A/N: Chapter 1 will be a backstory, and is loosely based off of what Kratos said in the Flanoir scene. To me, it seemed only fitting for Anna to find out that she is pregnant with Lloyd in the same place.

Lloyd: Righteous Warrior of Cruxis

Chapter 1: Birth of a Warrior, Death of the Dear

Kratos paced nervously back and forth in the lobby in the inn at Luin. He was worried about Anna, who was in another room, giving birth to their baby. When they had found out that she was pregnant, neither one of them wanted to know the sex of the baby because they had wanted it to be a surprise, just like the news of Anna's pregnancy had been.

Flashback

Kratos looked at Anna, who was shivering and looking a little dazed underneath the cloak he had let her borrow, "Anna…are you okay?"

Anna smiled up at him, "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's just a little cold, that's all." She shivered, swaying on her feet a bit.

Kratos sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder to steady her, "Sometimes I think you're too stubborn for your own good, but okay. If you need to stop and rest, just say so."

Anna smiled, "You worry too much." She then closed her eyes and started to fall forward, blacking out inexplicably.

Kratos caught her in mid-fall, "Anna?!" Sighing, he scooped Anna into his arms and carried her into the doctor's office.

About an hour later, the doctor came out of his office and walked over to Kratos. He told the seraphim, "Your wife is fine. In fact, she's better than fine." He smiled knowingly.

Kratos sighed, glaring slightly at the doctor, "Then why did she pass out?"

The doctor answered straight away, "Oh, because she's pregnant."

Kratos gasped, a little surprised, "But…we were both being careful. How could this have happened?"

The doctor replied, "Don't worry too much. She is only three weeks along, but surely you know how babies are made."

Kratos blushed, "I know that. That's not what I meant. May I see Anna now?"

The doctor nodded, "Yes. I am sure you have a lot to talk about. You can stay here and I will go get her for you."

Kratos nodded and leaned on the wall to wait for Anna.

A moment later, Anna came out. She smiled and walked over to Kratos, "Hi, Kratos."

Kratos gave a small smile back and took her into a loose embrace, "Hi yourself. What happened?"

Anna replied honestly, sighing, "I forgot a pill one day…I'm sorry."

Kratos told her, "I'm not angry, Anna. I am a little irritated, but I will not ask you to abort the child. We both took part in his or her creation after all. I'm happy. I'm happier than I have been in years."

End Flashback

Kratos prayed to Martel (or would've if he was religious) that Anna would make it. He couldn't afford to lose her now. She was so much his life now that he had taken a chance by freeing her and running from the Desians for the past 6 months. He also had great hope that their child would be healthy and strong.

After having paced for a good three hours, Kratos finally sat down and waited. He waited to hear a soft cry, anything to stop Anna's screaming. He wanted to be by her side through the whole ordeal, but the midwife had shunned him, saying that the fathers of the children usually get crazy. He could see why she had said that. He was going crazy now with worry over Anna and the child that she was giving birth to.

About 4 hours later, Kratos heard the wailing cry of a baby. He smiled, glad that the ordeal was just about over. Anna's screaming had stopped and was replaced by an exclamation and a soft, "Awww…" Kratos walked over to the door of the room and knocked.

The midwife answered, "You can come in, Kratos."

Kratos opened the door and entered the room, smiling at the small infant in Anna's arms, and then at Anna, who seemed to be glowing as she watched the baby.

Anna smiled up at him, "It's a boy, Kratos. What should we name him?"

The midwife told them, "Well, I'll leave you three alone." She walked over to Anna and patted her on the shoulder, "If you three ever need anything, just look me up, okay? I only live a few blocks down."

Anna nodded, "Okay, thank you. Bye!"

The midwife nodded back and left the inn.

Kratos told Anna, "We should name him Lloyd. That is a good, strong name, and I have a feeling that he will be very strong when he gets older."

Anna nodded, "I like that name. Okay, Lloyd it is then." She smiled and cuddled the tiny baby close to her chest, "Welcome to Sylvarant, Lloyd." She whispered, yawning.

Kratos asked, "Before you go to sleep, can I hold him?"

Anna smiled, "Of course. Here you go." She handed him the bundle and snuggled down into the covers.

Kratos gave Lloyd a real smile. He was amazed at how much he already looked like Anna. Lloyd opened his eyes for a few seconds, and Kratos saw that they were a chocolate brown, much like Anna's. He was also surprised at how utterly defenseless such a small being was making him. He then heard someone speaking to the innkeeper in the other room. He gently placed Lloyd next to Anna and walked into the room.

Yuan was there, inquiring about Kratos and Anna. He heard a door close and turned around, seeing Kratos, "So, there you are. It's taken me a long time to track you two down, since you've mostly been avoiding big cities. How is she, by the way, Anna?"

Kratos replied, "She's sleeping. She just had a baby, Yuan. If you try to take her back to the ranch…" He glared, "well, let's just say you'll be eating my steel."

