They did not, in the end, name the baby Oswald.

On his naming day, Edea and Ringabel dressed him in the cutest baby smock ever, one that Edea had sewn herself, made sure that his little booties and mittens matched his hat, and presented him to their gathered family and friends.

"His name is Braev Lee the Second," Edea said proudly, holding him so that he faced his namesake, her chest supporting his head. He was awake, but very sleepy, his eyes squinting at everyone. "He's a little small for it now, but he'll grow into it."

"Braev Lee the Second," Braev Lee the First repeated, smoothing his chin in his hand. He was smiling. "It has a nice ring to it."

"That's a wonderful name, Edea," Mahzer said, clapping her hands together. Her eyes were shiny, bright. "It suits him."

Kamiizumi had come to visit Edea for the occasion, and he looked thoughtful now. "I had wondered if you would continue on with the family tradition. Ah, it seems you owe me 500 pg, Braev."

"What?"

Braev looked somewhat abashed as Edea stared at him. "Nobutsuna and I had a long discussion over what you might call him. I had thought you might name him after yourself, Ringabel."

"Ringabel is enough of a name for one man," Edea groused. "And it isn't that 'Alternis' is bad, but I want to give him a chance to name his own child after himself if he wants."

Braev, Mahzer, and Kamiizumi startled, eyes wide.

She had to clarify. "He's not expecting one any time soon or anything! Just… you know, in a few years or ten."

They all relaxed, Mahzer holding a hand to her chest in relief.

"Perhaps sooner, if he keeps that friend of his close," Ringabel said, and the only reason that Edea did not elbow him viciously was because of the baby she held in her arms. She stepped on his foot instead. "Ow! In any case, we wanted a name that held meaning to us both, and one that would hold meaning for him as well as he grew older."

"Well, I think it's lovely," Agnès said, holding out her hands to take him from Edea. She was getting to be an expert at holding babies, and now she supported him carefully against her shoulder, leaning her head to his. "Just as lovely as he is."

Edea and Ringabel had finalized the paperwork for his name that morning, signing the official birth certificate and filing away the registration. There was nothing for them to do but celebrate with friends and family. Baby naming days were traditionally a day to feast and unwind, now that the baby had survived those crucial first days and the mother had mostly recovered from giving birth. Of course, with the White Magic of the Healing Tower, it wasn't as difficult as it had been in decades past, but the tradition of gathering together still stood for some.

With nearly all of her close friends and family here, sans the fairy who was still holed up in a warm hotel room, Edea found it easy to relax; Braev had a multitude of people who would watch after him, after all, and for these moments she could let down her guard. If Alternis, as well as those still on the Grandship had been able to make it, it would have been better.

She sank down onto the couch, just because she could - she was no longer confined to her bed at all, and with the exercises that she did every day, it was getting easier to move around. The soreness from having had a baby was still there, but that didn't prevent her from going on long walks around the healing tower, or working out. Soon enough, she'd be physically fit enough to go back to fighting. She couldn't wait.

Ringabel sat next to her, his arm draping over her shoulders. Without argument, she leaned into him. The others seemed too preoccupied with talking amongst themselves and holding the infant to care about her display of affection.

"Braev Lee the Second," Ringabel repeated, as he had often once they'd finally decided on the name. "If we have a girl, should we call her Edea Lee the Second?"

Edea rolled her eyes at him. He should have been well aware that they were not having another baby for a few more years, though they had already decided to give Braev a sibling at some far future point. Neither of them wanted their son to have a lonely upbringing. "How vain do you think I am?"

Instead of answering her question directly, which was wise, Ringabel threaded his fingers through hers. "Perhaps something else, then. I do hope we have a little girl next." Upon seeing the look in her eyes, he hurried to clarify. "When we're ready, of course… not anytime soon!"

"We'll see."

"We shall, won't we?"

