Lutfi tried to sit up, even though the action tugged on his fresh stitches, "A-a girl? No, it's a boy. It has to be a boy. Let me see."

When he saw that it was in fact a girl, he turned away with a small sob. Seeing this, Kareem, who had knelt by the bedside to let Lutfi see his child, stood up very slowly and handed his new daughter to her uncle.

"We need a moment alone. Wash her."

Hephaestion and Faris nodded silently before turning and leaving the hut, babe wailing in Faris' arms. Once they were gone, Kareem turned to his beloved.

"Do you hear that? She is crying for you. Your warmth, your milk, your love-"

"Stop it!" Lutfi, angry, turned to his husband quickly, " I know what you are doing! You are trying to make me feel guilty!" he turned away again, not even thinking of his stitches, mumbling, "I guess that just proves that you love me no longer... I knew this would happen..."

Kareem heard this last statement even though he knew he was not meant to, "Lutfi, what is this about?"

"How do all men react when their wives birth daughters and not sons? You're going to cast me out, send me away even though I have nowhere to go. Not to mention what you will do to our daughter... And then you will marry again and again until you find some whore that delivers sons to you. That was how you found me, wasn't it?" he bowed his head in shame.

"Lutfi... Amenanvirakan... You know that is not true... I married you because I love you... and besides that, I've only been married once before. What Darius did and said to you has no bearing on how I feel for you."

"He called me a whore, and I am!" Lutfi threw himself into his husband's arms and sobbing and tearing his stitches just a little.

"You were never what he said you were. Shh... Calm, you are tearing your stitches. Shh, I am here..." Kareem hugged him tightly.

"What will the world think of my poor daughter?"

"They will think she is the most beautiful creature Ahura Mazda has ever created. I know I do," Kareem smiled down upon the dark head that was buried into his chest as Lutfi lifted his head to turn dark, hopeful eyes on him.

"You do? You don't think-?"

Kareem bent down to be eye-to-eye with his haunted husband, "If I did, I would not be here at this moment, talking to you and telling you that I love you with every beat of my heart, and more every day."

Lutfi smiled weakly, not because he didn't believe his lover and soulmate, but because he was very, very tired, "May I see her before I sleep?"

"Of course," Kareem smiled, kissing Lutfi's brow, "You do not even have to ask. She is your daughter, after all," he went to the door and called Hephaestion and Faris inside. Hephaestion immediately went about repairing the torn stitches while Faris handed Lutfi his daughter for the first time. Kareem helped support the child's head.

The little girl stopped crying almost instantly and looked at Lutfi with his own amber eyes.

"Kar-Kareem, she's looking at me..." Lutfi smiled down at the treasure in his arms with a watery smile, "She's so tiny..." he marveled next, "Oh, I love you so...' he bent his head over her and proceded to weep with happiness.

At that moment, all was right with the world.

AN: Tada, Lutfi meets his little baby! And you guys get to know a little more about his past as well. As for a name for the child, I have one in mind, but couldn't fit it in here with the big reveal of Lutfi's past. Guess you'll just have to wait until next chapter. Hehehe...

Hope you all enjoyed!

Oh, and Ahura Mazda is the surpreme god of the ancient Persian gods. If I got that wrong, please correct me so I can fix it.

Translations: (Armenian)

Amenanvirakan = Dearest