"Well, thank you all for your input. If there's nothing else, I'll see you all next time." Julius Novo Chrono smiled at his knight captains. Not all had been able to attend the impromptu meeting, but the ones he had been most interested in had shown up, and in the end, that's all that mattered to him. The captains stood and saluted. Well, almost everyone saluted, before they started to file out of the room. He turned to leave himself, anxious to go exploring once more when a voice stopped him.

"Sir? Can I talk to you?"

His mind processed the question. The voice was female; he wagered it was Charlotte and not Dorthy. He calculated probabilities in an instant, orienting himself within the possible time streams. He compared past events leading up to the moment: Charlotte being saved from the curse by Yami, Yami admitting his own feelings in confidence a few months later, Yami picking Asta to join his squad, the rise of Midnight Sun, Fuegoleon's incapication, the cave-in. Everything pointed to a narrowing of the future's possibilities. This moment was a junction, as was every moment leading them to either victory or utter destruction.

He turned to her, smiling, wondering which path she would choose.

"Of course, Charlotte."

"In private?" He noticed her hands, clenched in fists as she stared at the table before her.

He glanced to the far door where the other captains were leaving. Yami had stopped in the frame of the door and looked back at them. His eyes were focused on the woman at the table. Julius looked from one to the other until he met Yami's eyes briefly. He could tell his protege was troubled as he lingered. Something seemed to agonize him as he looked at her. She, on the other hand, looked down at the ornate inlay on the table's surface. After a moment, Julius shooed Yami out of the room with a flick of his fingers. The Black Bulls captain hesitated but Julius gave him the look he had often given the younger man when he needed a reprimand and Yami turned to leave, pulling the door shut behind him. Julius made a note to have a chat with him later.

"We can talk in my study. Come." He turned quickly, expecting her to follow along. He was not disappointed when she entered the more intimate room right after him. He offered her a seat.

"Julius." She couldn't bring herself to look at him. She shifted in the leather chair she had chosen. He sat across from her and waited for her to continue. "I..." She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

A wide grin spread across his face. To him, this was the best news. And the best path forward. He reached forward and squeezed her hand.

"Congratulations." His voice was soft and filled with awe. He had never had children of his own. From the time his magic had manifested, he knew he never would be afforded the chance. Or rather had he taken the path in which he did have a family, they would never survive the coming destruction. And neither would any one else.

"You're not mad?" She asked, her voice halting after every word. He looked at him with wide fearful eyes.

"Why would I be mad? A child is such a blessing." He squeezed her hand again. More threads fell away from the path, weakening the branch which lead to defeat and strengthening the road to survival and victory. More calculations, more probabilities, more choices, more options filtered through his mind.

"I'm sure she will be an amazing person. Have you told Yami?"

"How did you know?"

"A lucky guess?" He said, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her curiosity. He hated having to explain how he knew what he knew, or to tell her how he had been angling for this to happen all along. Time manipulation was never easy, and even more difficult to explain. "The tension between you two has been growing exponentially since the cave-in. Honestly, it was getting out of hand, even before." He chuckled. "Besides, I'm a weirdo who knows things, at least that's what he tells me. I'm surprised he hadn't told you."

"I know the two of you are friends, but..."

"Friends. An interesting way to describe our relationship." His voice was distant, lost in his own thoughts and and calculations.

"Did, did he tell you what happened in the cave?"

Julius shook his head. Yami had never been one to talk much to anyone about anything, and Julius had been busy in his own right.

"No, but he didn't need to."

She furrowed her brow as she looked at him, her blue eyes narrow and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"He's right. You are a weirdo who knows things."

"And this weirdo happens to be able to read Yami like a book. Something changed in him after the cave in. I don't exactly know what it is, but he's... different. And Yami being Yami, I would have been more surprised if he hadn't tried anything when you two were stuck in the cave."

Charlotte blushed.

"He's been in love with you for, well, years. It's been painful to watch, actually, as the two of you danced around the issue, denying it, ignoring it for so long."

"He, he loves me?" The shock returned to her face. She shook her head in disbelief. He smiled in sympathy as he nodded.

"Maybe love is too strong a word, but attracted to you? Definitely." He had seen his eye wandering her way when he was still a junior knight under his command. His interest, and lack of action on the matter, when Julius knew he had no hesitation pursuing other women, was one of several threads which had led him down his course of action, and led him to investigate her further. "Since the battle at Shalen, at least."

Julius watched her as she thought back to the battle. She remembered seeing Yami there. She knew they had shared the battlefield, and a campfire afterwards, but they had barely spoken to each other. What she had learned and seen of him at the battle had helped to cement her opinions of him as a barbarian. He had fought like a beast-far more like a raging bull than any other creature she could think of. She wondered what he had seen in her then to draw him to her. She had certainly not been drawn to him then, not until a few months after, when he had broken the curse threatening to overcome her and all she held dear. Even then she had fought and denied her feelings for years.

"Shalen, huh?"

