AN: Another short story featuring Avani and Leon! I hope you enjoy it! This one is rated T, maybe even K+. Please let me know what you think of it—reviews are tremendously motivating to authors! ;)

To Have and to Hold

It was the sixth day of Summer, three days before Leon's birthday—what would be his thirty-first birthday, if you didn't count the centuries that he lay dreaming in the tower of Leon Karnak. He'd never imagined such contentment as he now claimed as his own: married nearly a year to the love of his life, who was now heavy with their first child—or children, rather—due to make their appearance in the near future. His wife was beautiful, strong, and clever—all he had ever hoped for, yet she was so much more than even the most ambitious of his dreams had ever imagined.

He found steady work these days, too, translating archaic scrolls and texts for the government and scholars as well as chronicling what to him had been current events but now was ancient history. He enjoyed the work for its own sake; while enjoyable, the money was no longer a necessity. Avani's farm was thriving, and as both the Acting Princess of Selphia and the Baronet of the Selphian Plains, she was provided with substantial living quarters in the castle. More than enough space for the two—no, four, he corrected himself with a satisfied grin—of them. And still plenty of room for their family to grow even more. He pushed his chair back from his desk where he sat working on his current commission, stood and stretched, and went downstairs to grab some lunch.

As he rummaged around the refrigerator, trying to decide if he wanted to grill some mackerel or just stroll over to Porcoline's Kitchen for lunch, he heard the front door open and close and low voices in the main chamber. Recognizing his wife's voice, he was just about to call out a greeting when he heard her say, "Oh, good. It looks like he's not in. Let me grab a couple of things really quick, then let's hurry to the airship before he gets back."

Startled into silence, he heard the wardrobe door open, followed by the sound of cloth rustling and a click as the door shut again. Her voice once more as she moved towards the back of the suite, saying, "Okay, ready? Let's get going, hurry!" And then the back door opening and closing, followed by silence. He stepped out, and gave a delicate sniff with his sensitive nose. He smelled the scent of his wife, but he also picked up another familiar scent: the earthy smells of leather and spices steeped in a potent stench of pheromones.

It was the scent of Dylas, his wife's former lover.

How long he stood there in a daze, he wasn't entirely certain. But after some time had passed, he pulled himself together. He didn't understand what had happened, why Avani had gone off somewhere with Dylas alone and with such secrecy, but he was sure there must be a reason. There had to be—she loved him, after all, and had finally chosen him over Dylas. And she certainly had seemed happy with him… hadn't she? He hadn't noted any signs of discontent. Or had his own happiness clouded his vision?

Shaking his head to clear it of the bewildering conundrum, he returned to work. His concentration was broken, however, so eventually he gave it up and decided to go fishing. A nice rainbow trout or possibly even some lamp squid might make him feel better. Or maybe something for Avani… what was it that she liked so much again? Shrimp, he thought. She particularly liked shrimp.

In the end, he came home with only a couple of smaller trout. Finding that Avani was still gone, he went ahead and cleaned and grilled them for his dinner, trying not to fret at her lengthy absence. Although it was rare these days, it wasn't entirely unheard of for her to be out late, missing their evening meal. Some days he only saw her in the morning when he woke her at the start of the day and again at night when she returned late at night, climbing straight into bed. And very, very rarely she hadn't returned until after he'd already gone to sleep, alone in their large bed.

That started him thinking… he hadn't noticed at the time, but now he wondered if there had been any trace of Dylas's scent on her some of those times. He wouldn't have remarked on it, probably, if there had been—the two had remained close friends, and Dylas often accompanied her out in the wilderness when Leon himself had been unable to do so. He knew the young man still harbored a passion for Avani—he was too transparent to hide it effectively. But he'd never entertained the possibility that perhaps his wife still reciprocated those feelings, still loved both men now as she had in the past. She had called off her relationship with Dylas willingly, after all, so she couldn't… could she?

