A/N's: I'm back! Sorry if the wait was a bit long. I was working on a lot of things. So last chapter Kratos proposed to Anna. Now the format is going to change a little bit. It's going to go by a four year month system type thing. So starting for this chapter it'll say the first year and then the month. Last time, I ended it around the beginning of January.
I also want to know if any of you know some of the Dwarven Vows. I have some but I wanted to see if there were any more for my site. Check my profile for the link, it should be the first one. OK then, I think that's everything!
Disclaimer: I don't TOS or Procone from Golden Sun.
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Chapter 9: Angelic Children
First Year, March
Drought... that was the main fear these days in Triet. With the mana shortage, water was slowly disappearing. More and more people were moving out of the dying desolate place and few travellers even made it close to the desert oasis city anymore. The desert had suddenly begun to claim lives. The chubby customizer sat on his chair as he remembered how many travelers had made it to the city begging for water. Most died from malnutrition and dehydration, mainly because the food they carried had rotted faster in the heat than they could eat it. Sure he had thought about moving on to more populated town. He'd even thought of going to Iselia since they had a treaty with the Desians.
But he was afraid of the desert. No, he would prefer to die along with the desert. He was a customizer. He feared nothing, not even death. He had lived in this desert for as long as he could remember, learning to forge glass from sand and blades from metal. He grunted stubbornly to himself. He was going to stay and continue his passion as a customizer, on Sylvarant or even in hell, he didn't give a damn.
He sat up as he watched a red haired man examine some swords that he had finished a few days ago. The man appeared to be a mercenary wearing purple clad armor. He carried one sword and shield with him. The customizer stared at the silver ring on the mercenary's right hand. It had the letter 'K' on it accompanied by feathers that wrapped around the wing. It was an amazing engraving job. Even he was impressed after having to engrave things himself into some blades. Speaking of engraving, he noticed the man looking at probably one of the greatest blades he had ever forged. The Star blade.
"Ah, I see that you know what makes a good blade. This is the Lloyden," the customizer explained as he took the blade from the table and handed it over to the mercenary so that he could get a better look at it. The blade had stars that we engraved into it on both sides of the metal. There was a star on the bottom of the hilt as will. The hilt was a copper color, which sparkled in sunlight. The man smiled, seeming satisfied with the blade.
"How much do you want for it?" he asked simply. The customizer shook his head.
"Alas, I do not wish to sell this blade for it is the greatest of my works. Unless-" he was cut off as the man handed him a blade. The customizer unsheathed it and his mouth flew open with a gasp. It was the legendary Flamberge. A blade made of fire from fire. Why did this man have the legendary blade?
"The Flamberge will only stay with who it believes deserves it. If you deserve it then it will stay with you. If not, then it will find its own way back to its rightful owner," the mercenary stated as the customizer sheathed it and gave the sheath for the Star blade to him.
"Of course I deserve it. Did you know that Lloyden is angelic for Star blade? You may keep it. It was nice doing business with you," the customizer said as the mercenary left with a nod. The customizer laughed to himself once the man was no longer in sight. Angelic? He had made the whole story up just to catch the man's attention and boy did it pay off for him.
He stared at the blade all day and before he knew it, night was upon him. The other shops had closed hours ago. He began to pack up when he saw a glow come from the Flamberge. Before he knew his entire shop was on fire with the Flamberge in the center of the flames. The customizer was on his knees just outside his shop when he heard footsteps coming up behind him. He turned to see the same mercenary from earlier that day.
"The Flamberge gives no respect to those whose intention is to lie," he said as he unsheathed the Star blade and pinned it to the man's throat. "Although, because you told the truth without realizing it, I will allow you to live." The man sheathed the blade as he walked into the fire and retrieved the Flamberge. He came out without a single burn. That night the customizer ran from the desert oasis never to return.
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"Where have you been, Kratos?" Yuan asked as his old friend walked up to the entrance of Flanoir. "I told you to meet me here an hour ago."
