A/N: This is the sequel-of-sorts to "A Different Fate" and to "A Different Fate BONUS: Love Has No Rules". I recommend reading them first because otherwise most of this will not make sense; also, the characters' personalities should be consistent with how they changed throughout ADF, not with how they are originally. This piece is more like a possible future, what would happen if Arturia and Gilgamesh made a certain kind of decision. "Love Has No Rules" was a side-piece with missing scenes from the epilogue of the story; this is an exploration of what might happen, a few years after the end of "A Different Fate", which covered a total of twelve years.
Please remember that Gilgamesh and Arturia have started to age, but slower than normal humans.
I hope you enjoy :)
ArtCover: with her permission, it's the absolutely lovely work Christy did for this story! This piece is dedicated to her, because she's great :D Find her blog, christine27choi, on tumblr, and Christine-Luche27 on Deviantart!
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...
He was in the living room, sitting at the table with a book in front of him – for once without his beloved wine glass –, while Arturia was going through her daily workout near the two couches.
Since the time that Illya had brought the subject up, perhaps accidentally, Gilgamesh had thought more and more about a certain matter.
The idea of having kids with Arturia… well, it had already crossed his mind a few times even before the girl's unexpected words.
He had however, not wanted to mention it to the King of Knights, because he knew that it usually took Arturia time to get used to things. When such thoughts had begun to come up in his mind, she had just realized her true feelings and accepted the next step in their relationship. It really was not wise to flat-out ask her if she wanted to have children with him. Especially because being in a relationship was not something they were familiar with – either of them – and therefore she was very wary of anything that would change the equilibrium they had found.
Nonetheless, the fact that the white-haired girl had spoken about it, albeit briefly, had made sure that the King of Knights would at least be aware of such a possibility.
The concept of an offspring was usually not a welcome one in Gilgamesh's book – when it was others' progeny. In his opinion, many mongrels were not supposed to have the right to procreate, mainly because they were not worthy of continuing to populate the world with their utter stupidity.
However, he had been witness to the living proof of the fact that some very boring mongrels could have much better children, as was the case with his former Master: Tokiomi Tohsaka had had Rin and Sakura. Rin had become dear to him, and Sakura, while not possessing her sister's amusing temper and having probably something seriously wrong with her for having liked the Shirou brat, had showed great courage. Gilgamesh had not forgotten her role in the Grail's destruction.
But he was not concerned with other people's children. He was more concentrated on his own.
If he desired to have a child, it was no question that Arturia would be the one with whom he wanted it. Not only was she his wife, she was also the only person his children should call 'mother'.
The children of two kings…
Did he want children? Truth to be told, he did.
In some ways, their former wards, Rin and Illya, had become their kids, but they were not their true children.
They were also part of the modern world, while he and Arturia were not.
The modern world was not something he was impressed with. But it was Rin and Illya's world, and it had become a place for the two kings as well.
And maybe… if there was something as precious as a child of two kings of the past… a true child of Arturia and his in the modern world… then it would definitely be a better place.
Gilgamesh looked at her… and decided it was time to address the subject.
He did not want her to agree with him, strangely. He just wanted to talk about it with her… as he had said, not so long before, when Illya had first asked them whether they wanted to have children or not. They had said they would not answer her… because they had still not talked about it together.
"Arturia…"
As if she could sense that an important talk was going to take place, she stopped her physical exercises and allowed Excalibur to disappear from her hand. She came closer, sitting down in front of him at the table.
His expression was uncharacteristically serious.
"I mean to speak with you… about a specific matter Illya brought up some time ago."
More than two years had passed since then, but Arturia had not forgotten… and she knew immediately what he was talking about.
She could not stop her body from tensing up in instinct. She was not sure whether or not she wanted to have this particular conversation.
Taking immediately notice of her reluctance, one of his hands came to rest on hers, clasping it in a calming hold.
It was not an unusual gesture for them. Whenever he meant to wordlessly communicate something, he would touch her hand, or her shoulder, or her cheek – or her lips, her mind treacherously reminded her –, quietly anchoring her to the reality with him. She sometimes tried, perhaps unconsciously, to go back behind her barriers… barriers she had had around herself for so long… but he would never let her.
He was with her, now and forever, and he would not let her hide herself from him, consciously or not.
His next words were spoken carefully.
"I am aware of the fact that you are not keen on talking about this subject. But I would like to hear your opinion on it."
That the King of Heroes actually wanted to hear her opinion was no longer such a surprise, after all that time, but that he admitted it to her like that, well, that was unexpected.
She looked away from him, her expression troubled. She was not sure how to express her thoughts.