Yuan sighed, "Relax, I don't plan on turning you in. I just came to see your son."

Kratos glared, "What are your intentions toward him, Yuan? He is but a baby and is also asleep."

Yuan replied, "Relax, will you? I'm not going to hurt him either. I just want to see him."

Kratos sighed, "Very well then, Yuan. Follow me." He turned on his heel and headed back toward the room where Anna and Lloyd were both sleeping.

Yuan followed silently.

Once in the room, Kratos went and stood beside the bed.

Yuan walked to the end of the bed and looked over at Anna and Lloyd. He gave a small smile, "He is truly a beautiful boy, Kratos. He looks like his mother."

Kratos nodded, "Thank you, Yuan. Could you leave now before Anna wakes up? She might get suspicious if she finds you here."

Yuan responded, "All right then. I will tell Lord Yggdrassil that there was no sign of you in Luin either. Take care of your family, Kratos." He walked out of the room, and then left the inn to report back to Yggdrassil.

Kratos nodded after him then sat down on the bed. He probably wouldn't sleep at all, but he could at least relax for a little while thanks to Yuan. Hopefully, Yggdrassil would quit wasting his Desian forces in trying to locate them soon. 'Yuan could probably convince him to if anyone can.' He thought to himself.

Next morning, Anna woke up and saw Kratos sitting on the bed. She smiled, "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

Kratos told her, "I've already told you, Anna. I don't need sleep. I'm an angel, remember?"

Anna laughed, "I know. I was just kidding. And you're not just any angel, you're my angel." She kissed his cheek.

Lloyd cried from between them, hungry.

Anna giggled, "I guess someone's hungry. I'll feed him and then we can leave town."

Kratos nodded, "Take your time, Anna."

Anna told him, "That's what I love about you. You're so patient." She kissed him on the lips, then after about a minute, the kiss was broken so that they could breathe. Anna gently picked up Lloyd and proceeded to breast-feed him.

Kratos waited patiently for Anna to finish, leaning on the wall of the room.

Anna finished feeding Lloyd and put her top back the way it belonged. She looked at Kratos as she stood up with the now-asleep Lloyd in her arms, "Well, I'm ready to go."

Kratos nodded, "Then let's leave. I don't want to stay here any longer than we absolutely have to. For all we know, the Desians could be hot on our trail." He took Anna's hand and led her carefully out of the inn, so that she wouldn't drop Lloyd.

They raced out of town in a hurry and headed for the coast. They were going to the village of Iselia, the place where Anna's parents were originally from.

After a few days of traveling, with stops only to eat, feed Lloyd, and rest, they arrived in the quaint little village.

Kratos told her, "Anna, this may have been your parents' home but we can't afford to stick around forever, all right? We will get caught if we do."

Anna sighed, "Oh, all right. I was hoping we could settle down here though. Follow traditions and whatnot. I want to raise Lloyd here, rather than raise him on the run."

Kratos sighed, annoyed, "It may be a better environment for him to grow up in, but the ranch is just on the other side of that forest. If we are to stay here, we'd have to keep to ourselves."

Anna nodded, "That's fine with me. I want Lloyd to have a steady upbringing, with a place to call home."

Kratos replied, "All right, fine. We will stay here for a while."

And so, they stayed there for three years, until one day, the Desians came into town, looking for new host bodies to grow Exspheres in.

Anna gasped and ran into the little hut that Kratos had built for them, setting the three-year-old Lloyd on the ground, "Kratos! The Desians are here…!" She was already panicking.

Kratos took her into his arms, quietly reassuring her, "I won't let them take you away, Anna."

Anna nodded and settled into his embrace.

Lloyd reached up, "Mamma…I scared!"

Kratos sighed and let go of Anna, picking up Lloyd, "Don't worry, Lloyd. Your mother and I will protect you, no matter what."

There was a knocking at their door, "You folks better come out here if you know what's good for you!"

Anna gulped, "Kratos…"

Kratos told her, "Stay there." He walked over to the door, "You stupid Desian! Are you not aware that Yggdrassil had me spying on this region to see about the Chosen?" He shrugged, hoping it was believable. Little did he know that there was a Chosen born already, a girl by the name of Colette; who, at this point, was a year younger than Lloyd?

The Desian blinked, "Oh, I apologize Lord Kratos. I was not aware you were staying in the village. I will leave you alone." He walked away.

Anna sighed, "Thank you, Kratos." She whispered.

Kratos nodded his head, "You're welcome." He walked over to her and kissed her on the lips, "After the Desians finish their rounds, we really should leave. We have lingered too long."

Lloyd asked, "Daddy…what Desians?"

Anna told him, "Desians are very bad half-elves that torture people to grow Exspheres in their body, much like mine." She held up her hand, "Mine's a special Exsphere though."