He smiled at her again, his teeth gleaming white and his eyes bright with joy. He was happy. Happier than he'd been in a long time, she thought. Ever since his memories had begun to return, a cloud had hung over him. All throughout her pregnancy and their wedding, it had been ever-present, anxiety hidden deep within him. During their long days of close proximity, she had come to notice it even perhaps when he didn't. It wasn't that he was unhappy - Ringabel hadn't been truly unhappy around her in a while. More like… he had always been worried for her, and for good reason. Even going through therapy had done little to ease his mind.

Those worries were gone, and looking up at her husband's earnest face, Edea felt her own heat up. She loved this stupid idiot.

Ringabel cocked his head at her, his smile fading with confusion. "Dear?"

Edea glanced over to the rest of the room, where Mahzer was now cradling Braev, with… Braev sitting beside her, looking over at his grandson, his finger entrapped by the baby's firm grip. Goodness, that was confusing. They might have to think of a nickname. "It's nothing… honey," she replied, testing the nickname. She usually preferred to use Ringabel's actual name.

He gave her another beaming smile at the endearment. "I have a present for you."

"Do you?" Baby-naming celebrations did involve presents, given to the parents and the baby itself, but it wasn't very common for parents to give each other gifts. "I don't have anything for you."

"You've already given me one of the greatest gifts I could ask for. A family."

"You're so cheesy." Still, she flushed again. He was cheesy, but sincere. Dork. With a wink and a grin, Ringabel stood up to retrieve a wooden box from the top of the shelves. Ah!

This was that oh-so-secret project he had been working on for months, wasn't it? Edea opened her mouth in anticipation, holding her hands out. "Gimme!"

"It's not wrapped. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not this time." Besides, the wooden box was so beautiful that she didn't care. Had he made this himself? It certainly looked handmade, but polished and clean. It was larger than her hands, with hinges and a latch to keep it closed. Their combined initials "RL x EL" had been carved into the wood in simple, but neat looking script, and she ran her fingers over the letters before popping up the latch to open the lid.

Inside, the box was lined with red velvet, and all that was contained within was a cloth bag that took up nearly the entire space of the box. "What's this?" she asked, pulling it out and setting the box aside.

"Open it!"

Carefully, Edea opened the bag and even more carefully, slid onto her lap a …

She didn't know what to call it. It was an oval-shaped wooden frame of sorts, with curls of metal wire inlaid around the edges, nearly as large as her hand. There was an open hinge on the side; Edea realized that she could fold the open ends together or keep them apart so it could lay flat against a wall. Both of the sides were covered in thick glass, and underneath that, she could see…

A portrait of herself, drawn in charcoal, with a surprising splash of what she recognized to be some sort of watercolor for her bow. Ringabel's art. He'd drawn a picture of her, sitting in a rocking chair, heavily pregnant and cradling her stomach. The background in the portrait was far more serene than anything she remembered, a field of flowers and sunshine that stretched out around her.

Flipping the frame over to the other side, there was another portrait. This time, it was a smiling Edea holding their newborn son, the baby's features mostly obscured by the blanket he was bundled in. One tiny little hand poked out of the bundle; two tiny little feet dangled. The baby's footprints had been stamped on the very bottom of the paper, along with his birth date.

Edea ran her fingers along the glass and the edge of the wood. In a time before photographs, these sorts of portraits were how parents kept memories of their children. Her father had a similar portrait of her in his office.

"This is beautiful."

"I made everything myself," Ringabel said. "Well, most of it. The hinge and the wire were given to me, but I blew the glass myself and carved the wood."

"Wha - how?!"

"I had a lot of help," he admitted. "Remember that day in Eisenberg where I went out to the swordsmith? His partner was a glassblower, and he let me blow the glass for this."

"You've been planning this that long?" She had seen him working on something on and off for months now, but she hadn't thought… wow. He was dedicated. Were it to her, she would have lost interest long ago.

Ringabel nodded. "Ever since Eisenberg. I… had originally planned to give something like this to you after you terminated the pregnancy. Some sort of reminder of what we'd had together. But then, I wasn't sure if you would want that, and then you decided to keep him after all, and I stopped working on it until you came here. I wanted you to have a good memory of your pregnancy, despite how hard it was for you. A good memory of our son."

