Chapter 5-1

Sorry for the delay, I had to think a lot on what else to do for this part considering that I still had a while to go. I saw my views go way down and I knew I had to stop editing so much and just post.

So I did, and unfortunately it included another wrench thrown in. A big wrench that I had a tweak some to still make the rest of the story possible, but a little bit more difficult. Still laying a little more groundwork.

"What makes you think I'd ever want to not come home?" Yuri said. The spring weather filled the nobles quarter with light and the scents of many flowers in the courtyard. "It really is a pain to be out and about all the time in the middle of nowhere."

Amelia looked at him and folded her fingers together. She sat down on one of the benches. It had been 3 months since Yuri came back and she knew at some point things would have to go back to normal. But she loved the quiet and so did he. She placed a hand on her stomach and sighed. She watched him as he moved his fingers around, checking if his armor was in place. It was his first mission as Captain and he was nervous. He'd be in charge of a post of 32 people in the middle of nowhere. For a little more than half of a year.

"I don't know." Amelia replied softly. She cleared her throat roughly, picking up her voice. "Yuri...just be careful."

"Now don't get like that." Yuri said softly, walking up her. He got on his knees and sat his folded arms on her knees looking at her. "I'll be fine. And when I come back, I'll do all that wedding stuff with you. Get hitched and start a family. Nothing to worry about."

He eyed the mild pout on Amelia's face she was desperately trying to hide. "And that was the face I was trying to avoid." He felt Amelia's small delicate hands brush his hair behind one of his ears. She smoothed over his face with her thumb. He took her hand. "I'll be back. I promise."

Amelia's expression worsened. Yuri smiled. "Well, I guess I have no other choice." The redhead raised her eyebrows. "I'll get you pregnant now, so you don't have to worry."

"Yuri!" Amelia squeaked, flicking him in the forehead. "What's wrong with you?"

"I got that look off your face." he said. Amelia giggled.

"Really?" she replied. Yuri rose to his feet. Amelia let out a sigh and he lifted her chin into a quick kiss.

"But at some point, I will put Appel inside you." he said. Amelia gave him a perplexed look that was coupled with a smirk.

"Appel?" she asked him. Yuri blushed.

"It's nothing. Just a name. You don't like it?"

"It's a flavor of a gel." Amelia said. "Why not something like Hope, or Karen?"

"Are we really having this conversation right now?

"You brought it up, Mr. Lowell."

"Hey, don't mock the last name. It's gonna be yours soon, Amelia Lowell." Yuri shot back with another a kiss. "But seriously, I gotta go."

"Yuri?" Amelia said her face becoming serious.

"Mhm?"

"Don't make me have to bring Revelry there." she said playfully.

Yuri chuckled. "Trust me, if you have to bring out your Fein Nomos, I'll have a good reason to deserve it."

"Fein Nomos?" Amelia replied. Yuri grinned with teeth and Amelia just shook her head.

Amelia didn't draw her blade. She stood there and she knew she didn't have the energy to keep on going. She couldn't fight Yuri now. He was difficult on a good day, and now with a quarter of her energy she'd have a more difficult time. She couldn't explain to him what was going on with her...she had a sick feeling that he might not want to listen.

"You've done a lot of crazy things, Amelia. But this take the cake." Yuri said standing in front of her.

"Thank the psycho. I don't use aer gas to get my opponents." Amelia replied. She shook her head, sighing. She raised her hand from her hilt. "I don't want to fight."

"Tch." Yuri said. "Then why are you here? The Empire send you?" His voice was dripping with bitterness and sarcasm.

"Yes," Amelia said with a heavy breath. "They did." It took everything for her not to ramble about how she realize why they sent her. Yuri shrugged.

"So you became just like the rest of them. Using people for your own gain? What did they promise you?" Yuri said. Amelia swallowed.

"They'd take up my plan for more efficient use of the aer in Knights." Amelia said. "If, I bring you back."

"So, I'm a wanted criminal again?" Yuri replied. Amelia drew her sword and pointed it at him. She collected her breath and started to gain more energy as her blastia activated. She knew explaining things to him wouldn't help the situation.

"You're wanted for the theft of Dein Nomos, Yuri Celestial." Amelia said, holding the hilt firm. "Under the Grandfather clause, you're ordered to complete your father's sentence, of 30 years."

Yuri stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed. Amelia had to quickly dismiss the look her gave her. It was sarcastic, or rash or angry. It was hurt. Pain welled in his eyes at the sight of Amelia ready to arrest him like a common knight. He hardened himself once more.

"I don't think so, Ames. You know they're just playing more games with your head, right?" he replied. He closed his eyes and sighed. "you're not liste-"

He coughed and soon him the floor. He quickly rose to a blade next to his neck. Amelia was still ready with a sword as she was before and he touched his throat. It was a flesh wound but blood nonetheless. How? He thought. There wasn't any incantation no seal.