She could not deny that, after Illya had brought it up for the first time, she had seriously allowed her mind to consider the idea of having children. And even if the thought itself was more or less terrifying… it was not entirely unwelcome.
Gilgamesh gave her a little time in silence, but then he reached out to fondly put a hand on her cheek, making her look at him. His red eyes were calm… and waiting.
She replied slowly, seeming to still be hesitant.
"I… have thought about it."
She paused, and he leaned forward a little.
"And what are your conclusions?" he asked, one hand caressing her cheek and the other firmly holding hers on the table.
She did not try to avoid his gaze.
"I do not know."
Her green eyes were uncharacteristically uncertain, and they held… fear.
Because that… that was exactly what she was feeling.
She was not against the idea of having children. She was simply deeply frightened by it. She had been so used to sealing away her humanity… she did not know whether or not she had the human desire for a child. Not all humans had such an aspiration, of course – but she had been constantly denying any personal wish of hers, therefore she was not sure if she actually had such a desire.
His caress on her cheek did not stop, and his hold on her hand tightened as he looked at her intently.
Before he could say anything, she asked, "But what are your thoughts, Gilgamesh? Since you brought the subject up, I assume… I think… that you would like to have a child."
His red eyes were firm but considerate on hers.
"I do," he said simply.
Her expression seemed to become even more troubled, and it was clear that she was about to shut herself away from him, uncertain about her thoughts. But that would not do… and he would not allow her to do that.
Leaning forward, Gilgamesh put one hand around her shoulders, while the other slipped beneath the table to pick her up behind her knees. Surprised, Arturia found herself effortlessly lifted in the air and then brought back down to sit in his lap, with both his arms holding her securely. Her hands went automatically to rest on his shoulders to steady herself.
His eyes found hers again.
"I want to have a child with you, Arturia… but this is not a decision I can make on my own."
He waited for her reply.
"To be blunt, Gilgamesh… I am… worried."
She disliked admitting her fears… but she knew that she could be honest with him, just as he had been honest with her.
She continued, "Creating a new life… is something incredibly powerful. It's something that frightens me, because it can't be defined or quantified."
Her words were not the best to express what she was feeling, but Gilgamesh was able to understand nonetheless. She was a person who was used to clearly evaluating everything that happened in her life, analysing and measuring it keenly.
But the creation of a new life did not fit into such categories. Already, falling in love had been something completely unexpected – having a child was not something that could be decided easily… it was much deeper, complicated, and difficult, and therefore fear-provoking.
Yes, Gilgamesh could very much see the reasons for which the King of Knights was worried. His arms around her tightened.
"What – specifically – are your doubts?"
He honestly wanted to know. And her expression turned troubled again.
"I do not think… that you would leave me alone to face a challenge like having a child. But… neither you nor I have any experience in this field."
She saw him raise an eyebrow and, correctly guessing what was going through his mind, added, "Illya and Rin were already quite grown up when they became our wards. I don't know how to look after and educate a young child, a baby. And… I don't know if I am able to do such a thing."
Gilgamesh's hold became even securer.
"I am firmly convinced that there are many mongrels in this world who are not supposed to reproduce, because they have no idea how to raise a kid. But if there is anyone who would be able to teach a child well … that would be you, Arturia."
She stared deeply into his eyes.
She trusted him. Completely. And she knew she loved him. She was truly not against the idea of having a child, but she was terrified by it.
Gilgamesh looked back at her, calmed her and began to soothe her worries, one by one. He had learned, through the years, to respect her decisions, and therefore did not want to truly influence her… but he had the right to explain her his point of view, and why he wanted to have a child.
In a serious tone, he told her that he would not leave her alone, ever, and having a child would not mean that she would have to go through everything on her own.
Becoming parents was something they would both choose to do, together; it was not a one-person job.
Taking her aback, he spontaneously promised her that, should they decide to have children, he would take over her chores inside the house, and he would do his best to tend to all her needs. She was surprised by the fact that he knew so much about pregnancies, and he unabashedly admitted that he had collected information… just in case.
She knew that he was not pressuring her. He was picturing a possible scenario without making her feel forced to accept it, and she was glad of it. Having children together was a choice they had the right to make, and even though he was in favour of it, he was not imposing his wishes on her.
She was still hesitant, and he was aware of that. So he did something that unknowingly endeared him even more to her.
He leaned forward to kiss her and told her, "Perhaps it's for the best if we talk about it at a later date. We don't have to decide immediately."
Her eyes widened slightly at his suggestion and she smiled a little, nodding. She did wish to think about it a while longer before making a decision.
They were supposed to go out for dinner with their former wards in a short while, therefore she made a motion of standing up, while he gave her a tiny smirk.
