Have a happy new year!


Previously on AHEA:

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Allen exclaimed before grabbing onto his belly and falling backwards down to the sea below.


Allen felt the cold water as he hit it, curling in on himself instinctively to protect his child from the cold. Then his world went dark. He couldn't be sure how long he was unconscious but he awoke to a strange wooden room lit only by a handful of candles.

"Where?" Allen began to ask when a large hand suddenly placed itself on his warm forehead.

"Relax, idiot apprentice." came the gruff reply and Allen looked to his left and saw General Cross sitting beside him.

"Cross! What happened? What's going-" the consort began to sit up but stopped when a strange amount of searing pain flared through him. Looking down he noticed that his belly wasn't as large and a large red incision was stitched up. Paling, Allen began to panic.

"Allen, relax. Everything's alright. Let me explain a few things." Allen nodded and settled down, but he still felt the absence of his child almost unbearable. "I was almost to the palace when I was attacked. Mother and I have been in hiding for the past two weeks in the forest and I saw you dive into the sea. Allen, you were close to giving birth anyways and running all the way from the palace took its toll; you went into labor almost before we could get you into the boat. Would you like to meet your children?"

"Children?" Allen gasped, pushing himself into a sitting position, allowing himself to see Mother walk into the room holding two bundles of cloth.

"Congratulations Allen, you have two healthy baby boys." the elderly woman said as she passed the sleeping babies into Allen's awaiting arms. Allen stared at his sons in awe, the two sleeping babies complete opposites of each other. One held the tanned skin of his father but the pure white hair of his 'mother' while the other was pale with dark tufts of hair.

"They're perfect...Hello sweetlings, mama's going to protect you no matter what." Allen whispered as he gently kissed his sleeping babies of their foreheads. He smiled and cradled them against his chest as he leant back against the cushions. "What about my husband?" he finally asked after several long moments of gazing lovingly at his sons. Cross looked over at Mother and gave her a curt nod before leaning back in his chair and grabbing a glass of wine Allen hadn't noticed earlier.

"We sent Baba to the palace to find you hubby, they should be here any time now. Want me to get a painter as well, for the family portrait?" Cross said, with a small joke, as he sipped his wine. Allen chuckled and shook his head.

"There will be plenty of time for that later. First things first, my love needs to meet his sons." came the simple reply.


Kanda was hysterical. The palace had been attacked, though his forces had now subdued the attackers, but his husband was nowhere to be found. He had checked their rooms once the coast was clear but had found nothing, no lover, nothing disturbed. After searching the entire palace several times, the king was beginning to fear for his moyashi's life, not to mention their unborn child. It was just as he paced back into the throne room that a strange bear of a man came running in.

"Your Majesty! Please, someone find King Yuu immediately, I have urgent news!" the large man exclaimed before collapsing onto the marble floor.

"I am he, speak what it is you must say, but hurry for I am not interested in petty news." Kanda demanded, shifting from one foot to the other impatiently. The large man's eyes widened before he quickly stood up and took hold of Kanda's arm, tugging him towards the palace entrance.

"Please sir, the consort is safe with me but has gone into labor. You must come quickly." At that, Kanda tugged his arm free and nodded at his guards to follow him and the large man as they left the palace and into the forest. After some time Kanda began to grow leery, the man seemed genuine but this could have been a trap. It was as he drew his sword that a small cottage appeared through the trees and through one of the windows Kanda could make out the red hair of General Cross. Dropping his sword, the king rushed over to the cottage and burst through the door with an exclamation of "Moyashi!"

Kanda stood in the door way staring at the sight before him. His lover, his husband was sitting up in a well-cushioned bed holding not one, but two bundles of joy; a small gentle smile upon his angelic face.

"Allen..." Allen smiled wider and gestured for his husband to come closer with a nod of his head. And then the spell was broken, Kanda rushed over and sat on the edge of the bed to gaze at his children, children!, and wrap an arm around his heart. The amount of adoration that welled in the king's eyes made the other room's occupants smile and turn to allow the family to bond.

"They're beautiful Allen. You did so well. I love you." Kanda whispered affectionately and pressed a chaste kiss to his husbands left eye before reaching down to take one of his children into his arms.

"Sons, we have two beautiful sons Yuu. We only came up with one name, one girl and one boy."

"I think the one with your hair should be Nirizel Froi. What do you think?" Kanda asked as he looked at his second-born's stark hair. Allen smiled and nodded before humming to himself in thought.

"Yuulan Mana. For my little prince. And Nirizel Froi, for my little bird." Allen whispered.