Chapter 1: Azura
Outside of the medical tent, Corrin was pacing back and forth, waiting for any news about his wife, Azura. When he found Azura collapse on the floor, his heart instantly sank into the pit of his stomach. By the time he carried her to the medical tent, his mind was filled with constant worry that not even the combined efforts of his older brothers, Ryoma and Xander could make him calm down. They were newly-wedded and fought side by side on the battlefield, but he had never seen her so pale and vulnerable before and her collapse only fueled the worst possible scenarios he could think of.
"Please, please let Azura be all right." he prayed inside his mind. Then the flap of the tent open as Sakura emerges from within the confines.
"Big Brother, Azura wants to see you." Sakura said. Without hesitation, Corrin enters the tent with Sakura to see Azure, sitting up on a cot with Elise tending to her.
"Azura!" Corrin nearly shouted as he rushes towards his wife's side.
"Are you alright?" he questioned.
"Yes, I am fine." Azura replied with a nod of her head. Corrin throw his arms around her and held her in a tight embrace as he lets out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks the gods, I was afraid something terrible might have happen to you."
"Quite the opposite, I have some big news." He broke apart from the hug and now stare into her golden eyes.
"What do you mean?" he asked, puzzled.
"I am pregnant." she announced. The news hit Corrin with so much force it took all of his willpower, not to faint, out of sheer joy. Elise jump up and down wildly with her hands clasped together with Sakura who was also happy. Much to Azura's surprise, Corrin lift her into his arms and held onto her tight with a huge grin on his face.
"This is the best day ever! Thank you, Azura!" The blue-haired songstress let out a small laugh at his reaction.
He is so cute when he's excited, she thought.
Despite the happy news of her pregnancy, war and bearing a child never goes hand in hand so the couple decides to travel and stay at a Deeprealm to wait until their child is born safely. Arriving at a coastal town resting by the deep blue sea, Azura was sitting on the wooden veranda of their Hoshido-style manor. Changing from her beautiful white dress to a lovely sky-blue kimono, she places a hand on her enlarged belly, feeling the silky fabric under her fingertips.
"Azura!" she turned her head to see her husband walking towards her with a list in hand.
"I got a list of names we can go over." he said, sitting down next to her. He hands the list to her and she read all of the boys and girls names that her husband drafted until a particular name caught her attention.
"Shigure..." she whispered as if the name roll naturally off her tongue.
"Do you like that name?" he asked.
"Yes..." She places her head on his shoulder and they stare out to the vast sea.
"Then it's decides we name him 'Shigure'." A small smile graces her face as she intertwined her fingers with his.
"What if it is a girl, what would you name her?"
"Hmmmm, I think Kana would be a good. Don't you agreed?"
"It's perfect."
"It's so peaceful here. It makes you forget that a war is going on." he said.
"I know, but once the war is over, everything will be normal again." she said. Corrin bit down on his lower lip, hesitating for a moment before asking a question.
"Azura, how do you feel about leaving our child here to be raise in the Deeprealm?" Azura's eyes widen in shock. Just thinking leaving their newborn child behind was rather an unpleasant thought, even if it is necessary. Now she understand how Hinoka and Camilla felt when they had to leave Siegbert and Shiro in different Deeprealms. A long silence ensues between them before Azura finally spoke.
"We have to put this child's safety first, above all else. So leaving the child here will the right choice..." Her voice starts shaking as she tries to prevent tears from welling up in her eyes. Corrin held onto her hand more tightly.
"I am sorry, Azura for placing a difficult choice like this." She lift her head and proceed to place her free hand on her husband's worried face, turning it towards her. She saw that his ruby-red eyes were full of distress and sadness.
"It is also a difficult matter for you as well. You also want to be there too, to raise and protect them." Corrin softly grasp onto her wrist and slowly moves her hand over his lip, placing small butterfly kisses on her palm.
"Yes..." he said. He lets go of her hands, in order to embrace her and the baby that is still sleeping inside of her. The remainder of the months passes by as Corrin once again find himself pacing back and forth, near the doors of the bedroom with his brothers waiting with him.
"Stop worrying, Corrin. Azura is going to be fine." Takumi reassured his worried brother.
"I cannot, not until I know that Azura and the baby are both safe."
"I know how you feel, Corrin." Ryoma said.
"But worrying like this, isn't going to help anyone."
"So just sit down and try to relax. Everything will be alright." Xander added. Corrin reluctantly sits down on a nearby chair, lowering his head and his hands clasp tightly together.
"Honestly, I have seen someone this worried since Siegbert and Shiro were born."
"I know, it took an entire army including Corrin and Azura, to calm Ryoma and Prince Xander down."
"Haha, very funny, you two." Xander remarked sarcastically.
"Just you two, wait. When you have your own children, then we'll see if you could remain calm or not." Ryoma said. Corrin laughed at their childish banter as a smile finally appear on his face. Just then, a small cry could hear from inside the bedroom, causing Corrin to stand up. The door open, with Elise ushering him and his brothers inside. There, resting on the bed and surrounding by their sisters was Azura, sitting up and cradling a bundle in her arms, exhausted, but smiling down at the child. Soon she turn her attention to her husband who slowly approaches her.
"Corrin, do you want to hold him?" she asked.
"Yes.." With his shaking hands outstretched, he carefully took the infant into his arm and peer at the adorable face of his newborn son. His heart fills up with paternal love and affection for his son.
"He's so beautiful." Corrin said, trying not to make his voice cracked.
"He looks like you, Azura." Tears roll down from his eyes.
"I'm so happy...I can't stop crying." Azura starts crying as well.
"Me too..." Freeing up an arm, Corrin embraced Azura and held their son in-between them. Everyone in the room felt the radiant joy and warmth that the young couple emitted for their newborn son.
"Welcome to the family, Shigure." Corrin whispered.
Some time has passed, Shigure soon grew up quickly in the Deeprealm, much to Azura and Corrin's surprise. Now a Sky Knight, he soon join the army after a tragic event that cost the lives of his caretakers and friends. Corrin and Azura couldn't help, but blame himself for the tragedy since he may be one of the reasons that the village was attacked by Vallites, the "invisible soldiers".
"If only we been there earlier, we could save the village and Shigure won't have witness such a tragedy." he thought.
"Father...Mother." They turn their attention toward their son, Shigure walking towards them.
"Shigure, are you alright now?"
"Yes, thank you for giving some space to deal with my emotions." Shigure said.
"Of course, no problem." Azura said. Shigure couldn't help, but notice his parents' forced smiles.
"Father, Mother, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing's wrong." Corrin said, trying to evasive.
"No, no, clearly you two see distressed. Could it be that you feel guilty for what happen to the village?"
"Are we really that much of an open book?"
"I guess we can't help, but to blame ourselves for what happen."
"Father, Mother, it was not your faults. You placed me in that village for my own safety while you went to fight in this war. It was the same village where you and Mother waited patiently for me to be born. Because of that, I met a lot of wonderful people there." Shigure hug both of his parents.
"If anything, I should be thanking to the both of you for loving me so much." With tears well up in their eyes, they both embraces their son lovingly.
"Shigure, thank you for being here with us."
"Me too."
Please leave a review. About the same sex-marriage with the Avatar and Niles or Rhajat, please comment if you want it to be feature in this series. I will probably write it as a romantic friendship type tale between them.