Before letting her go – she was still sitting in his lap –, his hold on her tightened for a second, and the smirk on his face turned devious.
He repeated his former words – should she decide to agree to have children with him, he would make sure to satisfy all her requests, desires and cravings… of any nature. He casually added that he would probably give special attention to the cravings that usually came up in the second trimester of pregnancy.
She seemed confused. His hands began to play with the hem of her white t-shirt, trying to slowly push it up, as his lips began to trace her ear with feather-like touches.
His eyes were much darker than usual and he lifted one eyebrow suggestively.
Arturia could not stop a red tint from appearing on her cheeks as she understood what he was hinting at, which only made his smirk widen. However, her hands landed on his and stopped his movements, while her green eyes narrowed at him.
She knew how perverted he could be – she knew that very well –, but she would not let him try to take control like that.
As his eyes began to look away in disappointment, her expression suddenly turned unusually mischievous… and she leaned forward, her lips boldly only millimetres apart from his.
"My clothes will not be removed… unless yours come off first."
Before he could register her words, she swiftly unbuttoned and removed his blue shirt. His eyes darkened at the impish, innocent look she was giving him, even while her small hands continued to dispose of the rest of his clothes.
Such moments were rare, but they always made him wonder who the pervert among the two of them truly was.
As soon as she had done quick work of his clothes, he leaned forward and pulled her t-shirt over her head with one hand impatiently, pushing her skirt down with the other. He knew that she did not like it when he ripped everything to pieces… so, even if he did not mind her anger sometimes, he made an effort to discard her clothes with a little more gentleness.
As the last item came off, he leaned forward and kissed her deeply… conveying her all his yearning for her.
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…
A few weeks later, Arturia went to help at the high school kendo class of Fuyuki in the afternoon, but she came back much later than usual.
Gilgamesh had not been truly worried – she was more than capable of taking care of herself –, but she had not said anything about coming home later, nor had she called to mention it.
Therefore, as soon as she came in, he stood up from the couch to meet her.
Her face seemed calm and determined and yet a little pensive. He came to stand in front of her, his gaze questioning.
She met his eyes, somehow hesitantly.
"I… went to the park after kendo class. I needed to think for a while."
He had a feeling he knew what she had wanted to think about, and he felt a little apprehensive. She had most likely made her decision.
She looked him in the eye and smiled a little.
"I would like to try to have a child."
As soon as those words were pronounced, his lips were on hers, in an intense and heartfelt kiss, but not frantic or demanding. It was slow, passionate, as Gilgamesh took his time in exploring her mouth, his arms went around her to embrace her warmly.
When he pulled away, she was breathless, and her pupils were slightly more dilated than usual.
"You… you truly desire a child… don't you?"
He smirked against her lips.
"Maybe, King of Knights."
A moment later, she was not able to suppress a surprised gasp as she found herself lifted up and carried in his arms. Her hands wound around his neck to steady herself.
"Gilgamesh, what are you–"
She could not finish the question, because his lips were on hers again, in a new kiss.
"Celebration is in order, my beloved Queen."
She seemed to tense up at the term, and he instantly noticed her reaction.
"No one will ever deny your status as a king, Arturia… but not only are you a king – you are my Queen as well."
She pecked him briefly on the cheek and, taking him aback, then murmured against his lips, "And you are my King."
As he kissed her passionately, she found her back pressed against the bedroom door. Not breaking the kiss, her hand went to her side, reaching for the handle. His hand went on hers to help her… and they opened it together, still kissing.
The bedroom door immediately slammed shut behind them.
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…
Arturia had made it clear to him that she did not intend to start any special diet or follow any specific instructions to have children.
They would try – not become obsessed with it.
Six months later, she was in the bedroom, standing in front of the mirror in the morning, staring at her reflection with her eyes wide. She was wearing nothing aside from her underwear.
Gilgamesh had gotten up before her and, as he had begun to do sometimes, was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. She could sense a faint but delicious smell coming from there. But she was not able to tear her eyes away from her own reflection.
It was not too evident – but something had changed. Her stomach was no longer completely flat… and she knew that she had not been eating more than usual. She quickly slipped on her favourite blue dress to avoid looking at her belly again… but that made another change in her body more evident. That particular dress had always been right for her upper body… but now it was a little too tight in the chest area.
She must be imagining things.
Her eyes finally left her reflection and looked around the room… only to land on her bedside table. In the drawer, she knew she had a pregnancy test.
She had bought it a few months before, just in case.
Maybe… just to make sure that she was only being paranoid…
She opened the drawer, took the pink box and went to the bathroom.