Then the memory of a conversation returned to him. That spring, while the three of them had spent some time in Avani's home village after the return of her memories, he'd had an argument with Dylas one morning. Dylas had reminded him that now she'd recovered her memories, she might wish to avail herself of her tribe's custom of taking extramarital lovers. The mere suggestion had rocked him to his core, but he had seen no hint of such a desire in her and had at last dismissed the idea—until now. He'd assumed Dylas had been referring to Avani's dear friend, Chanda, who also had an intense crush on her. Now he wondered if it was himself that he had in mind, instead. It was an uncomfortable and fruitless line of thought, and he determined not to pursue it… if he could help it, that is.

Leon lay alone in their bed, trying not to mark the time that passed far too slowly, waiting for his wife to return home. The moon had reached the apex of her nightly journey and had begun the descent to her starlit bed before he finally heard the soft scratching of a key in the lock of their front door. Realizing that for once in his life he didn't know what to do or to say, he feigned sleep. Footsteps that would be barely perceptible to most thundered in his own sensitive ears. Two sets, rather than one, and they cautiously crept past the bed where he lay motionless, heading into the kitchen. His nose detected her scent and Dylas's, as well as… fresh grass? And water, fish, and moist earth. The pungent, salty scent of sweat, and a myriad of other, lesser outdoorsy scents. But, he noted with relief, not… that scent. Sweat, yes, and the unmistakable scent of Dylas's desire for his old lover. But not the scent that he'd always detected on her after she had been with him. Whatever was going on, at least it hadn't gotten that far out of hand… yet. Or so he hoped….

He smelled the clean, fresh scent of raw fish and heard the sound of a knife slicing through soft flesh, and decided she must be preparing Dylas one of his favorite foods: sashimi. More footsteps, and they departed through the back door into the gardens. He heard low voices, but they were too faint for even his keen ears to make out the words. After a while, the sound of her footsteps as she returned and went to her wardrobe, then the rustling of light fabric. Footsteps to the kitchen, water running, the scrubbing sound of a toothbrush, then splashing and the muffled sound of a towel rubbing on soft skin. A moment later, she returned and sat on the edge of the bed to brush her long hair. Then she lay down, carefully so as to not disturb him, and slowly drew only a sheet over herself. A minute later, her breathing slowed and she was asleep.

Once he was sure that she was sleeping soundly, Leon opened his eyes and slowly rolled over, looking at the still form of his wife as she lay on her side, her back to him, her belly huge from the new lives straining within their confines. His eyes, like those of a fox, needed no supplemental light to see her clearly in the waning darkness. Despite his fears and misgivings, he felt his heart melt as he looked at her, obviously exhausted after her long day. The pregnancy was getting to be a strain on her, too, yet she refused to slack off even a little, keeping up with her farm work, her housework, her duties as Acting Princess, and her nearly-daily forays into the wild, patrolling her domain. He gently leaned over her to softly kiss her cheek, then suddenly drew back in alarm as he caught Dylas's scent, surprisingly strong on her cheek. He then realized that she was fairly engulfed in it: her face, her hair, her arms—every part of her that he was able to discreetly sniff contained some trace of his smell mingled with hers. And his heart froze, wondering at the implications.

Avani woke to the scent of something delicious, making her ever-hungry stomach growl. She sat up just as Leon emerged from the kitchen, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand. He sat on the edge of the bed and handed her the coffee with a kiss. "Good morning, My Lady," he said as she gratefully sipped the hot beverage.

"Good morning, Leo. Is that pancakes I smell? What's the occasion? You don't normally get up so early, let alone make me pancakes!" she said, smiling fondly at her spouse.

"No occasion," he replied. "I just want to be sure my favorite wife is getting enough to eat. It seemed as though you had a busy day yesterday—you were out quite late, weren't you?" (Was that a faint blush on her cheeks, or was he only imagining it?)

"Ye-e-es, it was rather late when I got back," she replied, quickly taking another drink of her coffee. "You were already asleep. I'm sorry I didn't get home sooner. I had some things to take care of, and it took longer than I'd expected." Leon just nodded, wondering what business could possibly keep her out so late and require both Dylas's presence and so much secrecy from him.

"Well, come on out to the kitchen, My Lady. You can tell me all about your day while we eat."