Edea stared at the frame in her hand, at the picture of her and Braev, then slowly closed it and slipped it back into its muslin bag. Once it was safely covered again, she held it to her chest.

"I love it," she told him, tears swimming in her eyes. "It's beautiful." Even though the portraits were far more serene than her reality, her chest had felt warm and happy upon looking at them. Once their journey was finished and she was back home, she would put it on her mantle and keep it there forever.

She could barely see the smile on his face, as hazy as her vision was. "You're beautiful. This was just a gift."

Idiot. Edea reached up to cradle his face and pulled him down for a kiss, her lips curving against his. Ringabel leaned into her touch eagerly, his eyes slipping shut and his mouth gentle against her own. She found herself being pressed into the back of the couch, his arms encircling around her, and -

"Hey, you two lovebirds," Tiz's voice came somewhere from the left, followed by a pillow that flew over and whacked Ringabel on the shoulder. "We've got some gifts for you and Braev that we want you to open."

Ringabel laughed as he broke the kiss, bending over to pick up the pillow that had fallen to the floor. "Gifts? Why don't you go open them, Edea?"

Edea looked somewhat put out, an adorable flush to her cheeks and a frown on her lips. Despite the frown though, she seemed more full of life than Ringabel had seen in several months. The bedrest had not been kind to her. "I'm coming!" she called to Tiz. To Ringabel, she said in a lower tone. "More later."

He handed the pillow to her to place back on the bed, and watched as she bound across the room to rejoin the group of people gathered around Mahzer, who was still holding the baby. Instead of following her, Ringabel leaned back against the couch to watch the group, crossing his legs and relaxing.

He had always thought of Braev and Mahzer as the perfect parents. Now that he'd been able to see Braev through Edea's eyes, his shining image of the older man had dimmed somewhat, though not enough for him to not think of them as the perfect grandparents. Mahzer knew how to hold the baby in a such a way that soothed him in those rare moments when he was fussy, supporting him by his chest and stomach and rocking him. Braev had been calm and patient, even when the baby spit up on him, and his hands, while perhaps not as gentle, were firm and protective and sure.

Ringabel had already dropped the baby once, a move that Edea had threatened to never forgive him for, even though the fall had been less than a foot to Edea's lap. Braev didn't seem like he had ever dropped a baby in his life. Well, hopefully giving her the present had soothed her somewhat. Seeing the light in her eyes at the sight of it had been worth the months he'd spent working.

She had been… so sad while on bedrest. His heart had ached every day watching her, knowing that he was indirectly the cause of her sadness. Both of them had known the bedrest was for a good reason, and he had done his best to lift her spirits, but there was only so much he'd been able to do. She wasn't made for bedrest. She was made to active and energetic, and out there. Now that she had given birth and had started her physical recovery, he had insisted that she look into therapy of the same type that he still went to, every week. She'd only had a couple of sessions, but already she seemed happier. Healthier.

Wasn't it his job as Edea's husband and Braev - the baby Braev's - father to look out for them? To care for them. Protect them?

Braev - the grandfather Braev - had pulled him aside the day, the morning, that the baby had been born for some very strong words. Ringabel, still on a high from having just had a baby and having just held that baby in his arms, still in awe at the size of the boy's tiny fingers and toes and precious and sweet he looked, had let the harsh words slide over his skin. He agreed with them all, to an extent. Yes, he needed to be there for his family, he would never leave them like that again. And of course, he was going to protect them with his life. Always. Then, the strict Grand Marshal had ebbed away into a normal grandfather who was excited to impart wisdom on his son, and they'd spent some time talking about fatherhood, until Braev decided to take Mahzer back to her room to rest, and Ringabel decided to spend the rest of the night holding his newborn, just because he could.

… they would need to think of a nickname for Braev, wouldn't they?

"Ringabel!" Edea called, breaking him out of his thoughts. She held a piece of cloth in her hands. "Come look at this!"

Ringabel stood from the couch and made his way over. "What is it?"