About twenty minutes later, when she came out, her expression was shocked. She sat on the bed, only to stand up again.
Trembling, she stared down at her belly, her hands cautiously going to rest there.
There was a life growing inside of her.
Her mind was in a daze, and she could not do anything aside from numbly caress her skin.
A life inside her… a life that she and Gilgamesh had created.
They had talked about having children. Admittedly, it had been a surprise for her to find out that he was in favour of it, while she had been the one to be hesitant. He had patiently reasoned with her, clearing up all her uncertainties and reluctances, and they had agreed to try for children.
But finding out that she was truly pregnant… made all her fears and doubts come back in full force.
To put it bluntly, she was terrified.
She was a warrior. A king. A knight. She was used to having to look out for people and defend and protect them. She had done everything she could for a whole kingdom, after all, and she had never hesitated.
But… the thought of a single life… the single life that was growing inside her and for which she would have to look after completely… well, that more than petrified her.
She would be completely responsible for it. She had been responsible for other people as well, but it wasn't exactly the same.
She was deeply scared.
How could she ever have thought of bringing a new life into the world, she, who had taken so many?
After everything that she had done… could she truly give a life?
Her mind was in turmoil… and she wasn't even aware of the fact that her mana had reacted to her mood, and was behaving erratically around her.
She did not notice – but Gilgamesh did. Realizing that she was very obviously distressed and deeply worried about something, he came from the kitchen instantaneously.
Seeing her magical energy was almost out of control made him very wary. He took a few cautious steps in her direction, slowly slipping his arms around her waist to embrace her from behind, putting his hands over hers, which were still on her belly. She leaned a little into his hold, and her mana seemed to settle down with his caresses.
He turned her head to the side and looked her in the eye, noticing that her gaze was completely unfocused.
"Are you coming to have breakfast?"
She seemed to suddenly return to earth and the lost look disappeared from her eyes. She blinked briefly.
He smirked a little, amused.
"Breakfast… for three, right?"
Her green eyes widened. She freed herself from his hold to turn around and stand in front of him.
"You… you know?"
He tilted his head to the side slightly, as his red eyes flickered to her belly.
"Both your hands are on your stomach, and I know you're not feeling sick. There is another very obvious explanation."
In truth, he had noticed the changes to her body in the past weeks, and therefore had had an inkling of what was going on… but he could not be certain. She had just confirmed his guesses.
He went to grasp her hand in a calming gesture.
"There is nothing to be afraid of–"
That was the wrong thing to say. Eyes ablaze, Arturia slapped his hand away.
"You are not the one who is carrying a life inside your body!"
He made an effort to remain composed. He knew he had not used the right words, and it was best for everyone – especially for Arturia – if the situation did not get out of hand.
His reply was slow, "I am well aware of that. Please, calm down."
Probably the use of the word 'please' was what made sure that she did not snap at him, but still, she remained upset.
"This is no joking matter, Gilgamesh! To create a life, to birth a new life… to have a child to look after, a tiny baby who completely depends on me–"
"On us, Arturia."
His voice was calm, but there was an underlying firmness in it. He had promised her she would not have to face the pregnancy on her own – and he intended to keep his promise.
Suddenly, he pulled her to him, enveloping her in his embrace. She was taken by surprise, and tried to break free – in vain.
Eyes angry and refusing to look at him, she tried to push him away from her.
"Let go of me!"
"Never." His voice was low, and his arms were around her. "I will never let go of you, not now, not ever."
When she was in such a distraught mental state – it was very rare, but sometimes it did occur –, she tended to revert to her past self, and shut herself away from everyone.
But he would not allow that to happen – never again.
It had taken him so long to break down those walls of hers – the ones she had used to keep everyone at distance – he was not about to let her hide herself behind newly built ones.
"Arturia."
He released her from his embrace. One of his hands went to cup her face, in a gesture that was now familiar to both of them, while the other went to rest on her belly.
"We chose to have this child. We desired it. You know that. Do not be frightened by these new sensations. Giving life is doubtlessly scary, but you know that we have both faced much larger threats… and this… does not classify as a threat."
Every word was followed by a feather-like kiss. "And…this time… you… are not… alone…"
His hands did not stop their caresses – not for one second. "…and you will never be alone again, King of Knights – whether you like it or not."
The expression of his eyes was so intense that she could not stop herself. She let herself fall forward, into his arms ready to catch her, and she clutched onto him, slightly trembling.
She hated to show any kind of weakness… but she knew, now more than ever, that she could trust him. And he held her to him tightly, unexpectedly offering her his quiet comfort, slowly caressing her back.
