p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Escanor sighed and looked at the window to Merlin's laboratory. Yesterday, she had given him a necklace with a charm on it. The charm created a sort of false sunlight that alowed him to maintain his dusk and dawn form, and he wanted to thank her back. He was good at writing poems, so he tried his hand at song writing,span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanand now he was going to serenade her. He was quite good at song writing, if he did say so himself. It had been only a few weeks since they had been married, and he wanted to make sure that she was enjoying it as much he was. He took a deep breath and started the song./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA breath of fresh air was she, my lovely, the magician who won my heart" he sang in a low, sweet style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe window opened and there was Merlin's head andspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanshoulders sticking style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe smiled when she figured out what was going style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHer dear sweet Escanor... How was she going to tell him?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" With raven black hair and light-hearted air, she is moon to my sun, silver to gold, and beautiful night to my day!" he sang. While he was singing she closed her eyes and listened to every word he said. She absentmindedly started humming along. She heard him stop singing and opened her eyes to see him looking at her in awe. She blushed and apologized for interrupting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" What are you apologizing for?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"She laughed " C'mere!," she said and wrapped her arms around his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Don't expect to hear it again any time soon." She kissed him and teleported them to their favourite spot, underneath a special tree. The tree was a hybrid that a Merlin herself created, a mix of a weeping willow and the Great Fairy Tree. How she made managed this, no one knew but her. He pulled away and looked at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Will you sing for me? It's justspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanme Pleeeeaaassse? " He begged. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin complied. "Alright, just for you." she took a deep breath and began. She'd tell him later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when things are gray" she sang. Her voice was sweet and silky,and it had a sort of ring to it that was familiar to Escanor. It was like a memory was trying to pull itself out from beneath a big, heavy box. Where had he heard it before? She saw the look on his face and stopped singing, like she knew he was trying to remember style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWas there something she wasn't telling him?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe pulled out of his arms and mumbled something about being style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe agreed and took her hand. She teleported them back to Liones, where Diane (in human size), Elizabeth, Elaine, and Ygraine were standing outside the Boar's Hat. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYgraine looked at her mother, who nodded, and ran to the pair. "Auntie Merlin! Uncle Escanor! Look at what I baked today!the little girl saaid, brandishing an apple tart," Uncle Ban said I can cook better than both Mother and Father!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Merlin shared a smile with Elizabeth, then she bent down and picked up her 'niece' " I think that's true, neither Elizabeth or Meliodas can keep water from burning. In fact, once your father's demon liver frog pie made me cry." she said. Ygraine giggled/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Would you like something to eat?" Elizabeth said . " Ban's cooking today, so bon appetite!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Two blueberry muffins, a mug of Vanya Ale, and some berry juice for me please, Ellie." Merlin asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Elaine gave Merlin a confused look. "Berry juice, Merlin? That's not like you at all!" she said,span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" And we both know you would drink some ale any time of day. What's up?" Elaine asked/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin looked at her then down at the ground, " You can read my mind, it'll be easier if you tell him..." she trailed off, and she put down Ygraine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Elaine looked into her mind and jumped back in surprise. She gasped in delight and and squealed "REALLY?!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin blushed and nodded. " Sir Escanor... you're...she's... YOU"RE GONNA BE A FATHER!" She yelled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Escanor stood there in shock. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;""We're gonna have a child, Escanor."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin said to him softly, and she kissed him on the cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I'm...you're..."he stammered. A smile spread on his face and he picked Merlin up and swung her around. " YEEEEEEESSSS!" He yelled. He held her up against the sun and she laughed. It was a picture perfect moment. And in that moment, she really was his sun. His, and only his, sun and moon. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"" Ummm... are you gonna put Merlin down or will we have to rip her out of your arms again?" Diane asked playfully. Escanor laughed and put her down. They walked inside and sat down at a table. As it was still early dawn, the tavern was still empty except for the Sins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Didn't you just eat breakfast, Merlin?" Ban mused, looking up from behind the counter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Can't be the Boar's sin of Gluttony if I don't enjoy eating, Ban" replied Merlin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Escanor guided her to a table beside the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMeliodas came in, and Elizabeth went to kiss him on the cheek. King slipped his arm around Diane's shoulders and Diane leaned against him. Elaine went to tell Ban what Merlin and Escanor had ordered and kissed him on the cheek. All the sins had found their true love,even Gowther, who had Slader. Right now, Gowther and Slader were assigned posts in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey decided to eat outside since it was such a wonderful day. Merlin teleported the tables they were sitting at outside and for a while they messed around and talked. Friends, comrades, and family./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Hawk woke