"It's from Einheria," Edea cooed, holding the little hooded cape out. It was lined with white fur and embroidered with some sort of rune that Ringabel didn't recognize. "She and her sisters made it themselves. The note says that Artemia got the fur from frostis! Feel how soft it is!"

"She wasn't able to make it back to Eternia for the naming-day," Kamiizumi explained. "She asked me to bring it to you instead."

"It'll keep him warm in Eternian winters, that's for sure," Ringabel remarked. It was very soft, and very warm feeling. Though Edea already had a wrap she would use to hold the baby close to her chest while outdoors, he would still need some additional protection from the elements. This would do perfectly.

"And look at this from Master!" Edea handed over a wooden toy, carved into the shape of a small sword. Of course. The edges were well-polished and very rounded, and it weighed nicely in Ringabel's hand. "For when he's a bit older."

Kamiizumi smiled at them. "He'll be more interested in chewing it than in using it, I imagine, but it is best to capture his interest while young."

From Braev and Mahzer they received a collection of some of Edea's old baby clothes - a few smocks that had survived the years and very thick socks that would cover most of his legs to help keep his feet warm. There was no limit to how many clothes a baby might need, especially when they were on an airship and couldn't do laundry constantly. There was also a bottle of some well-aged wine for Ringabel and Edea, to drink when they had precious moments alone, Mahzer said with a smile.

Tiz was new to the idea of baby-naming celebrations. He had explained that in Norende, new parents had celebrations before the baby's birth and that their names were usually given the same day they were born. There was no time to wait around, not when the mother needed to recover quickly to help with the farm work. It was only just the day before that he'd found out that the seven-day wait period also meant gifts and he had panicked. Luckily for him, Ringabel was on Edea's bad side from dropping Braev, and so the two men had been able to go shopping together. Now, Edea looked over Tiz's gift.

It was practical, because it was from Tiz, after all, a blanket made of fleece with some thin padding in the middle, the edges frayed but knotted closed. Ringabel had helped him pick out the fabric colors, but the work had all been done by Tiz, and Edea wrapped the blanket quickly around Braev's small form until it engulfed him. "It's perfect! Thanks, Tiz!" She kissed his cheek.

"Mine is next," Agnès said.

Her gift was in a smartly wrapped box, and Edea tore apart the paper, lifted up the lid to find… "Oooh!" The gift was a pair of small rattles that made lots of noise when she shook them. Ringabel lifted them up to look them over again. Again, because he had been the one with Agnès when she had purchased them in Florem, along with the many sweets that Edea had demanded from the region (and since polished off completely). They'd had some spare time while waiting for Alternis to woo Eyvel, after all.

He rattled one in front of the baby, but being a baby, it held very little interest for him now. The best he could do was look startled at the sudden noise.

"When he's older," Agnès said, nodding. "The lady at the shop recommended them!" Florem - Crystalists in general - celebrated a baby's birth as a joyous occasion when it happened, but presents were given as they were needed, if they were needed. Most babies in Florem were a bit older when they were given toys, and she'd been unable to find something more appropriate for his age.

Braev - the adult - picked up one of the rattles, looking at it closely. "Where did you buy this?"

"Florem, while we were there."

"That explains this design," he said. "I recognize it from my days as a… well, I recognize it. Eternia hasn't had products with this design for at least a decade, if not more. It's an old Crystalist design to invoke health."

"Really?" Agnès asked, taking it from him. She turned it over in her hands, her fingers tracing over the carving. "I had one just like this as a child. I thought it was Florian in origin, not… "

"I didn't realize," Ringabel said. As a child, he and other boys had scavenged for toys thrown away in the trash, and the design had been among the few that were intact. He too, had assumed it was simply Florian. He flushed.

"With your amnesia, I'm not surprised," Braev told him. Then, he waved the rattle gently in front of his grandson, smiling as the boy stuck his hand out awkwardly. "There's no harm in a simple rattle, Wind Vestal. I just hadn't expected to see something like this here."

"It's cute," Edea said, and she took both rattles to place them in the box before Braev - the baby - started crying. "I like it. Thank you, Agnès." She swooped in to kiss Agnès's cheek as well.