"Come quietly, or I will use force." Amelia said. Yuri rose to his feet. He took out his sword and raised it at her. He rushed her and she disappeared. Then he felt a prick on his shoulder. He looked over and saw a small hair pin, thin and black. He pulled it out and numbness came over his arm.

He felt a hit in the back of his neck and soon saw black.

Ugh...oh...ah...

"Hey he's alive!"

The clattering of the wagon was loud and annoying to Yuri's ears, as was the piercing light that came with the afternoon heat on his eyes and skin. The group was in the middle of the desert, luckily in a wagon that was tottering along. He noticed Holly's eyes brimming with happiness and slightly wet.

"Quiet down, the prince needs his beauty sleep." Judith replied. Yuri swallowed and touched his throat. The wound was still there. He sat up quickly wincing at his small, stinging shoulder injury. He looked around and saw everyone: Judith, Holly, Raven and a quiet Amelia who didn't even want to look at him. He caught a glance at her and then looked out the front of the carriage and started speaking to driver asking if he needed water. The awkwardness in the small carriage was thick. When Amelia came back inside she only said two words:

"I'm sorry." she said, her gaze directly at his.

Yuri felt a pang of both guilt and anger. Amelia's eyes said everything that they needed to say. She knew what she had done. She had also known that what she was doing for the Empire, was cruel and it's effects on everyone outweighed her sense of obligation toward the Council. She wanted to save everyone, not just the few. She didn't want to play into the Empire's hand's anymore.

"I'm sorry, Amelia." he replied in response. Her gaze turned away from his and was already filled with exasperation and pain. He couldn't imagine what was going through her mind. She was sitting here in this hot carriage surrounded by everyone who had betrayed her.

After everything he did to her, all the stupid rash things, and all the sacrifices she made, Yuri couldn't bear to even be in her presence, let alone go to the ruins with her.

It was nighttime and the carriage made a pit stop. It was cooler and breezier outside. Amelia once again filled her canteen. She took a long drink from it and sat in the sand.

"Out of special gels?" Amelia asked, shocked. The merchant shook his head sadly. "How, there was just a shipment to here a couple weeks ago."

"Everyone has been getting sick, Milady. Very sick." he replied. "We need them aer is thick and it's been causing a strange illness like the flu."

"The aer?" Amelia replied. She noticed the vague but small red lights sparsely spread around the Citizen's Quarter. In a time that it should be bustling with children and merriment for the Summer festival. It was all but silent all around."I didn't know it had become like this. I apologize. I'll have another shipment sent in tomorrow."

The man nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Milady."

Amelia pursed her lips and looked around. She smelled something mildly rank in the aer.

"What are the symptoms of this sickness?" she asked. "I may be able to find a more suitable cure."

"It's like the common flu, except people vomit, and then get rashes." he said. "We don't know what happens, but after people get the rashes, they die."

Amelia nodded. "How many have died so far?" she asked gravely.

"Nearly 100 so far." the merchant replied sadly. Amelia shook her head.

"Why hasn't anyone talked about this?" Amelia muttered to herself. She sighed, exasperated. "Don't worry, sir. You don't have to wait that much longer. I'm pretty sure I can have something figured out that'll get life here back to normal." She turned and started walking toward the stairs to the Lower Quarter.

"Milady!" the merchant replied. "It's far worse down there!"

"I know. And that's why I'm going." Amelia replied.

The merchant was kidding about it being far worse. In the nobles' quarter there wasn't even a case up there, partly because of the care that they had. But down here, it was like the ancient drawings of the Plague. There were people sick, the smell of rot and vomit was so pungent, Amelia herself almost threw up. The aer was much thicker here, and turned a darker red.

"Amelia!" said Estha, seeing her from the inn. The people who were out there looked at her with two different looks: Some wondering why she was here, knowing that the exposure would get her sick. Other were happy she was here because it meant that soon this could be all over. The elderly woman gave the former look. "What are you doing here? You'll get sick!"

Amelia started down the stairs and toward the inn. She finally walked up to her.

"How many have died here?" Amelia asked quickly. The image of people hauling out dead bodies would be forever etched in her head. A huge lump settled in her throat.

"I can't count anymore, sweetheart." she said. "After 200, I stopped counting."

Amelia resisted the urge to cover her mouth, but everything she needed to say was written on her face. She nodded.

"Rest assured, Estha. Their lives will get back to normal soon." she said. "Just wait a little longer."

"Amelia?" Amelia heard Yuri ask her. She didn't say anything. She kept her mouth shut, but she rose. She walked up to him and quickly slapped him. Yuri groaned touching his tender face. When he opened his eyes he saw her face. It was red and blotchy from tears. She walked past him without another word.

"Ameli-" Yuri said. The redhead stopped and she turned around.