up to someone screaming outside. He went out there ready to rescue Elizabeth from Meliodas, only to find that it was Merlin who needed saving... from Escanor./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Aaaah! Escanor! Oh my god, stop! Aaaah!" she laughed. Escanor had slung her over his shoulder and was swinging her around. The others were laughing at her, and Hawk sighed in relief. Merlin could save herself if she wanted to, so there was no reason for Hawk to use his mighty powers to save her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"" Escanor, put her down, it's not good for the baby!" Elaine yelled. Hawk fainted. Escanor put Merlin down and hugged her close. Nothing, emnothing/em, was going to harm his child. Ban sneaked up behind Elaine and picked her up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Don't worry, I'll sling you over my shoulder instead Elaine!" Ban said in his singsong voice. Elaie screamed and held on to his arms for dear life. Merlin and Escanor sat down and laughed with the others. Once they were tired of that, thay decided to play some games. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Let's play 'never have I ever' again." Meliodas suggested. They all agreed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMeliodas went first," Never have I ever...raised more than one child."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Elizabeth and Merlin both raised their glasses. Elizabeth wasn't much of a surprise, and they all knew Merlin had raised Arthur, but two children? They all gave Merlin a questioning look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" I raised another prince, before Arthur." was all she said. She was tracing the rim of her glass with her finger. No one payed much attention, except for Escanor. Didn't Rosa do that? They continued on with their game until customers started arriving. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/spanstrongspan lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"One year later/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe sun peeked through the window, waking up a slumbering father. Escanor looked down at the beautiful dark-haired mage that lay beside him, her head laying on his arm. He kissed Merlin's cheek, then got up and walked over to the children's cradle. The rosy-cheeked twins were awake and quietly gurgled when they saw their father. Myriddin, or Myra for or short, looked just like her mother, but she had her father's striking blue style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAureleuis, or Ari, looked like her father, but she had Merlin's golden eyes. Escanor smiled and picked up a child in each arm. Myra reached up and tugged her father's moustache, while Ari played with Escanor's fingers. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"There was a slight rustling sound behind him, and Merlin said in a groggy voice " Good morning, everyone." She got up and kissed Escanor on the cheek, then gently took their daughter from him. Myra giggled and raised her hand. A bright burst of blinding light came out of nowhere, and Merlin hair had pink ribbons in her hair once they could all see again. Escanor had glitter in his moustache, but Ari had been left alone. Merlin smiled at her infant then laughed at Escanor, who looked silly with a glittery moustache. Then, just as Merlin was about to clean them up with a spell, Aureleuis reached up and pulled off half of Escanor's moustache. Escanor yelled in pain and Merlin couldn't hold herself back; she HAD to laugh at that. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"strongspan lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/strongspan lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"" She's just like you were when you were a baby, Escanor/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA breath of fresh air was she, my lovely, the magician who won my heart" he sang in a low, sweet style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe window opened and there was Merlin's head andspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanshoulders sticking style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe smiled when she figured out what was going style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHer dear sweet Escanor... How was she going to tell him?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" With raven black hair and light-hearted air, she is moon to my sun, silver to gold, and beautiful night to my day!" he sang. While he was singing she closed her eyes and listened to every word he said. She absentmindedly started humming along. She heard him stop singing and opened her eyes to see him looking at her in awe. She blushed and apologized for interrupting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" What are you apologizing for?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"She laughed " C'mere!," she said and wrapped her arms around his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Don't expect to hear it again any time soon." She kissed him and teleported them to their favourite spot, underneath a special tree. The tree was a hybrid that a Merlin herself created, a mix of a weeping willow and the Great Fairy Tree. How she made managed this, no one knew but her. He pulled away and looked at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Will you sing for me? It's justspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanme Pleeeeaaassse? " He begged. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin complied. "Alright, just for you." she took a deep breath and began. She'd tell him later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy, when things are gray" she sang. Her voice was sweet and silky,and it had a sort of ring to it that was familiar to Escanor. It was like a memory was trying to pull itself out from beneath a big, heavy box. Where had he heard it before? She saw the look on his face and stopped singing, like she knew he was trying to remember style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWas there something she wasn't telling him?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe pulled out of his arms and mumbled something about being style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe agreed and took her hand. She teleported them back to Liones, where Diane (in human size), Elizabeth, Elaine, and Ygraine were standing outside the Boar's Hat. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYgraine looked at her mother, who nodded, and ran to the pair. "Auntie Merlin! Uncle Escanor! Look at what I baked today!the little girl saaid, brandishing an apple tart," Uncle Ban said I can cook better than both Mother and Father!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Merlin shared a smile with Elizabeth, then she bent down and picked up her 'niece' " I think that's true, neither Elizabeth or Meliodas can keep water from burning. In fact, once your father's demon liver frog pie made me cry." she said. Ygraine giggled/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Would you like something to eat?" Elizabeth said . " Ban's cooking today, so bon appetite!" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Two blueberry muffins, a mug of Vanya Ale, and some berry juice for me please, Ellie." Merlin asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Elaine gave Merlin a confused look. "Berry juice, Merlin? That's not like you at all!" she said,span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" And we both know you would drink some ale any time of day. What's up?" Elaine asked/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin looked at her then down at the ground, " You can read my mind, it'll be easier if you tell him..." she trailed off, and she put down Ygraine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Elaine looked into her mind and jumped back in surprise. She gasped in delight and and squealed "REALLY?!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin blushed and nodded. " Sir Escanor... you're...she's... YOU"RE GONNA BE A FATHER!" She yelled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Escanor stood there in shock. "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;""We're gonna have a child, Escanor."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMerlin said to him softly, and she kissed him on the cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I'm...you're..."he stammered. A smile spread on his face and he picked Merlin up and swung her around. " YEEEEEEESSSS!" He yelled. He held her up against the sun and she laughed. It was a picture perfect moment. And in that moment, she really was his sun. His, and only his, sun and moon. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"" Ummm... are you gonna put Merlin down or will we have to rip her out of your arms again?" Diane asked playfully. Escanor laughed and put her down. They walked inside and sat down at a table. As it was still early dawn, the tavern was still empty except for the Sins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Didn't you just eat breakfast, Merlin?" Ban mused, looking up from behind the counter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Can't be the Boar's sin of Gluttony if I don't enjoy eating, Ban" replied Merlin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Escanor guided her to a table beside the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMeliodas came in, and Elizabeth went to kiss him on the cheek. King slipped his arm around Diane's shoulders and Diane leaned against him. Elaine went to tell Ban what Merlin and Escanor had ordered and kissed him on the cheek. All the sins had found their true love,even Gowther, who had Slader. Right now, Gowther and Slader were assigned posts in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey decided to eat outside since it was such a wonderful day. Merlin teleported the tables they were sitting at outside and for a while they messed around and talked. Friends, comrades, and family./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Hawk woke up to someone screaming outside. He went out there ready to rescue Elizabeth from Meliodas, only to find that it was Merlin who needed saving... from Escanor./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Aaaah! Escanor! Oh my god, stop! Aaaah!" she laughed. Escanor had slung her over his shoulder and was swinging her around. The others were laughing at her, and Hawk sighed in relief. Merlin could save herself if she wanted to, so there was no reason for Hawk to use his mighty powers to save her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"" Escanor, put her down, it's not good for the baby!" Elaine yelled. Hawk fainted. Escanor put Merlin down and hugged her close. Nothing, emnothing/em, was going to harm his child. Ban sneaked up behind Elaine and picked her up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Don't worry, I'll sling you over my shoulder instead Elaine!" Ban said in his singsong voice. Elaie screamed and held on to his arms for dear life. Merlin and Escanor sat down and laughed with the others. Once they were tired of that, thay decided to play some games. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" Let's play 'never have I ever' again." Meliodas suggested. They all agreed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMeliodas went first," Never have I ever...raised more than one child."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"Elizabeth and Merlin both raised their glasses. Elizabeth wasn't much of a surprise, and they all knew Merlin had raised Arthur, but two children? They all gave Merlin a questioning look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span" I raised another prince, before Arthur." was all she said. She was tracing the rim of her glass with her finger. No one payed much attention, except for Escanor. Didn't Rosa do that? They continued on with their game until customers started arriving. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/spanstrongspan lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"One year later/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe sun peeked through the window, waking up a slumbering father. Escanor looked down at the beautiful dark-haired mage that lay beside him, her head laying on his arm. He kissed Merlin's cheek, then got up and walked over to the children's cradle. The rosy-cheeked twins were awake and quietly gurgled when they saw their father. Myriddin, or Myra for or short, looked just like her mother, but she had her father's striking blue style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAureleuis, or Ari, looked like her father, but she had Merlin's golden eyes. Escanor smiled and picked up a child in each arm. Myra reached up and tugged her father's moustache, while Ari played with Escanor's fingers. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"There was a slight rustling sound behind him, and Merlin said in a groggy voice " Good morning, everyone." She got up and kissed Escanor on the cheek, then gently took their daughter from him. Myra giggled and raised her hand. A bright burst of blinding light came out of nowhere, and Merlin hair had pink ribbons in her hair once they could all see again. Escanor had glitter in his moustache, but Ari had been left alone. Merlin smiled at her infant then laughed at Escanor, who looked silly with a glittery moustache. Then, just as Merlin was about to clean them up with a spell, Aureleuis reached up and pulled off half of Escanor's moustache. Escanor yelled in pain and Merlin couldn't hold herself back; she HAD to laugh at that. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph; line-height: 115%; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"strongspan lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/strongspan lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN;"" She's just like you were when you were a baby, Escanor/span/p