There were more presents. A box from Holly and Barras, one from the nurses at the hospital, a package each from Zatz, Datz, and the Proprietress, all containing gifts for both baby and parents, some more practical than others (Ringabel wasn't sure where Barras had managed to find boxing gloves in such a small size). Then, at the very bottom of the pile was a letter.

"Alternis sent the message last night," Braev said, sounding amused.

Ringabel opened it for Edea, as she was busy trying to put the tiny hand-made mittens from Datz onto Braev, who was being very squirmy.

"It says he'll bring his present when he returns from Florem, and he apologizes for not having left it before his mission. I bet he forgot."

"He totally forgot," Edea agreed, though she didn't look mad at all. Instead, her face was contemplative. "Can you send him another message telling him that it's not that important? I mean, they're nice and all, but the most important part of this just being with family!"

Ringabel grinned at her. "Is it now? Last night you said you were looking forward to the presents."

She flushed. "Ringabel! Be quiet."

The celebration came to an end as they ate a small lunch together, then dispersed. Kamiizumi left to check on his students in the academy, and Braev went with him so they could walk to Central Command together. Mahzer headed to her room to take a quick nap, and in the end, it was the four of them plus the baby, who was hungry. It was his lunchtime as well.

Edea lounged on the couch with Braev in her arms, and Ringabel lounged next to her, his head resting on her shoulder. One of his arms was draped around her waist, and with his free hand, he played with the baby's fingers.

"The little bee has a strong grip," Ringabel said cheerfully. "You think he'll want to be a Monk when older, or a sword user?"

"…Bee?" Edea glanced sidelong at him.

"Bay-BEE Braev," Ringabel explained. "I keep having to mentally define if I'm talking about the adult Braev or the baby Braev." And just before the party had ended, he'd mentioned something about Braev's diaper needing a change, and the Grand Marshal had had a coughing fit. They would need to have some sort of way to differentiate who they were talking about, and the adult did have dibs, he supposed.

"His name is Braev," Edea said, making a face at him. "He's had the name for less than a day, you can wait a while before giving him a nickname!" Then she looked down at the baby who was contently nursing, no cares in the world, and stroked his cheek with a finger. Maybe…

"I like the sound of it."

"It is a little cute," Agnès said. She and Tiz had pulled over two of the chairs so they could sit nearby, their hands interlaced. "It makes me think of a baby animal. He's so small and cute, just like one."

Tiz was smiling. "In Norende, you used to hear parents call their children lambs, like one of the ones that we raised, all the time."

"Aww, that's cute!" Edea said. "Why didn't you think of that, Ringabel?"

"He can still be a lamb," Ringabel replied, defensive. "I just don't think Lamb Braev rolls off the tongue very well. That, and he isn't quite as fluffy as I imagine a young Tiz would be."

"I'll have you know, my hair was straighter when I was younger." Tiz rolled his eyes at Ringabel. "Besides, he's got white hair, just like a lamb."

Ringabel brushed his hand over the baby's head, then touched his own. His own hair was much darker comparatively, but Braev had told him repeatedly over the past few days how fair his hair had been when he'd first been brought to Eternia, and how it had darkened over the years. "I don't know where he gets it from."

"Just like you don't know where he gets his nose or his eyes?" Edea asked him, raising an eyebrow.

Ringabel pressed his lips together. He wasn't going to reply to something that clearly was a trap. "In any case, Baby Bee is cute, isn't it? Agnès agrees with me."

"We'll see," Edea said. She looked back over to Agnès and Tiz. "Has Airy said anything?"

The fairy had seen the baby, very briefly, the first day that he'd been born. She had been hiding out in one of Edea's dresser drawers while the labor had been going on, since they had come straight to the hospital without returning to the inn. After Edea had fallen asleep, exhausted from her work, and after everyone but Tiz and Agnès had left, Airy had come out of hiding to introduce herself to the baby as Ringabel held him. Even now, he wasn't sure if the wariness he'd felt was due to his general attitude toward the fairy, or if it was just his new-father protectiveness. However, she'd done little but hover over his shoulder and look into the baby's face, making a comment that he looked a lot like the kobolds they fought. (Agnès had scolded her, but Ringabel had to admit that she wasn't wrong, given how wrinkled he looked those first few hours.) Since then, she had been keeping herself in the inn that Agnès and Tiz stayed in.