Avani turned slightly pale, and said, "Oh—well, you know, my day wasn't really at all interesting. Why don't you tell me about yours? How's that translation going?"

Leon saw through her attempt to deflect his attention by refocusing it on himself. It might have worked another time, as he found his work quite interesting, but this time he recognized the ruse for what it was. However, he chose to play along—for now.

After they had finished breakfast, Leon pulled Avani to him, saying, "I'm concerned for you, love. I think you should ask Clorica and Vishnal to take over your farm duties at least, if not more. You know they are quite capable of caring for your beasts and crops under your guidance. Why don't you speak with Volkanon about it now, and then we can spend the rest of the day together? We can do whatever you like—anything at all. I missed you last night, you know." He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, waiting for her to reply.

She stiffened slightly and turned pale again, then said, "Oh… I'm so sorry, Leo, but I've already made plans. I'll probably be gone all day again, maybe even until late. I'll try to get home for dinner tonight, but…."

Leon stood very still for a moment, then forced himself to smile down at his wife, saying, "Well, never mind, My Lady. Perhaps another day. I'll pack you a lunch while you tend to your farm chores."

Despite her ungainly size, Avani finished her chores very quickly. She slammed the lid down on the shipping bin, darted back into their home, dropped the seeds that she had kept from the day's harvest into storage, placed the milk from her buffamoos into the refrigerator, and quickly grilled and refrigerated some rainbow trout for Leon. She had also continued her habit of fixing Dylas something to eat even after she'd married Leon, so she grabbed that as well, dropping the container of still-hot creamy porridge into her pack as she dashed back out of the kitchen.

She kissed Leon goodbye, gratefully accepting the vegetable stir-fry that he'd made for her lunch. "I have to run," she said, settling her pack on her shoulder, "but I put some grilled rainbow trout in the fridge for your lunch later. I'll try not to be too late, but I just don't know how long my day's tasks will take—or if I'll even manage to finish today." Another quick kiss, and she was gone.

His brow furrowed as he watched her leave, and although he'd never considered such a thing before, he wondered if he should follow her. He shook his head—what was he thinking? He'd always trusted her before, and she'd never given him cause to do otherwise. He didn't understand what she was up to, but he would continue to trust her, though it might not be easy to just stand by and do nothing. He had to believe that things were not as they appeared, and that, in time, he'd learn what lay behind her recent odd behavior.

Before settling down to his day's work, he decided to bathe in the inn's bathhouse. He walked in the door and greeted the owner, Lin, who stood behind the front desk, greeting customers as they wandered in. He noticed that she looked worried today, and asked if everything was okay. "Oh!" she replied, looking startled by his question. "Why, yes—yes, of course! Everything is just fine. I definitely did not see Avani dragging Dylas off to who-knows-where on the airship this morning!" She looked confused and thought hard about what she'd just said. "Oh… wait…." Lin was sexy and sweet, but rather dim and easily confused, even by herself.

Leon stiffened at her words, then forced himself to relax. "I'm sure they're just out training, Lin," he replied, though he felt far from certain inside. "Anyway, I'd like to avail myself of your excellent baths, please." She nodded as she took his payment, still bewildered, and waved him towards the door to the baths. He headed on in, noting the scent of bergamot, jasmine and ylang ylang emanating from the ladies' side while the men's baths were scented that day with bergamot, clary sage, and oakmoss. He especially liked this particular blend, and found soaking in it to be soothing. So it was with some return of his equilibrium that he scrubbed himself down in the showers before stepping into the steaming, fragrant water to soak. He lowered himself into the hot bath, breathing the scented steam in deeply and exhaling a deep sigh of satisfaction.

Leon was so relaxed that he barely noticed patrons entering the ladies' baths, until his sensitive ears picked up Avani's name in their conversation. Perking up, he heard voices that he recognized as Margaret's and Forte's deep in discussion. Although they spoke in hushed voices, his hearing was so acute that he had no difficulty eavesdropping. And since they were freely discussing his wife—and him, too—he had no qualms about doing so, either.

"I'm sure there's nothing in it," he heard Forte say. "Avani's just too honorable. She'd never break a vow, especially a marriage vow."