Then he put a hand under her chin, making her look up at him. He leaned down to place a slow, almost tender kiss on her lips.
He released her from his hold once again and, taking her hand, guided her to the kitchen.
He would not let her close herself from him, and he would not let her be scared by those unknown feelings that came with the pregnancy… he would not let her skip breakfast, either.
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…
As it turned out, Gilgamesh had very strong protective instincts.
Especially when Arturia was concerned.
Especially when a pregnant Arturia was concerned.
He was always by her side, but at the same time, he was not overprotective. Somehow, albeit reluctantly, he respected her independence and personal time – he was just always there for her whenever she needed him, and fended everyone away from her.
Even Rin and Illya.
He cared about them, naturally, but they had to learn quickly to be very careful around the two kings.
Gilgamesh never left Arturia alone for long, and she soon found out needed him close to her. It was a new experience for both of them, and in many ways, it was difficult.
She did not mind his behaviour around her. She actually felt happy for his presence and incredibly pleased because he was truly keeping his word. She had honestly feared she might have to go through the whole pregnancy period mainly on her own… but she should have known that he would not allow such a thing to happen.
He had changed from his past self, she ought not to forget that.
It was their baby; both of them were part of its life, even before its birth.
And, as he bluntly told her, he loved her… and therefore he would never leave her on her own. She fell a little more in love with him when he said that, and when he stayed true to his words with his actions.
…
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…
"Gilgamesh."
He woke up hearing her call his name softly. He opened his eyes and turned to look at her, still half in slumber.
She seemed to be a little restless.
"Do you think we have any rice? And chocolate?"
He blinked. Sleep left his eyes as he focused on her and registered her words. His tone was slightly disbelieving when he spoke, a hand going through his slightly dishevelled hair and his voice a little raspy.
"You want to eat rice with chocolate?"
Her face was completely serious as she nodded. Gilgamesh could not stop himself from raising an eyebrow, but he wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.
They both stood up from the bed, Arturia with a little more exertion than usual. As they were heading towards the kitchen, he glanced at the clock. It was half past three in the morning.
She sat down at the table, and began to cut a few chocolate bars into pieces, while he turned on the stove to cook the rice.
When they had moved into the Tohsaka mansion, they had had the possibility to hire servants, as they could definitely afford it. But Gilgamesh hardly trusted Rin and Illya around his pregnant wife – no mongrel would ever go near her in any possible way. The gynaecologist had already been difficult to accept.
Unexpectedly, she stood up and went to the fridge to take out some cooked spinach leaves and some chilli pepper. At his questioning glance, she simply shrugged. "I'm hungry."
Soon afterwards, the rice was ready, and Gilgamesh took out two bowls. He had made enough for at least three people, and he figured he might as well eat something, too. Arturia, however, took out a bigger bowl, where she randomly threw in the vegetables, her large portion of rice and the chocolate pieces. She energetically mixed it all together and began to eat enthusiastically.
Having seen her swallow much stranger things, he calmly began to eat his own rice. It was going to be a long night.
She had had other cravings in the previous weeks, and he had quickly learned that, unless he wanted to be exiled to the couch – it had happened only twice but, as much as he enjoyed those comfortable recliners during the day, he did not like to sleep away from Arturia –, he should avoid his salacious comments. She was prone to incredibly violent mood swings.
He looked up at her, observing her expression. She seemed pensive and surprisingly, worried.
She suddenly spoke up.
"Do you think I'm getting fat?"
It was going to be a very long night.
…
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…
She was lying on her side, underneath the blankets, facing him. She wasn't asleep, and his hands were running over her swollen belly carefully.
Almost seven months pregnant, her body had changed to welcome the baby that was growing and occasionally kicking inside her.
He still found it fascinating.
He had never been around a pregnant woman before… the experience was entirely new, even after the information he had 'gathered' on the subject.
Her mood swings were also quite terrifying, and her food cravings utterly unfathomable. She also could not exert her mana too much, and had had to reduce her regular training to basic movements.
But there was so much that had been a pleasant surprise. The way her body had changed… he knew her body, every inch of it, and he had been able to notice, from the beginning, every little change that had taken place.
And when their baby had started to kick… he remembered that well, because his hand had not left her belly for the rest of the day.
That had been an ulterior proof. There was actually something alive growing inside her.
They had felt for their child's first movements, marvelling at the miracle of a life.
Arturia's fears, which still emerged from time to time, had reduced a lot once she had felt the baby's first kicks. The sensations she had begun to feel were much sweeter than they had expected. Their baby grew inside of her, and they both began to love it… before it was even born.