"Not particularly," Agnès said. "She's asked when you'll be ready to travel again, but that's it."

"She's not going to hibernate again, is she?"

"I hope not," Tiz replied. "She says she's been staying by the fire and that it's a little warmer in Eternia now than it was when we got here, but she still doesn't want to be idle too long."

Edea made a face. "Sure, it's warmer in summer. By like… what, two degrees?" It was cold enough still that snow continued to fall, and Braev spent most of his time being held by an adult who could help regulate his temperature. The bassinet was warmed, for the few moments that he was by himself in there, but it still got so cold at night that he slept in the bed with his parents, nestled against Edea in such a way that his late night feedings could go on without having to disturb her terribly.

Normally babies would sleep between their parents, but Ringabel still had an irrational fear that his night terrors would return in a way that would cause him to lash out. Besides, he liked cuddling his wife quite a bit. She was very soft, in all of his favorite places.

"The fire helps as well," Agnès reminded. "We hadn't really had any running on Grandship. It gets so hot in the kitchen of the Drunken Pig that Datz and Zatz had been staying there, and the inn was left alone. No wonder she was cold."

"It'll be just a couple more weeks," Edea said. "Probably." She was getting stronger with each physical therapy session, though her legs ached with extended activity, and her core would be painful for a while longer. Ringabel was still helping her with as much as he could, spotting her as she exercised or massaging her feet when they were particularly sore, even if it had led to that incident where he'd accidentally dropping the baby onto her after she'd been too tired to ger herself up from bed to fetch him for nursing. She was never going to forgive him for that.

"And a few more weeks after that before Bee will be strong enough to be without you for a few hours," Ringabel reminded her. "It'll take us at least a few hours to get through Everlast Tower to the Earth Crystal. More, if there's a large number of monsters in there."

Edea shrugged. "Can't we just get Tiz to will them away? It works so well when he does it."

"If I have to."

They chatted for some additional time before Agnès and Tiz decided to go check on Airy. By now, Braev had finished eating and was sleeping, head nestled against Edea's chest.

"I'll take him for now while you get some rest," Ringabel told her, and he expertly scooped the baby up into his arms, courtesy of all the practice Edea had forced him into. She yawned. Braev was still so young that he was rather well-behaved, but he seemed to want to be fed every couple of hours, which meant Edea had to be awake every couple of hours. She was tired.

Ringabel was getting only a marginal amount of sleep more, but sleep was a luxury he had not afforded in some months. It was easy for him to stay up with the baby as required, and sometimes, like now… it was required.

"Wake me if he fusses," Edea said, sliding earplugs into her ears and climbing into her bed.

"I will," Ringabel lied. He'd wake her, of course, if Braev fussed to be fed, but he knew how to change a diaper by now, and Mahzer had showed him which holds were best to soothe a fussy baby. He'd be alright! He waited for her to drop off, rubbing Braev's back soothingly as the baby slept. As soon as he knew Edea was asleep, her breathing deep and even, he stood from the couch, still cradling Braev closely, so that he could instead recline back on the armchair they'd had brought in. It had been to help Edea be more comfortable if necessary when nursing, but Ringabel liked to use it - put his feet up, stretch out, and let his son sleep on his chest. Only the manliest of activities.

It was quiet in the room, given that both Braev and Edea were sleeping, but Ringabel liked this sort of quiet. Peaceful, calm… and his son was just so cute, with his little nose scrunched up in his sleep and his awkward little limbs that moved around as he dreamt. Ringabel kissed the top of his head, dragged the blanket from Tiz over Bee's back, and settled in to take a nap of his own, perhaps. He had to sleep while he could, after all.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of growth.