"Well, maybe, but I know what I saw!" Meg exclaimed. "I haven't seen the two of them spend so much time alone together since she broke up with him and married Leon. And whenever I see them together, they're as thick as thieves. I don't know what they're up to… but Dylas looks like… like the cat that got the cream! That's why I'm worried…. Poor Leon, I hope everything is okay between them."

"Well, I can't say I approve of her choice in husbands, you know," Forte said, making Leon wince and smile ruefully to himself as he thought of the myriad reasons for her unfavorable opinion of him. "Really, he is just over the top. I think she'd have been much happier with Dylas. But she made her choice, and I can't believe she'd turn her back on her husband, especially not with those babies on the way. But I agree, it is peculiar behavior for her, and even if it's all innocent—as I hope it is—it still looks bad. It must be difficult for Leon, too, that is, if he even knows."

After that, their conversation turned to other matters, and Leon slid down again into the waters of the bath, thinking about what he'd heard. If Avani was behaving in a way that made others talk… well, that affected both of them. He decided that he needed to talk to her, that very night when she returned from wherever she'd disappeared to for the day. He needed to know…. He left the sentence unfinished, even in his thoughts, unwilling even to name his fears.

Leon waited up that night until well past midnight. By 5:00 the next morning, he decided she wasn't coming home at all. He felt a queer chill in the pit of his stomach, and wondered where she could be, and why… and what had gone so wrong so suddenly.

He fell into a fitful sleep shortly before 6:00, and when he awoke a little after 11:00, he found signs that she'd come and gone. Looking in the refrigerator for something to grab for a quick meal, he discovered a freshly-grilled fish wrapped up and placed on a shelf with a note attached to the lid of the container. It read:

Leo, sorry I was so late. Things aren't going well, and I couldn't make it home last night. I stopped by just long enough to change clothes, do my chores, and make you a lunch. You were so soundly asleep you didn't hear me, and I didn't want to wake you. Hope to be home much earlier tonight, but don't feel you have to wait up for me if I'm not. Love, Avani

He slammed the refrigerator door closed, his appetite gone. What was going on with his wife? What could be so incredibly urgent that it kept her away from him, and in her present condition, too? Was she unhappy? Was she unhappy with him? Did she want Dylas back, after all? He realized that he wasn't going to get anything useful done that day, at least not in his current frame of mind, and decided to spend some time away from town. He could use some exercise, he thought, so he decided to go monster hunting. He packed a few things, grabbed his gear, and headed for the airship.

As he reached the dock, Lin strolled up to him. "Going somewhere?" she asked brightly.

"Yeah, I thought I'd go get some exercise. I've been spending too much time at my desk, poring over musty old scrolls," he replied. He'd always been fond of the innkeeper and her sweet if klutzy daughter, thinking of her as sort of a surrogate aunt, and Xiao as more of a little sister—much as he had once thought of Maria, though thankfully with different results.

"That sounds fun!" she exclaimed. "Mind if I join you? I could use the exercise, too."

"Umm, well…." Leon paused, not sure how adept the pretty woman could be at combat.

Sensing his hesitation, she added, "Oh, and don't worry about me! I'm really not completely helpless, though I admit I'm a bit rusty."

Sighing, he said, "All right, you can come along. Let's start someplace fairly tame, though, until I have a better idea of just what you can handle."

"Oh, I can handle quite a bit, I promise," she replied with a wink and a smile. "Let me get my things—I'll be right back!"

A few minutes later, she came hurrying back, her arms full of gear. "Okay, let's go! I'll put my things on while we travel. Where are we going?" she asked enthusiastically.

He thought for a minute, then said, "Let's go to Sercerezo Hill. There are usually some intermediate monsters there, and access to tougher ones if you seem ready. Plus it's a pretty place, and a nice break from the heat of summer."

"Perfect!" she exclaimed, strapping a breastplate on over her dress. He directed the airship pilot where to go, and off they went.

