Notes: This was extremely fun to write, and I hope it's extremely fun to read!
Owain had heard it, clear as fresh spring water...
"Pretty please?" his mother begged. "I really need you to do this for me!"
"Your demands are excessive," his father grumbled, stepping out of their shared tent and marching away.
...Lon'qu planned to get rid of Lissa because she annoyed him. A great lineage of heroes would end that very same day if he didn't manage to save this one princess. His quest was of utmost importance for the world.
"I must be born in this timeline!" Owain dramatically declared, tailing his father to figure out his malevolent plot.
The covert mission took him to a nearby town's market, where Lon'qu navigated to unusual vendors. He wasn't looking for a common weapon, like a sword or an axe or a lance. He was probably trying to make it look like an accident, or even an extremely well planned assassination from an outside enemy.
But Owain wasn't fooled, and he took care to analyze everything he saw his father pick.
First, Lon'qu checked some seemingly innocuous baskets, but chose none. He moved on to check for a proper box, and settled for a sturdy one with a lid, akin to a treasure chest.
"He probably plans to put a venomous critter inside, to spring at my mother when she opens it!"
Next, he browsed for some yarn. He would pick one ball of it, and pull lightly at the thick thread, stretching it and testing it for its strength. Some balls of yarn passed the test, and were placed in the chest.
"Or maybe he plans to strangle my mother!" Owain hissed. "But why is he picking so many colors? Does he care if it matches his wife's distressed visage?"
Once the box was full enough, and very colorful, Lon'qu walked on to check another stall. Sharp metal shone blood red in his hands as the twilight swallowed the sun.
"...what is that?" Owain wondered, unable to figure out what was on his father's wicked fingers. "Will he stab my mother to death before or after he strangles her? This is confusing."
Lastly, Lon'qu marched out of the town, Owain following him like an heroic shadow. He let his father enter Lissa's tent, sneaking as close as he could to listen in, ready to save his mother in less than a blink.
"Oh, wow, it's intimidating," his sword hand twitched, hearing those words coming from Lissa, "these are a lot of colors."
"Careful with..."
"Ugh!"
"Fear not, mother! I shall save you!" Owain burst in, and Lissa and Lon'qu stared at him confusedly, half of the yarn on the ground, along with a pair of needles. "...what is this?"
His mother smiled so brightly as his father picked everything up. "Well, since you are to be born soon, I wanted to get my knitting started!"
"Wait, you are pregnant right now?" And he started sobbing in relief.
She reached out to hold him. "Yes, you make us so joyous, we couldn't wait!"