Edea built her strength back up, slowly but surely. With each new physical therapy session, her legs lost their shakiness, her muscle tone came back, and most of the weight she gained while pregnant disappeared as she incorporated more workouts into her routine. The doctors warned her that some of her new curves would be there for a while longer, much to her annoyance, especially when Ringabel made an inappropriate comment or two about her filling out certain bikinis. Some of the body changes, it seemed, were there to stay, including the vivid stretchmarks she had started to refer to as battle scars.

Braev - Bee, as they had started to call him - was also gaining his strength. At first, he had been able to do little more than lie there in someone's arms, like a potato. A very cute, blue-eyed, white-haired potato, but one nonetheless. As time went by, his personality began to develop. He began to smile - though everyone said it was only a gas reflex - began to recognize the faces of the people closest to him. He even began to start to support his own head, though they were still very careful in how they carried him. Well-fed, thanks to his mother making sure that she was well-fed, he grew quickly. In Ringabel's opinion, he grew almost too quickly.

Any worries he'd had about being a semi-decent father were mostly gone, especially since he hadn't dropped Bee aside from that one time. From there, he could only improve, and improve he did, giving both his undivided attention. He went with Edea to as many of her physical therapy appointments as he could, but stayed behind to look after Bee to the ones that he couldn't, watching the boy and occasionally napping with him. He'd never known the love of a father, so he was going to do everything in his power to ensure that Bee did. If that meant that he was the one carrying Bee around in a wrap while on walks with Edea, so that she didn't have to worry about the extra weight, then so be. There was nothing unmanly about caring for one's family. This was a life he'd never imagined he'd have. He had to cherish these moments while they lasted.

A little over a month after Bee's birth, Edea was finally cleared by Dr. Gale to be released from the healing tower.

By now, she had regained all of her muscle tone and strength from her pre-pregnancy days, was no longer bleeding, and her hormone changes had evened out, more or less. She had even started to pump extra milk so that Bee could be fed without her present, which was wonderful for Ringabel, because he loved being able to hold and feed him a bottle at the same time. It was adorable. Bee really was his mother's son when it came to his appetite, just much less messy.

"I hope this is the last time we see this room," Edea said, making a face as she stood near the doorway of the Central Healing Tower room. Now that she was being released, they would be able to travel again, and they would be able to fight with her as part of the team. They were going back to the Grandship, and from there… they had plans. Plans to continue their journey to awaken the crystals, starting with talking to Braev Lee, the adult, and getting his cooperation for them to go to Everlast Tower without interference.

"Hopefully," Ringabel replied to Edea, smiling. "I hope this is the last time either of you have to see any healing tower room."

"We do have check-ups and the rest of his vaccines," Edea reminded him. "Agnès will probably want to rest a couple of weeks after awakening the Earth Crystal, so we can stop by before going to the Holy Pillar. Just make sure we have his records."

"Multiple copies, just in case."

Having a baby meant making sure that they had many things, so many things that Edea still had trouble with the mental checklist she went through anytime they went somewhere with the baby. Diapers, wipes, extra clothes, pacifier, things to entertain him, things to keep him warm…

So many things that Ringabel had a sizeable box full of some of the last-minute items they hadn't taken to Grandship before. He had a physical checklist, tucked into in his journal.

Everything else had been taken away. Most of their clothes, gifts, their weapons and equipment, books, all but a suitcase of clothes for them and a hefty diaper bag that Ringabel had made from one of the many packs he'd purchased and never used.

"I'll go take this down to the carriage," he said. They'd borrowed one from a moving company to haul things back to Grandship, including the bassinet the hospital had allowed them to purchase. "Will you wait here?"

"I can't take the suitcase, the bag, and Bee," she reminded him, rolling her eyes. "We'll wait here."

She made herself comfortable in the armchair, enjoying the plushness one last time.

They'd had family over the previous day, especially Mahzer Lee, who would be unable to see Braev more than once, perhaps twice, hereafter. They'd gifted her as many pictures as possible, but after they finished their business in this world…

Edea swallowed thickly, and cradled Bee closely in her arms, adjusting his little hat and booping his nose. It was cold outside. The door opened.