"You." she choked out. She collected herself. "You know, it'd have been one thing to just have an argument, but you up and left."

Yuri didn't say anything. "You- we could talked about it in the morning." she continued. "I know you care alot about everyone in the Lower Quarter, I get that, but you have to get your head out of your ass. At some point you have to. I know you don't think you have much responsibility, but you do. You may have your brigade, and you've done a great job with your brigade by the way, no fights , but you do check in late. But when something happens that you're against, don't just take off. Think, Yuri."

"If nothing else. Your responsibility is me. I'm your fiance, you know that. You know that well enough." She continued, folding her arms. "Think long term. If you up and leave and think that every problem that comes your way that you have to fix it, what'll stop you from leaving when I'm pregnant or something, huh? You have any idea what you have done ha-will do do to me, physically."

The sense of fury lessened into more pain and frustration. Yuri looked at Amelia with his eyes wide and eyebrows knitted.

"Ames, are you pregnant?" he asked her. Amelia rolled her eyes.

"That's not the point. I'm talking about you right now." Amelia said. "You really screwed up this time, Yuri. And I'm not letting you off the hook yet."

"Amelia," Yuri said, about to ask the same question again. He stopped and and instead replied "I'm sorry."

He walked up to her and put his arms around her, her arms still folded. "I'm so sorry." He felt his chest get wet.

"I'm sorry." she whispered. "I didn't know he said that to you. I understand why you left."

She looked at him and her face turned stern. She pointed into his chest.

"If you ever do something like this again, I promise you, I will bring the full force of the knights on your ass." she said. Yuri smiled nervously. "I'm not kidding. I will have them find you and throw your ass in the stockade."

He kissed her forehead and squeezed her a little.

"So..." he said. "Were you really going to kill me?"

"Yep, but I didn't. Realized their little game. I'll take it up with the Council when we come home." she said. She rested her head on his chest. "Just like you have to answer to Flynn about your insubordination. I rejected your resignation. you may be an idiot, but you're a decent captain."

Amelia pressed her foot on one of his roughly.

"Sure it isn't the hormones talking?" he said. Amelia stepped on it, harshly.

"Ow!" Yuri said. "Okay okay."

They held silent for a moment and Yuri blushed. He felt her lower back and swallowed.

"You have a glow." he whispered. Amelia giggled.

"My knee's half a foot away from you never having children."she shot back quietly. "And how could I be?"

"We messed around the day I came back home from Yumanju." Yuri replied. He pouted a little bit. "We haven't done anything in 8 months."

"More like four." Amelia said with a wry laugh.

"One time in 8 months does not count." Yuri said.

"It does too." she whispered.

"It was five minutes."

"Still counted."

"Count enough to get a bun in the oven?" He asked. Amelia knew he was imploring her to tell him what was going on.

Amelia looked up at him. She touched his face gently, fear and concern creeping onto her face. She nodded slightly.

"Yeah." she said. Yuri's face blanched a bit, and his eye turned serious.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked her, the shock rippling across his face. "Right now?"

"Yes. I'm fine." she whispered.

"Are you feeling dizzy at all? Sick? Are you hurting anywhere?" He kept asking questions. He stopped and shook his head. "How are you going about and through crazy weather when you're like this?"

"I found out a few days ago in Westen." Amelia replied back. "I was on the Heracles and got seasick and had stomach pain. I found out in the medical bay. I was on the ship the whole time...until we got to Nordopolica and I popped up here."

"You used your blastia?" Yuri replied his initial shock turning into hurt. Amelia looked at him with a stern face. He brought her close to him. It was not time to argue. "You sure you're okay, now?"

"I'm fine." Amelia replied. Yuri buried his face in her shoulder.

"Honey, I'm sorry." he said once more. "I'm so sorry."

Amelia remained silent as she felt his grip on her become tighter.

"I never should have left. I didn't know how much it would it hurt you." he whispered. "I'll do my best to right by you, okay?"

Amelia closed her eyes. "I know." she replied. Yuri lifted his head and looked at her,kissing her gently. "I'm not out of commission, yet."

Yuri pursed his lips.

"I have another 7 weeks before I'm out. Shouldn't take that long to figure out all of this." she said. "I'm at 13 weeks."

Yuri looked at Amelia's stomach.

"The uniform hides it well." Amelia replied.

"Does Raven know?" Yuri asked.

"Yes, and he wasn't happy about it, considering we aren't married."

"So everyone else knows?"

"No. It's not their business to know." Amelia explained. Yuri pulled at her belt and started to take it off. She grabbed his hand, and pressed it on her stomach. Her belly was hard and was rounded a little. He felt movement from inside of her and blushed. It was alien to him, all of this, but feeling the movement of their child, made everything real. Everything started to click for him at that moment, when he finally understood that this was bigger than just him, or even him and her.