Lin favored a spear, same as Leon, but to his dismay, he found that her weapon was nothing more than a safety lance, such as those used for friendly sparring and for lessons. He sighed, realizing that she wasn't going to be any use with that. So he took her through the path to Idra Cave, doing all the fighting himself, then stopped after clearing the area in the vicinity of the cave's entrance. They sat and rested, enjoying the mild spring weather. Back in town, it had been a very hot day. Leon lay back on the grass and dozed, still tired after his all-night vigil, while Lin hummed happily and picked flowers and herbs to take home.

After a little while, she sat on the grass next to him, waking him from his doze. "You know," she said after a moment, "I've been hearing some… rumors lately. About Avani and Dylas. Is it true? Is she really leaving you for him?"

He sat bolt upright, startled, and said, "What? No, certainly not. She's just been busy with some project lately, and apparently he's helping her. Everything's fine as far as I know."

"Ahh, but what if it isn't fine, and you just don't know?" Leon didn't know how to answer that, so he remained silent. Lin sidled a little closer, leaning towards Leon as she said in a low voice, "If things don't work out, you can always come back to the inn, you know. There will always be a place for you there."

"Oh, ahh, I doubt I'll need to, but thanks," he replied, looking at her dubiously. "Though even if I did, your inn's usually full these days."

"You needn't stay in one of the guest rooms," she interrupted, leaning even closer and running a fingertip lightly over his bare chest. Leon stared at her in shock, too stunned by her implication to reply.

She moved even closer, resting her shoulder against his chest, saying softly, "I find you very attractive, Leon. Did you know that? I've thought so ever since you first arrived in town."

Turning red, Leon pulled away, saying, "Hold it, Lin. What are you saying? You're married—I'm married!"

"My husband chooses to be gone for months, even years, at a time, so sometimes I turn to others for… comfort," she replied with a shrug, sidling closer still. "And as for you… well, as I said, I've been hearing things."

Before he could respond, there was a flash of light behind them, and he heard Avani, groaning in dismay, "I can't believe even Idra has failed me. Dylas, what am I going to do?" He turned and looked, just as Avani turned around and saw him sitting there, with Lin inappropriately close to him. "Leon?" she exclaimed, looking and sounding shocked as she stared at them.

"M-my Lady!" Leon stammered, leaping to his feet, causing Lin to nearly fall over. Behind Avani, Leon could see Dylas, glaring from him to Lin and back again. He knew it probably looked bad to them—but he also knew it looked worse than it really was, if he could just explain to her. He took a step towards her… but she suddenly incanted the escape spell, and she and Dylas vanished from sight, leaving him alone with Lin in the deepening shadows of late afternoon.

Standing and staring at the spot where his wife had been standing an instant before, Leon suddenly felt irrationally angry—with Lin for her unwelcome and ill-timed advances, with Avani for her inexplicable behavior, with Dylas for his continuing passion for Avani, and—perhaps most of all—with himself. He wasn't even sure why he was angry with himself, because he wasn't sure what exactly was going on. But he was angry that he'd been unable to keep things from getting to this point, for not seeing… not realizing sooner…. Without looking at Lin, he said tonelessly, "Get your things. I'm returning you to town." He heard a sigh and movement behind him, then footsteps approaching him. Before she could say anything, he cast escape to return them to the town gates, then he stalked off towards the airship without so much as a backwards glance at her.

Leon sat at the base of the tower of Leon Karnak, leaning against the cool stone wall. He often came here when he needed to think or to just get away for a while. The upper levels were populated with a variety of dangerous monsters, but the terrain around the base of the tower was barren and deserted. Still, rumors of the tower's monsters kept most from even approaching the tower, so it was an ideal place to go when he needed solitude. Besides, it was a significant place to him—a place of so many beginnings and endings in his life.

He often talked to Maria here, sometimes thinking he could almost feel her presence there. He did so now, trying to make sense of what was happening with him and Avani. "I don't know what to do," he mused aloud. "I love her, Maria, more than I ever thought possible. And I couldn't bear to lose her. We've been through so much together, she's become integral to my life. Yet I feel as though she is suddenly fading away, slipping through my fingers. And I don't know how to stop her."