When he cautiously brought up the subject, she truthfully told him that she was not actually scared of childbirth, even though she knew it would be unlike anything she had ever experienced before.
…
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…
In truth, childbirth was terrible.
She cried out, calling Gilgamesh's name as she felt as if it hurt everywhere on her body. He was almost desperate as he saw her covered in sweat, with a pained expression on her face and screaming in agony.
Pale as a ghost, her breath was ragged as she struggled to stay awake. Once or twice, she managed to open her eyes and focus over the pain, and she met his gaze fleetingly.
She had withstood the Grail's darkness… she had thought she could manage the delivery of a child.
But the pain was just too much…
His expression, as he looked at her, was grim and strained. He was clearly trying to stop himself from intervening… even though there was nothing he could do. He refused to let go of her hand, even when her tight grip threatened to break his bones.
He knew that she was suffering through worse, but he also knew she could do it.
Leaning forward to be next to her ear, taking advantage of one of the rare and brief moments in which she appeared to be conscious, he whispered firmly, "You have gone through two lives, ruled a kingdom, destroyed the Grail, and so much more. You are the King of Knights… you are able to give a life!"
She managed to look at him… and suddenly, most of the pain seemed to be numbed.
His blood red eyes held an emotion that gave her a surge of strength – faith.
He believed in her… more than anyone had ever believed in her, because no one knew her as he did.
She closed her eyes. She could do it.
…
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…
When she woke up, she felt a warm hand caressing her cheek. A very, very familiar gesture.
With her eyes still closed, she smiled, leaned into the touch and then allowed her heavy eyelids to flutter open.
Gilgamesh was sitting next to her bed, looking at her intently, and he seemed incredibly relieved to see her awake.
Sleepily, she murmured, "Good morning."
He smirked slightly, amused.
"Good evening, my love."
Looking at the windows, she realized it was already dark outside. She briefly wondered how much time had passed… but dismissed the demanding thought, deciding it wasn't particularly important.
Then her eyes flickered around the room.
Correctly guessing what was going through her mind, Gilgamesh stood up and went to the cradle next to the bed. With very uncharacteristic carefulness, he picked up a small bundle and came back to her.
Arturia extended her arms as he said, "It's a boy."
Blond hair, small fists, calm appearance, fast asleep. That was what Arturia saw.
Their son.
Her expression was one of pure wonder, and she cautiously touched the baby's cheek. She could have stared at the small child in her arms for weeks… but she tore her eyes away to look at Gilgamesh.
He was observing both her and the baby with a calm gaze, but it was very obvious… that he was happy.
And she had no desire to stop herself from smiling at him, as he leaned forward to put an arm around her shoulders and chastely touched her lips to kiss her.
…
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…
As elegant as ever, she was moving towards him as he sat on the couch. She was holding a toddler in her arms, who was deep asleep after she had softly lulled him to slumber with a song.
It was a melody he had not recognized, a sweet child's lullaby. But he could still recall another time in which she had sung something… and in that occasion, it had been for Illya.
Now she was singing for their child.
He spoke in a low voice, so that the baby would not wake up, and his eyes were fixated on her face.
"Once, you sang a different melody… It was 'You are my moon, you are my sun, you are the stars in my eyes'… wasn't it?"
Arturia was taken aback – he had heard her sing only once, a very long time before, when she had accidentally put the mobile phone on speaker… and he still remembered the words?
His red eyes were much, much softer than usual as he continued, his tone even, "These words… I must say they are astoundingly appropriate, my beloved wife."
Not giving her the time to do anything aside from widening her eyes and trying in vain to suppress a blush, he caressed her cheek lightly but with startlingly deep significance. Wordlessly, he then extended his arms in a now normal gesture, and she smiled a little, self-consciousness forgotten, as she carefully handed him their son.
He looked at the tiny boy, and a peaceful expression settled on his features. Very slowly, Gilgamesh touched the sleeping face of the child he had had with Arturia.
He leaned down to press a fleeting kiss to their son's forehead.
Even if the baby had his eyes closed in his sleep, he knew what colour they were. He had actually been curious about it, before he had been born.
Defying every genetic law, their blond son had chocolate-brown eyes. A perfect mix of his parents'.
He looked at the baby. The young boy was innocent, the complete opposite from Arturia and him.
The two of them were ancient monarchs, living legends, mythical entities, and their lives had been tainted by blood and battles. They had experienced an incredible amount of things during their lives – both their lives – and now they had a child together.
Their child was, to their relief, completely free from their darkness. They had the opportunity to raise him peacefully, to offer him the best they could, and they would not miss that opportunity.
It went without saying that they would tell him about their past, but only when he would be older. They wanted him to have a life as carefree and stable as possible – as normal as possible.
