The Return of Zero- Companion Tales

II. Sunset

"Onii-chan! Stop it!"

"Keep up, Rona-chan~."

"I'm gonna get you for that!"

"Rona! Siegfried! Play nice!"

"Yes papa."

When yet another complaint and fight erupted once more Gallagher promptly gave up and flopped back into the beach chair "It never ends does it?"

There was a warm laugh to his left and his wife, Miyako, smiled warmly at him her green eyes bright "No one ever said having children would be easy."

He took a deep breath and let out a deep, exaggerated sigh his violet gaze meeting her own "But don't they have a manual for these things?" he whined childishly "Honestly someone should give out warnings when married couples consider having children."

His wife giggled again "What's this? The great Gallagher Silens being undone by his own children? The nobility would be appalled!"

With a sly grin he leaned over so that his mouth just hovered over her own "Well then I'll just tell them that the great Goddess of Victory bore children that were too much for me to handle."

Their lips met and not two seconds later there were groans of disgust:

"Eeeeewwwww! Papa and Mama are getting mushy again!"

"Get a room already!"

The married couple broke apart and Gallagher gave his daughter and son an irritated glance "Alright. That's it!"

With a roar of triumph he leapt off his chair and charged after his children, smirking as they squealed in surprise and took off for the water, the sand flying up beneath their sandaled feet.

"EEK! Papa put me down put me down!"

"Haha he got you Rona- AGH!"

There was a loud splash as both her children were thrown into the ocean and Miyako fought hard to suppress her laughter. She nearly failed, as the two emerged looking soaked and sullen, but used her years of training as her defense against the giggles rising in her chest.

"Oh my they all get into so much trouble," she murmured softly to herself, covering her smiling mouth with a hand. She glanced up at the sunset and her smile faltered slightly as it reflected onto the ocean, turning it an ugly shade of blood red. An omen. Her grip tightened slightly on the arms of her chair and suddenly the laughter and playfulness of her family seemed distant as the silence came to surround her thoughts.

Tensions were rising no doubt about that. Suddenly there had been a security increase in the Britannians around their home. It wasn't unusual, after all her husband was Britannian, but they were in peaceful times were they not? There was no reason for fighting, no reason for suffering as in that great war so many years ago… Yet here was an omen she could not fail to remember.

'Kami-sama. Will blood truly be spilled? Is our time of peace at last coming to an end?'

Her grandmother had often repeated a Britannian saying 'Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.' Was it possible that now, after all this time-?

"Nooooo no no no no no no no no no! Don't you even- GWAH!"

There was an almighty splash as Gallagher fell into the ocean. His children climbed atop his prone form and pumped their fists into the air proclaiming in proud voices:

"We've conquered the giant!"

"All hail Lord and Lady Sumeragi!"

There was a groan and Gallagher gave his wife a helpless look "Honey help me…"

Her dark thoughts cast aside, she wasted no time leaping to her feet and diving into the water, tackling her son and daughter down with her "Here comes the Goddess of Victory!"

There were complaints and much splashing before about a half hour later Miyako was lying with her family on the sand of the beach, staring up into the now night sky. A warm hand slipped into her own and she glanced to her right, gazing into the violet eyes of her husband and returning his kind smile. She closed her eyes and allowed herself the peace of the moment, the feeling of her husband at her side and her daughter and son lying comfortably on her stomach. What would the future bring? She wasn't sure, but she would do anything to protect this. This love.