As he spoke, he suddenly realized what he needed to do. He needed to see Avani, to talk with her face-to-face. It all came down to communication—he had no idea what was going on, and only Avani could change that. With renewed resolution, he stood up and cast Escape until he returned to their rooms. He changed into his pyjamas and made a pot of coffee. He was determined to wait up this time, no matter how long it took for Avani to return home. And he was determined to talk with her and not let her put him off again. He sat in a chair by the cold fireplace, lit a lamp, and settled down to read and drink coffee until she arrived.

A couple of hours past midnight, he finally heard the key in the door. Avani never cast escape directly into their bedroom late at night except in an emergency—she knew the flash of bright light would wake him, and she was innately considerate of others. Setting his book down, he stood and faced the door. A moment later, it quietly opened, and in stepped Avani, Dylas close behind her. They stopped and froze when they saw him standing there, waiting, watching them.

After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat and looked at Dylas. "I'd like to talk to my wife. Alone." The younger man flushed, but nodded and turned to leave. Before he could step back outside, though, Avani grabbed his arm.

"Wait, Dylas," she said, then turned to Leon. "Please wait just a little longer, Leo. I promised to feed him. He's been out with me all day, and I've been keeping him too busy to eat." Leon wordlessly raised an eyebrow at her, then nodded curtly, sitting back down and picking up his book again as they passed through the chamber and into the kitchen.

A short while later, they returned. Dylas nodded to Leon, saying good night to them both as he left through the back door to take the shortcut through the castle gardens to his room. Leon watched Avani as she placed a plate of grilled shrimp on the low table before him. "I made something for you, too," she said, avoiding his eyes. Then she changed into her nightgown before sinking down with a tired sigh on the sofa near him, absently rubbing her distended belly.

Ignoring the shrimp—though they smelled enticing, more so than usual since he hadn't eaten all day, either—he came over and sat next to her. He held her hands and looked at her, saying, "My Lady. What exactly is going on? I don't understand why you're acting this way. You've got me worried, and people are starting to talk."

She looked at him in surprise, saying, "Talk? About what? I don't understand what you mean."

Leon sighed and looked away, saying, "There have been… rumors. That things aren't going well with us, that you regret your choice, that… that you're leaving me. For Dylas."

Her shocked eyes filled with tears as the blood drained from her face, and her mouth opened, but no words came out. Finally after a few minutes, she managed to say, "Leo, I… I had no idea. Why would anyone say things like that? It isn't true! None of it!" She looked up at him, her eyes imploring him to believe her. "I have never regretted my choice, not for a single second. And Dylas is no more than a friend to me. I… I know he's still attracted to me, but it's all one-sided, I swear. I'm sure someday he'll meet someone else and get over me. And I most certainly am not leaving you—not for him or for anyone or anything. Dylas has just been helping me with… something. That's all. I had no idea anyone would misinterpret something so harmless as that. I guess it must have looked worse to others than it really was."

She looked down at the floor, tears still in her eyes, and said, "But… what about you, Leo? I saw you and Lin earlier. Do you… do you regret your choice? Are you unhappy?"

He pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her as she nestled her wet cheek against his chest. "No. I have no regrets about marrying you, except perhaps that I didn't do it sooner. And any unhappiness I've felt recently was only due to the fear that you were unhappy and that I might lose you." He felt her sigh and held her tightly, as though still afraid she would somehow vanish. "I suppose, as with you, things simply looked worse than they really were. Lin apparently finds me attractive, but I don't reciprocate in the least."

Avani giggled a little then, saying, "Of course she does, silly. Didn't you know that? I think every female in town thinks so—even Forte, though she'd never admit it, especially now that she's marrying Arthur!"

Leon opened his eyes wide in surprise, his cheeks burning. "Are you joking? No, I had no idea. After all, I never had eyes for anyone but you," he said as he rested his cheek against her hair.

After a few minutes, he pushed her back to look into her face. "One more question, love. I know that among your people, it's customary—even encouraged—to take a lover after marriage. Do you… do you wish to… to…." His voice trailed off, half-afraid of her answer.