Of course, with them as parents, it was close to impossible, but still… for their child's sake, and because they only wished the best for him, they would try to give him a peaceful life.
And perhaps a sibling… but those were thoughts he would have to share with Arturia on another day, because she had not taken it too well when he had first brought it up, even though she had been surprisingly relaxed in her tone.
As their little newborn boy played with a strand of her golden hair, he gave her a mischievous look.
"Another one?" he teased.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "If you are the one to go through that excruciating pain that is childbirth, I might consider it."
Shaking away the memory and focusing again on their sleeping child, he was struck with the oddity of it all.
It went against every time paradox he had ever heard or read about… the ancient King of Uruk and Babylon, falling in love with King Arthur of Britain, who was actually a woman… and not only were his feelings returned… the two kings also had a child together.
But, as Arturia leaned down to kiss him and Gilgamesh tilted his head up to meet her, he thought that he honestly couldn't care less about time paradoxes.
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END.
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A/N: I agree with Gilgamesh :P I couldn't care less about the fact that this whole thing is a canon-paradox. I just had to write Gilgamesh and Arturia together as parents… it was a lot of fun to imagine ;)
By the way, their child's name… even though I did not use one initially, I think it will be Anurag. 'Anurag' means 'love' in Bengali. I also think that Arturia and Gilgamesh will have another child, a daughter, and she will be named Niyati. 'Niyati' means 'destiny' in Bengali. And before you ask, no, I don't speak Bengali. Again, my wonderful friend HiddenCamellia deserves my endless, heartfelt thanks; she helped me so patiently when I was deciding on the names :D
I hope you enjoyed this part… and here are some last bonus scenes, a few years after the children's birth ;)
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EXTRA
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Arturia had just settled herself comfortably in Gilgamesh's arms on their bed, when there was a soft knock on the door.
She murmured, "Come in, Anurag."
At the same moment, she made a motion to sit up, but her husband anticipated it and pulled her up with him by enveloping her waist.
A little dark figure was in the doorway, looking at them with a little hesitation.
"I… I had a bad dream. But I don't want to wake up Niyati…"
Both kings moved a little, making space for their son on the bed. It wasn't often that Anurag had nightmares, but if he was upset, he'd call for his parents. However, he loved his baby sister very much, and he didn't want to disturb her… so this time, he had come to them.
The boy made himself comfortable between his mother and father, clutching onto Arturia's hand more tightly than she had expected.
She frowned. It seemed the dream must have been bad indeed, for him to be that shaken.
As he whispered his nightmare to them, the fears of the two kings disappeared. They had often worried that their memories from the past might, through magic, haunt their children, but it appeared not to be the case. While indeed scary, that bad dream did not connect to their pasts in any possible way.
Silently, the two offered Anurag comfort, slowly beginning to lull him to sleep.
Suddenly, however, in the quietness of the room, the boy spoke up.
"Do they ever go away? The nightmares? Do they ever leave us alone?"
Arturia felt a pang in her chest at the difficult question… but to her surprise, Gilgamesh unexpectedly leaned forward, to put his warm hand over their son's head.
His voice was low and every word was laced in ancient tones as he replied, "They don't, Anurag. Bad dreams, be it memories or fears, never leave us completely." There was a short pause. "But we all ultimately learn to accept them… and live with them."
The child seemed to accept the reasoning, and leaned into his father's touch, letting him stroke his head with unusual tenderness. Open displays of affection from Gilgamesh towards his eldest child were infrequent, but they were always welcome when they appeared.
Arturia, for the most part, chose to stay silent. While Anurag drifted off into slumber, she slipped her small hand in the King of Heroes's larger one, squeezing it tightly.
It was rare for Gilgamesh to speak about, or just mention, his own demons from his past. He had spent so much time with her, in many ways helping her overcome hers, that she sometimes forgot that his former life had not just been one of pleasure.
He had had burdens, too – perhaps less apparent than hers, but not any less heavy.
She leaned towards him, finding his face in the dark to kiss him.
"You don't show it often, but I do like this side of you, Gilgamesh."
His smiled against his wife's lips, suppressing a light chuckle.
"I think that sometimes you forget how hard you've fallen for me… or I for you, my love."
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*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*
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"Mama, why do you and daddy never celebrate your birthdays?"
Anurag had asked that question when four-year-old Niyati was present as well, both sitting on the floor and helping prepare a present. The boy was only seven, but he was sometimes scarily perceptive – something that, unsurprisingly, made Gilgamesh very proud.
Arturia smiled at him.
