You didn’t forget about one of your children, did you? That’d be a funny prank!” He giggled, but Morgan seemed equally perplexed.

“Oh, um…I-I’m sorry, but I don’t remember having a brother.” She admitted shyly, “I lost my memory when I was sent here…”

“What? Really!” He gasped, “T-that’s okay, because I kinda have the same problem.”

You couldn’t believe what you were hearing.

“Wait, you have amnesia too?” He nodded at your question, stunned by this. “Wow, er…I guess it really runs in the family then, doesn’t it?”

“The family?” He tilted his head, “Are you part of the family too?”

“He is your father.” Say’ri stated simply, unable to take her eyes off of him.

He reminded her so much of Yen’fay; he was clearly trained with the blade just as her daughter was. And he had that limber strength to him that her own brother did.

To think that she would be able to raise two children; siblings, who could grow up and experience life together in a way she and Yen’fay had when they were young.

It made her feel much more determined not to let Morgan suffer the same tragedies that she had when she was young.

Neither her, nor her newfound son.

“My father!!” He exclaimed, eyes blown wide. “W-wow, oh wow! I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you, Papa! I don’t think we ever got to meet in real life. But I remember lots of Mama’s stories about you!”

“The pleasure’s all mine, uh…”

“Linfan!”

Say’ri smiled; that was a family name. You beamed softly, the shock of finding a second child finally giving way to the joy of realization.

“The pleasure’s all mine, Linfan.”

Morgan wrapped her arms around your bicep, observing this new individual who seemed utterly thrilled to reunite with all of them.

You looked down at the little one, recognizing the apprehension in her gaze when Linfan bounced back over to his mother.

“I…I don’t like that I don’t remember my own twin.” She confessed to you quietly, the two of you watching him all but circle his mother like a lost puppy. “Is that even possible?”

“Well, you did forget your mother when you were sent over. I don’t think forgetting your brother would be all that different.”

“I guess, I just…who knew?” She giggled nervously, “Is this what you felt when you and Mama first found me? Like, happy, but confused?”

“I’d say you nailed it,” You grinned at her, tousling her hair. “Don’t worry; we’re happy you’re here, and now that Linfan is joining us, it’ll be all the more joyful. Once we get to know a little more about him, I’m sure we’ll warm up to him.”

And your hypothesis was more than accurate; the boy was just so full of joy.

It wouldn’t take long for Morgan to warm up to her lost brother. She wasn’t able to stay wary of him for long. He was bubbly and warm, just like she was.

A personality trait you weren’t entirely positive where either of them got it from…though Say’ri was certain they got it from you.

Pehaps that's why she so enjoye inne that night; sharing the hearty stew as her two offspring chattere on about this and that, comparing memories and stories they coul recall, and discussing tactics an swoplay like any normal chilren shoul.

You couldn’t help the way your heart skipped a beat, seein ghow fondly she watche her two children interact. She was the picture of prie.

Though it certainly helpe that her son, who held her namesake, seemed attached at her hip and just couln’t get away from his mother’s attention.

She thought you didn’t notice, but it was not difficult to catch when she slipped some pieces of beef into his bowl.

But it was clear as day she was doting on her son. Perhaps it was because he was proof that she was the favorite parent.

Now you each had a child more attached than the other to you.

You were incredibly thrilled to have two sweet children, though you wouldn’t miss an opportunity to tease Say’ri for her showing clear affection to her newfound boy.

“…You speak nonsense.”

“I do not.”

Say’ri scoffed, blowing off your clear attempt to make fun of her behavior following a rather sudden and passionate evening in each other’s arms.

Her head rested on your chest, palm flat over your heartbeat that had finally slowed now that you were both basking in the afterglow of your tryst.

But of course, you just had to be the one to break the peaceful silence with a pointed comment.

“I saw you slipping extra meat into Linfan’s stew. You thought you were being sneaky.”

“Feh. We all saw you doing the same for Morgan, openly and long before I gave him extra.”

“Well, she’s a growing girl.”