"Do I wish to claim my birthright and take another lover?" she asked. He nodded, his eyes full of mute misery. She leaned her head against him and replied "As I've said before, the idea behind that custom was to ensure the emotional well-being of our people, since marriage was considered to be little more than an exclusive breeding contract. It was exceedingly rare for such arranged marriages to result in a satisfying, harmonious relationship, so my people turned elsewhere to fill that need. I find you completely satisfying in every respect, Leo. I have no need or desire to turn to anyone but you."

He sighed with relief, a light haze of tears misting his vision for a moment as he held her tightly. Several minutes later, he smiled at her, and asked, "So now will you tell me what you've been up to? I'd very much like to know why my wife has been acting so strangely—slipping away to parts unknown with Dylas, acting so secretively, and then earlier when you simply cast escape without so much as a word."

She looked down for a moment, then looked back up at him and said, "Please, Leo, will you wait just a little longer? I promise I'll tell you all about it, but it's not time yet. Please… just trust me?"

Leon sighed and replied, "All right. But I want you to tell me before the sun sets, got it? I can't take much more of this."

She nodded, then leaned in to kiss him tenderly. "I promise, I'll tell you everything you want to know," she whispered, then kissed him again as he sighed deeply and lifted her up, returning her kisses with mounting desire as he carried her to their bed.

Leon slept a little later than usual, worn out from the night before. He would have likely slept later still, but sheer hunger finally woke him. He hadn't gotten around to eating the shrimp Avani had cooked for him last night, and he was ravenous. Avani was already up, and he stretched languidly, smiling to himself as he remembered the conclusion to their discussion last night. Relations had become more challenging as her belly had so rapidly expanded, but they were no less enjoyable—for either of them, if he was any judge of such matters. As he lay there, he suddenly noticed a particularly tantalizing smell wafting from the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Avani appeared with a large tray. She placed it on the table in the sitting area, then came over and sat on the edge of the bed, resting a hand on her belly. Leon noted proudly the way her belly twitched as the new lives within kicked and squirmed so energetically. He hadn't yet been able to feel it himself, though he could often see the movements. Every time he placed a hand on her belly, though, the activity had ceased. Today, however, when he tentatively reached out and rested his hand on her belly, he felt a succession of powerful movements under his hand. He jumped, startled, then looked at his wife with a grin of delight. She smiled at his expression of delirious joy and placed her hand over his. "Happy birthday, Leo, my love. And it seems our babies wish you a happy birthday, too. I don't think I've ever felt such a frenzy of activity before!"

Leon reluctantly removed his hand and held her, kissing her hair as he murmured, "Thank you, My Lady. This is a truly wonderful gift you've given me, and I can't wait to meet our little ones."

Standing up, her eyes shining and her smile radiant, she held out a hand to him, saying, "That's not the only thing I have for you—though naturally I couldn't plan or foresee that gift, so consider it a gift from them, not me. Come to breakfast, Leo."

He rose, wrapping his robe around himself and tying the belt before joining her on the sofa. Looking at the food she'd prepared for him, he was startled to see an unexpected delicacy on his plate. "Grilled lamp squid!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "My favorite! How did you know I'd been hungering for it lately?" Not waiting for her answer, he lifted it up and took a small bite, savoring the rich flavor. "Mmmm," he said as he savored it. "Perfection! Thank you, My Lady. What a marvelous birthday present."

"I'm so very, very glad you like it, Leo. Now, you eat, and I'll talk. Remember I promised I'd tell you all you wanted to know today." Leon nodded as he took another small bite, turning to look at her as she spoke.

"First, you may have noticed that lamp squid has been increasingly hard to find lately?" Leon again nodded, this time with some chagrin. "Well, what you might not know," she continued, "is that the recent scarcity is due to some fad in the capitol for lamp squid. They suddenly became very trendy, and since this region is known for its abundance of excellent lamp squid, fishermen flocked here in droves in search of them. As a result, they've become rather overfished and increasingly scarce. I hadn't really realized how much of a problem this had become until I went to fish for one for your birthday. I first went out on the sixth, and I asked Dylas to come with me—I haven't liked to go out alone lately, you know, in case something happens with the babies. But I obviously couldn't ask you, and Dylas seemed like the next best choice because he's so strong and capable. I had no idea anyone would think something was going on between us!" She paused for a moment, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Anyway," she continued, "I fished all that day and into the night, but with no luck. So I planned to go out again the next day, and the day after if needed, and I promised Dylas that if he'd come with me until I caught a lamp squid that I'd make him lover sashimi, one dish of it for each day he accompanied me. I probably didn't need to bribe him, but I didn't want to take advantage of his affection for me. I thought that would be unfair and, well, dishonorable."