"Our days of birth are linked to our past, and our past is unfortunately very complicated and filled with very few happy memories. We have no desire to remember much of it, and celebrating such things would only remind us of it. Your birthday, Anurag, and your sister's, are occasions of joy, of remembering good moments… the wonderful moments in which you came into this world."
The two children looked at each other.
"But, mama, your birthday and daddy's should be important too…"
It was Gilgamesh's turn to answer – albeit cryptically. "If we had had a single life, then maybe it would be so."
Arturia decided it was time to speak about something else.
"But our past will be subject of discussion for another day. Now let's finish the gifts for Auntie Illya."
One day, their children were going to know the truth about their former lives, because they were bright, and they had already realized that there was something different about their parents.
The golden king smirked internally – it would be interesting to see their reactions at finding out that they were the children of the legendary King Arthur and the mythical hero Gilgamesh.
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"Niyati, come out of there. It's time to eat."
Her blonde daughter shook her head firmly, trying to prevent the closet doors from opening.
"No, mama. I don't like those green vegetables."
Arturia sighed, her patience luckily never failing her.
"You haven't tried them yet." Slightly exasperated, she turned around to go back to the kitchen where her son was by now eating, having already learned that she could make even those unpronounceable things tasty with her skilful cooking.
Rin and Illya were seated at the table as well, they exchanged an amused glance at the little girl's antics – her stubbornness was the same as the King of Knights's.
Niyati listened intently for a while, to make sure she did not hear her mother's footsteps approach again.
Cautiously, she opened the wardrobe doors, looking around… only to meet her father's amused red eyes.
"Well, hello, little Ni. What are you doing in the closet?"
Niyati's eyes widened in joy. She jumped into Gilgamesh's waiting arms and, as usual, was lifted on his shoulders. He chuckled as she squealed in delight, hugging him happily. She was safe from that strange food if her daddy was there.
After ruffling her hair briefly, he put her down again and looked her in the eye.
"Now, let's go eat something."
Dismayed, Niyati tried to break free from his grasp, in vain. He gave her a small smile though, reassuring her.
"You have not yet tasted the food – don't judge it beforehand. If you don't at least try it, your mother will not be pleased. And if your mother is not happy, your father is most certainly not happy, either. So make sure not to upset your mama, little Ni."
Still doubtful, the girl relented as he guided her to the table. He sat down – not before leaning over to give Arturia a kiss on the cheek –, starting to calmly eat his portion like everyone else.
Niyati looked around. Her brother Anurag directed her a secret, encouraging smile, while Auntie Illya and Auntie Rin were eating and exchanging words calmly, and even seemed to enjoy the meal. Her mother only looked at her with a neutral countenance. Niyati knew that that was the look she received when the blonde woman was giving her the possibility to make a decision. She could choose what to do – and she would then face the consequences.
Gathering her courage, she took her fork and hesitantly brought the food to her lips.
Her eyes widened a little in surprise. It was indeed delicious!
She looked up to meet the green gaze of her mother. While swallowing, she was able to mouth her the words "Thank you, I'm sorry," as she continued to eat enthusiastically. Arturia gave her a small smile.
Meeting Gilgamesh's gaze, she could not suppress an even wider smile, seeing how his eyes softened as they both looked at their family.
Two children were indeed difficult to take care of sometimes – but most of the time, it was an endless fascination.
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VERY LAST EXTRA
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Calm and collected, Anurag took his younger sister's hand and exchanged a brief glance with her, their identical brown eyes meeting. Niyati nodded in determination and squeezed his larger palm.
Together, they turned towards the little group of children who had dared make fun of them earlier because they were not interested in playing on the swing. The two blonde kids were ready to use all the power of their astonishingly vast vocabulary to eloquently put them in their place.
"I wonder who will win that verbal duel."
From a distance, the two kings were observing them. Arturia was a little worried, and seemed to debate with herself whether or not to intervene.
Gilgamesh put a hand on her arm familiarly, making her look up into his red eyes. She was slightly reassured as he gave her a small smile – the special smile that was reserved only for her.
"Of course, Anurag and Niyati will win, Arturia. They are our children, after all."
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END.
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A/N: So, this is the second to last part for the universe of "A Different Fate" ;) the very last piece will be the short "A Different Fate BONUS: I Can", and it will be in Sakura Matou's point of view. It won't be a sequel - just the conclusion for this fic :)
Again, many, many thanks to HiddenCamellia! She's the best ;)
And a great deal of thanks go to TheBookAngel, my wonderful and incredibly patient beta – she has to put up with all my mistakes :P
I'm really grateful to everyone who took the time to read my work :)))))))
Until next time,
KitsuneMiyuKendraHyuga