"I apologize, Yuan. I needed to finish some business first."
"Ah I see. Getting a new blade for Anna I suppose?" Kratos only grunted his response. "Anyway, I just wanted to meet you for some simple talk. Since you're married now, I think you may need a little bit of advice."
"Advice? About what?"
"About women of course," Yuan replied as Kratos was dumbstruck. He didn't reply but instead followed Yuan to the balcony, the best lookout spot in the city.
"Most women are difficult to understand. They'll say one thing but mean another. Some have very complex thoughts and emotions. They'll worry over things much more often and they have...a sixth sense," Yuan began.
"A sixth sense?"
"Yes... don't you remember when we were traveling together with Martel and Mithos? Martel always knew when I had snuck some cookies at night." Kratos laughed at that, something Yuan rarely heard from him.
"That's because you always forgot to clean up the crumbs, Yuan."
"That's beside the point. The point is that you can't lie to women. They'll make you spill out everything. But also the most important thing is to be sure of what they want."
"What do they want?"
"The answer to that differs greatly from women to women," Yuan concluded as he noticed someone familiar looking up at them from below holding Kratos' one edible weakness. "Kratos, I think someone's trying to hunt you down." Kratos looked to where Yuan was looking and almost whimpered when he noticed who the person and what that person was holding. It was Anna... and she had tomatoes. Lots of tomatoes. Kratos paled when he counted how many she was holding. It could only mean one thing. Spaghetti. Yuan put a hand on Kratos' shoulder.
"Don't you know what women want most these days?" he told him as he walked away leaving Kratos to ponder that question and also deal with the torture that Anna was going commit.
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Kratos sat next to Anna that night after eating a full plate of Spaghetti. The vile taste still haunted Kratos' mind even if he couldn't taste anything anymore. Even after four thousand years, the taste of tomatoes had never left his mouth. Anna laughed as drank three glasses of water to get rid of the taste. Unfortunately, the taste was in his mind not his mouth.
"Beloved, how do you feel about having a family?" Kratos was once again dumbstruck. Wow, twice in one day. Where were guineas world records when you needed them? Kratos thought about what Yuan had told him. He had to find out what Anna wanted.
"What do you mean by family?" he asked. Anna pouted as she got up from the table to go wash the dishes.
"What do you think I mean?"
"Anna, you're evading the question."
"Then ask me another one." He took a few minutes to think before answering.
"What is it that you truly want?" Anna gasped slightly and blushed a little as she lowered her head and continued the dishes.
"Kratos, I want a child," she whispered. Kratos came up beside her and began to help her with the dishes. The two were silent for a few minutes. "Is there something wrong, my lovely angel?"
"I'll need to do some research."
"On what?"
"I need to make sure that there wouldn't be any side effects caused by the crystal. Yours or mine..."
"Oh I see. Will it take long?"
"Hm. It depends on how long it will take me to get all the information I need without being caught by Mithos."
"Alright, I'll wait." Kratos put the last plate to dry as he turned towards the door. He stopped before opening it and turned to Anna.
"Look on your bed. You'll see I have gift for you there," he told her mysteriously as he closed the door behind him. Anna waited a minute then rushed up the stairs to her room. She burst through the open door and gasped. It was a marvelous blade with stars engraved into it. Next to it was a note.
Anna, I went pretty far to get this for you. It's a very well made blade. Oh by the way, happy birthday. See, I kept the promise I made at our wedding and didn't forget.
Love,
Kratos
Anna held the sword by the hilt and swung it around happily. She was glad that someone remembered her birthday as her mind wandered to the day Kratos proposed to her.
Flashback
"Anna, will you marry me?" Kratos asked her on his knees. He kept his head down as to not reveal what his face looked like. Anna gasped at the silver ring he held. Instead of taking it she smirked as an idea came to her mind. She turned her back on him waiting for a response from him. She couldn't help but smile. She knew he was pretty much confused by what she was doing. For awhile he didn't move but he eventually stood up and took a step toward her.