Leon smiled to himself, remembering Forte's comments in the bathhouse about Avani's sense of honor, and said, "Fair enough. And now that I understand, I'm glad you took him along. But…." He hesitated, uncertain how to ask the questions that still remained.

"Yes?" Avani prompted.

"Well, I noticed… I noticed that first night, the night of the sixth, that you smelled rather strongly of Dylas. And of earth and grass. It's not that I don't trust you, but… I'm curious how you managed that particular combination of scents?"

She blushed, saying, "Ahh, well. That. You see, I'd been fishing at Keeno Lake, and I hooked a large fish—a taimen, it turned out—and I had a bit of a struggle reeling it in. Finally, I gave one massive jerk and brought it in—but it sent me sprawling flat on my back on the grass. It was awful at the time, but I guess I must have looked pretty funny—I couldn't get up! I was stuck there on my back with this huge fish flopping on me and my huge belly, and I just could not get up! I swear I've never seen Dylas laugh so hard. He was doubled over and gasping for air. Finally he stopped long enough to help me up, but by then I was feeling a little lightheaded and almost fell over again. So he picked me up and carried me over to a log, so I could sit down and rest."

Leon frowned at the thought of Dylas laughing so hard at his wife's predicament, then smiled at the mental image of her lying helplessly like that, fish and all, and decided that he'd probably have laughed, too—so he was glad he hadn't been there, as he was sure he'd have gotten himself in trouble.

"Was there anything else you wanted to know?" Avani asked, anxiously.

"Well, I am curious as to where you finally found the squid," Leon admitted.

She laughed and replied, "Maya Road—that lake near the highest point of the pass. Apparently it's too dangerous, or too cold, or too inhospitable in some way or another, and doesn't get fished anywhere near as much as other spots. It didn't take all that long to catch one, once I had cleared out the area so that I could fish in peace. Dylas helped, of course, since I'm really not supposed to be doing a lot of fighting."

"Maya Road," Leon said thoughtfully. "I'll have to remember that." Then, pushing his empty plate away, Leon looked at his wife. "So let me be sure I understand this correctly. You decided you wanted to make my favorite food for my birthday, and you asked Dylas to keep an eye on you in case you needed help while you fished for the main ingredient, which has sadly become even more rare of late. This scarcity caused you to spend not one but three whole days fishing, all the while hauling Dylas around with you and trying to avoid giving your plans away to anyone, especially to me. You even fished all through the night one night—which, by the way, I find rather upsetting, since you really do need your sleep right now, My Lady. And Dylas presumably was looking so pleased with himself because first, he was getting to spend time fishing with you, and second, because you'd promised him one of his favorite foods for his assistance. Have I got the gist of it?"

Avani nodded, and Leon pulled her close and held her in a tight embrace. "Thank you, beloved. The lamp squid was delectable, and I appreciate it all the more because of the effort you put into preparing it for me."

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Leo," Avani replied, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "I was so focused on my goal that I didn't stop to think how things might seem to you."

He gave her a squeeze, then released her and stood. He held a hand out to her to pull her to her feet as he said with a smile, "Now let's enjoy the rest of the day together. Are you too bored with fishing to go check out that mountain lake with me?"

Avani grinned and took his hand, then replied, "First one to catch a lamp squid wins!"

"Wins what?" Leon asked, curiously. She pulled his head down to her and whispered into his ear, and his cheeks turned bright red. "You're on!" he exclaimed, dashing off to grab their poles.

Disclaimer: Rune Factory 4, most locations and many of the characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.