"He'll never admit to it though." He smiled at her again. "I barely got him to admit it to me after he broke your curse. And it was only in the most roundabout, non-committal way." He sighed, smiling at the memory. He looked at Charlotte, who seemed to be searching her memories of any indication that what he said was true.

"You need to tell him." He said after a long silence. She looked up at him confused for a moment before remembering why they were having the discussion in the first place. As she registered his words, she felt her blood turn cold and her skin pale

"But what am I supposed to do about my squad. It's not like I can abandon them. They will probably think I did anyway, when they find out."

He sat back and steepled his fingers over his lips as he looked at her for a moment.

"Maybe they will. Maybe they will feel betrayed. But you cannot control how they will react, and you won't be able to keep this a secret for long. It's already been, what, two, three months since the cave-in?"

"Yes."

"And I'm assuming you haven't had any other secret rendezvous? With Yami or anyone else?"

She looked aghast.

"What? No, of course not."

"So you'll start to show sooner rather than later."

She shifted in her seat, considering her options.

"I should step down. You can find a replacement. I'll, I'll go back home and..." She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"I'm not asking for that, Charlotte. I will never ask you to abandon what you hold so dear." He reached out for her hand and squeezed it once more. "But you must decide for yourself what is the right course of action, what information needs to be given and to whom you will give it. But, I think you should still tell him, at least."

She took a deep breath before standing.

"Thank you for your time." She saluted. He stood with her and embraced her.

"I only wish it had happened sooner." God knows I tried hard enough to get the two of you together, he thought. "This child is a blessing, Charlotte. You will see. She will be amazing, and I hope I am able to meet her." He whispered before pulling away. He looked down at her, his hands on her shoulders. He gave her a final smile before she nodded.

"Let me know what you decide. If you do feel the need to step down, I will support you. But I hope you stay."

He watched her cross the short distance to the door and pull it closed behind her before he turned to his desk to find a tattered red notebook. He flipped through the pages until he found one in particular. He crossed out several lines on the page before turning back a few pages and circling certain sections. Looking at the notes he had scrawled, he shook his head. The child was on her way, which was good, but she was cutting it close. He wondered if he would survive long enough to see her born, but he grew more skeptical as he looked at the path the past had taken, and the options for the future. He knew his time was coming soon, and he had to plan past that roadblock. He had to set in motion the things which would come after.

He was not afraid of his own death. He had seen it so many times with so many possibilities, the fear had lost its teeth. But he feared what might happen without him. He feared the kids may not be strong enough.

She ambled through the halls on her way out of the building. Lost in her own thoughts, she let her feet guide her. Julius had said she should tell him, that he deserved to know. And she wanted to, really she did. But she also still felt like what had happened between them was a mistake, that this child was an even bigger mistake. She sighed, chastising herself. She should never have given in to his, well, she couldn't say charms because he was not charming in the least. She sighed again, knowing the blame lie with her, her desire, her weakness.

She should have been stronger; she should have had greater control over herself, her emotions, and her desires. As she walked, she recalled the words of her predecessor.

"I'm pleased you are still with us, Charlotte." The older woman's voice was harsh, cold, and loveless. Her dark eyes saw everything around her from their position in her severe looking face, only made more so by the tight bun she wound her graying hair into. "I would have hated to lose such a promising young knight."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Charlotte felt her heart flutter in fear as the woman seemed to stare through her flesh and into the depths of her being, uncovering her secrets.

"Though you did not rid break its hold on you yourself, did you."

"No, Ma'am. Looking back now though, I do not believe I could have. Perhaps it was foolish of me to even try."

The old woman scoffed.

"Girl, it is never foolish to build your own strength, or to be able to rely on oneself."

"Yes, Ma'am." She looked at the ground, realizing how foolish she had been to think so little of herself, and how foolish she was to heed his words so readily.

"In the end, you can only count on yourself, Charlotte. Do not forget that."

"I will not, Captain."

"Good. See that you do not. Dismissed."

Charlotte saluted and turned to the door when the captain called her back.

"Oh, and Charlotte. Do not let this interfere with your duties."

"Of course, Captain."

"And whoever broke the curse, I hope he is worthy of your strength. As if any man could be."

She nodded and watched for a moment, waiting for any further comment from the older woman, but her captain had turned her attention back to the paperwork on her desk. Charlotte sighed before turning for the door.

Ever since, Charlotte had wondered if he was worthy of her, or if she had just been a foolish girl to fall for him. Most of what she saw told reaffirmed her ideas about him, show how much of a barbarian he could be, and infuriated her to no end. She often wished it had been someone else, anyone else who had broken the curse. And yet, she could not forget what he had said to her in the midst of her crisis, asking her to trust, trying to convince her she would not be seen as weak if she relied on others, if she trusted others. His words had struck a chord deep with in her, and it had been strumming ever since.

And now, after she had given into her desire for him, she knew deep within the core of her being that the curse could not have been broken by anyone else.

