*Author's Note: The background to this one shot was established in another fic of mine called 'Settling Down'. It isn't a required read but if you feel as though I might have left things out, maybe the other fic might answer your questions or clear anything up. Thank you!*
Kassandra pulled her spear from the bandit's chest, shaking the blood and viscera off onto the Spartan earth. Casting a quick glance back at Kyra, Kassandra smirked as she watched her wife wipe the blood from her dagger onto the sleeve of her dress. After finally being reunited after Kassandra's shadow war against the Cult, Kassandra and Kyra had decided to clear up any misunderstood feelings and had gotten married. It hadn't been hard to find a priestess of Hera that would marry them especially after Kassandra had ended Chyrsis' iron-fisted grip over the other priests. They were now headed for Lakonia, so Kassandra could introduce Kyra to her family. They could have travelled along the sea, but Kassandra had dropped anchor in Lakonia after the war and had given the crew of the Adrestia some much deserved time off.
"Malakes bandits! Always preying on others…"
"Too bad they tried to rob the great huntress Kyra. They were dead before they even had a chance to unsheathe their weapons…"
Kyra rolled her eyes as Kassandra started waving her arms in the air in such an overextravagant way that even Barnabas would think was too much. At the end of her display, Kassandra bowed towards Kyra and tilting her head slightly, Kyra could see Kassandra's smirk.
"You flatter me Mighty Eagle Bearer. But I'm pretty sure that when they saw you coming, those malakes started praying…"
Kyra started fluttering her eyelashes as she leaned against Kassandra's arm. Despite the bright sun and beautiful sky overhead, it always surprised Kyra just how warm Kassandra seemed to be, even though she usually wore less than the huntress.
Kassandra stood straight suddenly, catching Kyra off guard. Ikaros screeched overhead and Kyra pulled out her daggers.
"Whe-"
Kyra was silenced when Kassandra pressed a finger against her lips. The first thought that came to mind was to tease the misthios by sucking on her finger, but Kyra didn't. There was a time and a place for that, and this was neither.
"Listen. Can you hear it?"
Kyra stopped and listened. She was used to listening out for animals, a skill that came in handy when making sure that the hunter never became the hunted, but she almost had to strain her ears to pick it up this time. Until finally, Kyra got something.
"Am I going crazy or?"
"Yeah, sounds like a baby…"
Kyra started searching and so did Kassandra. Kyra started wondering why there would be a baby out here and even got stuck inside her own head until Kassandra came over and tapped her on the shoulder. Nestled in the crook of Kassandra's arms was a small child. A girl with a small tuft of ebony hair at the top of her head. Kyra was almost left breathless by how nice Kassandra looked with a child in her arms. Kyra had many dreams about this.
"I found her over there in the brush, wrapped up in linens in a basket. She was lucky all things considered, found her parents not that far away…"
Before Kyra could ask, Kassandra looked solemn for a moment before saying;
"Lynx. Her Mater or Pater must have thrown her in there to try and protect her. It worked but… Gods knows how long she's been out here. She must be strong to have survived out here so long, either that or the gods decided to be merciful."
"Poor thing… she must be hungry."
Kassandra was about to recommend something when Kyra suddenly opened the laces holding her bodice closed and lifted the child up to her breast. Kyra took a sharp inhale when the child latched on, but she got used to it quickly. Noticing that Kassandra seemed to be looking at anything and everything that wasn't her, Kyra craned an eyebrow as she glanced at Kassandra.
"I had no idea that the mighty Kassandra Of Sparta was so bashful… It's not like you haven't seen me undressed, and if I remember correctly, you also had my breast in your mouth when we last laid together?"
Kyra laughed as a blush started showing on Kassandra's sun-kissed cheeks. When the child was finished, Kyra burped her while Kassandra retied and readjusted Kyra's bodice. Finally, Kassandra spoke again.
"Yes well… seeing you with a child is strange, and yet nice. While I wish that she was our own child, it was still a comforting sight."
Kyra's head jerked up and a wide smile broke across her face. Kassandra had learned to be wary of these smiles as they had gotten them both in trouble a couple of times.
"Why can't she be our child? We could adopt her!"
Kassandra's train of thought completely derailed and it took her a little while to even form a simple "huh?". Kyra seemed to quickly get caught up in her own idea and had almost started jumping on the spot but stilled when the child began to fuss. Kassandra wanted this badly, but she was afraid that she might have to be the logical one here. It seemed like she had lost Kyra to a dream that would happen some day but maybe not now.
"But what about her family?"
"You said it yourself, her mater and pater are dead. We both know how hard it is for an orphan in this world. We were thankfully lucky enough to survive, but that's not to say this one will. This may never happen again… trust me Kassandra, this is a sign from Hestia! She is giving us our family!"
"…"
"You want this as much as I do. So, what do you say Mighty Eagle Bearer? Are you ready to be a mater?"
Kassandra looked between the small girl in the linens and Kyra. The small girl was smiling, and the sun glittered in the deep sea blue of her eyes. Two arms stretched out towards Kassandra and Kassandra gingerly placed her finger in the child's hand. Kassandra felt a connection to the child and could suddenly begin to feel why Myrrine had felt that harrowing anguish when she thought that both her children were dead. Kassandra felt as though she would do anything for this child. Looking up at Kyra, Kassandra closed the distance between them, kissing Kyra sweetly on the lips.
"You can clean and change her cloths…"
A smirk broke out between them before Kassandra kissed the child on the forehead.
"You may try that misthios… but just wait and see where you end up."
Kassandra and Kyra started down the road once again, this time with the child in Kyra's arms. Kyra was playing with the child, who was laughing loudly. Kassandra ran her hand over the spear on her back. Pythagoras would call her selfish, say that she is destroying her familial bloodline, wasting her potential. There was a strong chance that the spear would not work for the child, but Kassandra found that she didn't care. Her legacy would not be a world of hurt, pain, and suffering for this child. Kyra placed her hand on Kassandra's shoulder.
"I have the perfect name for her. Phoebe"
A tear ran down Kassandra's cheek before she wrapped her arms around her new family. Kassandra promised herself that she would do anything in her power to keep them safe.
"Myrrine is going to go crazy when we get to Lakonia. She think's that she's about to meet my wife, not her grandchild. Alexios is going to love this… malaka."
Kyra laughed. They soon continued down the road, content with their life and their family now complete.