"Anna, I-" she cut him off when she turned to him and pressed her lips against his own. They stood like that for a moment until they broke apart and Anna took his hand.
"Of course, I will," she told him softly as he sighed and kissed her. She noticed Yuan clapping from the city below them. He walked away soon afterwards. She put the silver ring on her finger happily.
The wedding was purely simple. Some random people from Sybak and Meltokio had attended. Yuan was the best man while, Melanie, a women that Anna had met in Flanoir, was the Maid of Honor. Kratos took Anna all around Tethe'alla for their honey moon. Anna had simply adored it. It was also the happiest time of her life.
End Flashback
That was two months ago. Now they were happily living in Flanoir and hoping for a family. If anything, Anna wanted a boy. Someone Kratos would have to look after more often. She thought that he needed some more company.
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Kratos approached the Tower of Salvation and stopped when Yuan appeared in front of him with an envelope.
"Here," Yuan told him as he handed the envelope to Kratos. "I'd figured that you'd come here once you figured out what Anna wanted. The report is all theory but it's the best I could find. You should read it on your way back since there isn't much."
"I see..." Kratos' hand was shaking very slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"To tell you the truth I'm just a little scared. I've never liked kids and they've never liked me. What if this one hates me too?" Yuan shook his head.
"Sorry but I'm not the one to talk to for that. Tell Anna and that and I'm sure she'll slap you and tell you off. Trust me, if you need confidence, Anna will shove it down your throat." Yuan saw that this didn't really help his old friend so he turned him around and shoved him out of the Tower. "If you're that worried, then go and read it with Anna. Don't worry you'll be fine." With that Kratos was headed back to Flanoir.
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Anna looked up from her boring book to see Kratos walk in. She was slightly confused as to how quick he came back but she was happy nonetheless. Kratos sat next to her on their couch and opened up an envelope as she stared at him curiously.
"Any reason why you came back so fast?" Kratos smirked.
"Yuan had apparently thought of this ahead of time and gathered the report so that I wouldn't have to," he replied as he looked over the report and smiled slightly.
"What, what? Stop leaving me in suspense! What does it say?" she pleaded with him as he looked to still smiling.
"Apparently there should be little effect. But what still worries me is when this was last updated."
"Why would you worry about that?"
"Because if by chance this was an outdated report then there may be some newly found effects that are not in this report. But, I doubt that there would be any more reports with this information though." Anna jumped with glee. She had wanted a child even since her mother had told her that she'd be terrible at it. Anna was the type to go for challenge, not run from it. She suddenly stopped jumping as a thought came to her mind.
"I'm going to go over to Melanie's. She has six children so she can give me some advice. I'll be back in time to make dinner!" Before Kratos could reply Anna was out the door and running through the snow to go tell her friend of the news. Kratos could only smile at the closed door before getting ready to go out himself. He needed to make sure that there were no ill effects. All the report said was that the child may have a sensitivity to mana and that the angelic traits would not be hereditary. He wanted to make sure that was true for he didn't think that he be able to deal with two children for the rest of his. One that he running from, the other that he would have to look after.
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Me: I'm short on time here so I'll go through the review list next chapter.
Anna: I'm so excited! I'm married and I'm going to have a child!
Me: Yeah, yeah and you have who thank for that?
Anna: THANK YOU NAMCO!
Me: --" ok them too...
Anna: Ok fine, thank you for not messing with the way things are supposed to be.
Me:D Yay! Ha you are so lucky that I didn't... but I may in another chapter... maybe I'll kill you really early in it. Or really late...
Anna: (evil glare)
Me: I'm joking...sheesh. Anyway, the preview should give you enough of a clue of what the next chapter is going to be about... Hehehehehe...
Anna: Review please.
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Preview: The Star Blade
"So what kinds of names are thinking of?"