Lloyd gasped, "Mommy…pretty jewel!" He reached for the Exsphere, drawn to it.

Kratos grabbed Lloyd's small, curious hands with his own, "Lloyd, you don't need that." He looked to Anna, "It sounds like the Desians have cleared out. We can probably leave now."

Anna nodded, "Okay…let's be careful though." She took Lloyd by the hand and led him out of the town.

Kratos walked on Anna's left, holding her hand as well.

Once they were out of town, they were spotted by a few Desians, who were heading back to the ranch.

Kvar called out, "Grab them! Quickly!"

Kratos cursed in Angelic and gently pushed Anna and Lloyd so they were behind him, "You will not touch them!"

Kvar laughed, "My my, Lord Kratos. This is a surprise. You know that host body belongs at the ranch, yet you insist on protecting her. And you have a son? Well, that's just sweet. Seize him!"

Kratos fought back the Desians crowding around him to the best of his ability. However, he was overpowered by the sheer numbers and was soon detained.

Anna and Lloyd were also grabbed.

Kvar told him, "Now then, that Exsphere is going to be presented to Yggdrassil. So…it is mine now!" He grabbed Anna's hand and ripped off the Exsphere.

Kratos gasped, "No!" He kicked Kvar's hand, causing him to drop the Exsphere.

Kvar laughed, "Come, let us go back to the ranch now, my Desians. We'll leave Lord Kratos to die by the hand of that twit." He walked off, taking the Desians with him.

Anna screamed and was shaking, transforming slowly into a monster.

Lloyd was terrified, "M…Mamma?!"

Anna looked to him, and once she was fully the monster, she lashed at him with her oversized green arm.

Noishe barked and jumped in the way, getting seriously injured by her attack.

Seeing the Protozoan in pain helped Anna come back to her senses for a moment and she turned to Kratos, "Please, Kratos…you have to kill me! I don't want to be responsible for your death…or Lloyd's."

Kratos shook his head, "No…there has to be some other way…"

Anna pleaded with him, "There is no other way! Please…please kill me…aaaah!" She turned back into the monster and wheeled on Lloyd again, going to attack him.

Lloyd screamed in fear and shut his eyes.

Kratos interfered, getting injured but also killing Anna in the process, "I'm sorry…Anna…" He whispered, clutching his side.

Anna smiled, "It's…okay…you had to…" She blacked out from blood loss and tumbled down the cliff near the Human Ranch, catching Lloyd's foot and also causing him and the Exsphere to tumble down the cliff.

Kratos followed them down. When he arrived, he found Anna's corpse half-eaten by creatures of the forest and Desian corpses as well. For a moment, he thought Lloyd was dead too, but then heard something, a soft crying. He followed the sound to the path leading further into the forest and found Lloyd, sighing in relief that his son was alive, "It's okay, Lloyd. Daddy's here."

Lloyd stopped crying for a moment and ran over to him, hugging his leg before crying again, "Daddy! Where's Mommy? What happen to Mommy?"

Kratos told him, "I…well; I'll tell you when you're older." He ruffled Lloyd's hair affectionately then winced as his injured side hurt.

Lloyd gasped, "Daddy…hurt?"

Kratos told him, "Only a little, Lloyd. Don't worry about it. I know a dwarf that lives near here named Dirk. He will most likely help us. Come on." He took Lloyd's hand and walked slowly to Dirk's house, to get his wound taken care of.

Dirk stood up and answered the knocking on his door swiftly, "Hello. Who might you be?"

Kratos replied, "Dirk, it's me, Kratos. You know, the one you made the Key Crest for a few years back?"

Dirk smiled and nodded, "Ah yes, Kratos….I do remember you now. Who's this young one?"

Kratos sighed, "My son, Lloyd. I was…well, I was forced to kill his mother by the Desians." He winced and clutched his side again, "The Desians removed her Exsphere and she turned into a monster. She tried to kill Lloyd, twice."

Dirk told him, "Oi…sounds like the two of you could use rest and I can take care of that wound for ya, Kratos."

Kratos nodded, "Thank you." He sat down, letting go of Lloyd's hand.

Lloyd explored the house, before falling asleep next to the steadily blazing fire.

Dirk tended to Kratos's wound, "Does Lloyd know you killed his mother yet?"

Kratos shook his head, "No…and I don't want him to know until he's much older."

Dirk nodded, "That's fine. It's your business. Anyway, all finished now. You get some rest and I'll bring Lloyd to you. He seems to have fallen asleep in front of me fire. I can hide you two here for the night and you needn't worry; I won't let any Desians come in."

Kratos nodded, standing up slowly, "Thank you, Dirk." He went upstairs and went to bed, going to sleep.

Dirk soon brought Lloyd up and set him in bed with his father.

The night passed uneventfully.


A/N: Next chapter, Lloyd will be taken to Welgaia and his identity as the Righteous Warrior will be established in the chapter after that.