“And so too, is he, a growing child! I simply felt they had not given him a large enough portion.”

“You’re right, you’re right. Forgive me.” You chuckled, running your fingers through her hair. She huffed softly, relaxing into your side. “But you have to admit…I think Linfan has a preference towards you over me.”

“I suppose…you are right. I wonder if it is due to his amnesia. Similar to how Morgan behaved with you.”

“It does help me to understand how you were feeling, before. Trying to understand why one of us is forgotten by our own children…it is an unsettling feeling.”

“I wish you did not have to suffer the same uncertainty I did, but I appreciate that you are able to understand it.” She murmured, “I will choose to hope that he only forgets you because of an unfortunate mishap, and not that…you too, were…”

“Yes. Let us believe the former.” You turned to press your lips to her temple, soothing the despair that was clear in her voice.

She had already lost so much. Even the thought of losing you in another time wholly was enough to stir her heart.

She pressed her face against your collarbone, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves.

“I hate to think that anything terrible could have befallen either of our children, or ourselves. There is nothing I can do to address what has already happened, but I wish to give them as many comforts I can right now.”

You smiled softly, “It warms my heart, to see how you dote on them so.”

“They are my only son and daughter. It would be of greater concern if I showed anything less.”

“Well…they don’t have to be our only son and daughter, you know.”

“I will strike you again, Robin. And I do not have to hold back if you continue to tease me.”

“Oh, dear. I beg mercy of you, my lady.” You chuckled lightly, squeezing her tight. “You must forgive me- I’m simply elated with the realization that our family’s grown so much. Perhaps my giddyness hasn’t worn off just yet.”

Say’ri simply huffed again, shifting slightly so that she could relax properly into her husband’s hold. You weren’t completely wrong, after all; she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t caught herself smiling twice more often in the last several hours.

Linfan being her own mini-me, even with hair that was the sharpest opposite of her own…it was quite a thrill.

And over the coming days, it only grew more so. The trials and tribulations that would be faced by your family were no joke, and not to be underestimated.

Walhart fought bitterly, and the dragon that would follow with the revelations of the end of days was unmistakably horrific.

But you joined together, and with Morgan and LInfan at your side, you were able to end the destruction of the Fell Dragon once and for all.

You would never be able to forget the grief and terror that was struck across your wife and children’s faces.

The very real fear that they might never see you again had come to fruition. The guilt you felt was insurmountable in that moment. But each of them were embraced tightly, tears dripping from each one's eyes…

A lingering kiss was pressed to Say’ri’s grimacing lips that sealed the promise of a reunion, before you disappeared into the aether.

Naga was gracious enough to return you to Ylisse only a year later. You were met with a thrilled Exalt and his princess sister, just like all those years ago.

They would help you journey to Say’ri’s homeland, which she had quickly taken charge over its reconstruction. Morgan and Linfan remained at her side, waiting hopefully for their father’s return.

Seeing you walking up to the front gates beside Chrom sent the children shouting and wailing, sprinting to close the distance and throw their arms around you in a much needed embrace.

You were only able to pull yourself from them when you saw Say’ri standing twenty feet away, staring at you in awe.

You were the one to close the distance, this time; and the moment your hands cupped her face, she dissolved into tears.

It was the first (and only) time the children saw their mother openly sob. Even when you were gone, she did not allow herself to grieve; you had promised you’d return, after all. What could she do but hope?

A much deserved swat at your chest for leaving so long was followed by a kiss, and after that, you had two children tugging you and Say’ri back to your new home.

Chon’sin welcomed you with open arms, but all you wanted was a quiet dinner with your family. A festival and feast could be held another night.

Right then, all the excitement he could possibly want was sitting at the table, listening to Linfan and Morgan chatter excitedly about all their adventures and experiences while you were gone, catching you up on everything you missed.

Say’ri watched over them as any doting, adoring mother would. You secretly noted the meat she added to your bowl, before she slipped her hand in yours beneath the table.

This was truly heaven.