She walked into the room where a spatial mage was on duty to teleport people around the kingdom. The young man smiled at her and opened a portal for her without a word. Which was all well and good; she did not feel like talking. When she stepped through, she found herself looking up at the entrance to her squad's base of operations.

"I've been waiting for you." A short woman about her age said from the gate separating the grounds from the outside world. Charlotte walked through the gate and the dark haired woman followed her up the path to the main building.

"How are you feeling?" She asked as she struggled to match her stride to the captain's. "Any sickness? Dizziness?"

"I feel fine, Amberlyn." Charlotte's eyes darted at the other squad members they passed.

"That's great, though you should really limit your use of teleportation magic right now. There have been..."

"Shh." Charlotte hissed before turning on the shorter woman. She looked around to see if anyone was in ear shot before she spoke. "You need to keep this quiet. At least for now, while I...try to figure this all out."

The short woman crossed her arms over her chest and met her superior's gaze with harsh determination.

"Captain. I am your doctor. My concern is your health and the..." She lowered her voice. "And the health of the child you are carrying." She looked around as well to see if anyone overheard. "I will keep your wishes about not telling anyone, but you need to follow orders. If something might be unsafe, you need to listen to me."

"Yeah, well, we're about to go to war. How fucking safe is that?" Charlotte startled as the words came out of her mouth-his words, his crassness. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"You're emotional; you're having mood swings. Charlotte, you're pregnant. It's perfectly normal."

The captain sighed. She was not the first member of the Blue Rose to wind up pregnant. Every so often, one of the girls would have a little too much fun during leave time, or they would take solace in the arms of one of the few men on site, whose sole purpose was to handle the more menial tasks of the squad. Charlotte knew it was a natural side effect, a possibility of their dalliances. She had never reprimanded them for it when it happened. She had suggested a leave of absence, and had always welcomed back those who had left and decided to return. And she made life as easy as possible for those who chose to stay through their term. She had always loved visiting the tiny babies, and she made a point to see each one as soon as possible.

But she had never imagined she would be the one needing to make such a decision. She still had no idea how she was going to break the news to her squad. She turned and continued down the path to the main building.

"And what do you mean, we're about to go to war?" Amberlyn practically ran after her to keep up.

"The Eye of the Midnight Sun is growing more bold. The Wizard King believes they will be launching a major offensive soon. But Julius being Julius, he either didn't have much intelligence or he wasn't sharing it."

"You need to step down, Charlotte."

"I can't do that. Who would take my place? No one has the battle experience I have. No one has faced these beasts before. These guys aren't like the Diamond Kingdom army. As bad as they are, these... terrorists are worse."

"What about Mira?"

Charlotte scoffed.

"Anais?" Amberlyn suggested to the roll of Charlotte's eyes.

"No one is prepared for what's coming, Amberlyn. I have to lead, no matter the risk."

The doctor sighed.

"Just promise me you will take care of yourself."

Charlotte nodded.

"I promise." She strode through the heavy carved door to her office and closed it behind her. She guessed she had one minute to herself, maybe two, before Sol found her. She leaned against the wood.

"I can't tell him." She told herself. "I should just get rid of it, be done with it, move on." But she remembered how happy Julius had been, and how much it seemed to her that he had been expecting the news. She rubbed her hand over her still taut belly, hoping to get a sense of the life growing within. She knew something was wrong within a week of getting rescued. She had been prepared to have difficulty keeping thoughts of Yami from her mind. Every time they were in relatively close quarters with each other, she had weeks of fantasies about him. She expected those fantasies to be far more vivid.

What she had not expected was the sickness. Every morning, she woke with terrible nausea; sometimes to the point of throwing up. She always felt better afterward, but it had taken weeks for her to convince herself she needed a check up.

When Amberlyn examined her, the questions started coming: When was her last period? (She couldn't remember, despite everything happening like clockwork most of her life.) Had she started craving anything in particular, or felt repulsed by food? (She could no longer stand chocolate, but was craving strawberries, which were out of season.) Had she felt the need for frequent urination? (She felt like her bladder had shrunk to the size of a thimble.) Had she been intimate with anyone? (She blushed and refused to answer.)

Amberlyn had simply stared at her, hand over mouth until she admitted it, though she could not bring herself to tell her who she had been with. She wouldn't understand. None of them would.

She barely understood it herself.

She pulled herself from the door and walked across the room to look over the ledgers and plans. She had other things to think about, matters more pressing. The meeting had not held good news. Things would have to wait. The child would wait. Explanations could wait a while at least.

Yami could wait.

She still had no idea how she was going to tell him. He had been quite adamant about their escapade being, well, not meaningless, but nothing serious either. She tried to look at the reports on her squads recent missions, but she couldn't focus.

If he hadn't been serious, she thought, why had he sent her the rose?

She pushed her sleeve back and ran her fingers over the thin strip of black fabric knotted about her wrist. She hadn't taken it off since she found it wound around the sharp thorns on the blue rose she found on her desk a few days after the incident. She looked at the frayed edge, rubbing her fingers over the fibers.

She had to tell him. And she would, once she figured out how.