"That was fast, R-"

"So. You… must be Edea."

Looking up at the strange voice, she saw blue eyes, blond hair, a face that she had only ever seen in a mirror before.

"… Edea?" she asked.

"That's me," the girl replied, making a face as she looked over at Edea and the baby she held. "And that must be the baby everyone's been talking about."

Edea did not sound like that, surely! The girl's voice was so high-pitched and… young! It was like looking into the past. The girl in front of her had a figure that was much slimmer, more girlish, visible even through the thick winter sweater she wore. Her hair was shorter and seemed less full. Her face was round with some baby fat, and her eyes bright and shining. They were the same person, and yet completely different.

"What… what are you doing here?"

Was this how Ringabel had felt, the first time he had laid eyes on Alternis? Seeing his mirror image, himself? Her face felt hot. She felt unsure.

"Master said I'd been doing so well in Eisenberg that I could take the next airship back to Eternia for leave. He didn't specify that it had to be an airship that wasn't his," Edea said, a sly smile on her lips. "Besides, he's my Master, and I'm his student. The other soldiers didn't say anything when I just walked on board."

"Master is here?" Edea hadn't seen him in several weeks, since the naming day. She'd hoped to let him see Braev one last time.

"He's at Central Command, with Father. They don't know I'm here, yet. I just wanted to see what was going on with all these rumors I've been hearing! People don't talk as quietly as they think they do."

This was probably breaking some unspoken rule, Edea thought. Then again, Alternis and Ringabel had spent an extended amount of time together… maybe there was an exception?

"D…did you want to see him?" Edea asked awkwardly, holding up the baby in her arms. "This is Braev. Braev, say hello!"

Edea looked down at him, her expression unreadable. The baby, who was dozing, did not say hello.

"He's cute," the other woman finally said. Then, she paused, glancing between Edea and the infant. "Who's his father?"

Edea hesitated herself, juggling Braev carefully in her arms to wrap him back into a blanket. "What exactly did you hear?" she asked.

"I heard I'd gotten married, and to Alternis of all people! Married because we were having a baby. Weird, right? I've never even had - " she stopped herself with red cheeks, reconsidered, and said instead, "I haven't even seen him in years!"

"The circumstances were… different," Edea replied, flushing as well. "You seem to be taking the rumors well."

"I have to, don't I?" Edea said, sounding thoughtful Then, she made a face. "Master told me everything… well, he told me most things, after I got into the first few fights over the teasing. It's not the craziest thing I've heard, but still… I had to see for myself." She trailed off, looking over Edea and the baby once more. "So. I guess it's true. You're me, from some other world, and you… have a kid."

Edea nodded.

"… why Alternis?" Edea asked, frowning. She stepped forward, closer.. "Having a kid is one thing, but why him? He doesn't even like me. Us."

Oh, how blind she had been! Had she really not seen Alternis's true, tender feelings? No, of course she hadn't seen them, because he had kept himself hidden behind his helmet like an idiot, and disguised his love behind barbs, again because he was an idiot. "He does like you," Edea insisted. "He's just not good at expressing his feelings. The man - the Alternis - that I married had a… a situation that caused him to be more open with himself, but they're the same person beneath it all. Could you give him a chance? He's, uh, he's getting better!"

Edea did not look convinced. "The last time I saw Alternis, he scolded me for the embellishments to my uniform."

"Oh, um… probably something about ensuring that you present yourself in the best possible way so that in the future no one can debate your talents?" Yeah, that sounded like a very Alternis explanation for that!

"You do realize it's a little hard to present yourself well when half of the army is hearing that you're getting married at eighteen because you're pregnant."

Okay, so she had a good point. Edea grimaced. "They're just rumors. You… You don't have to get married until you're good and in love. I didn't."

"Really? You… really love him?" The other woman's eyebrows were furrowed as she looked Edea over.

"My husband?" It felt weird to refer to Ringabel by his birth - his Eternian - name. The rest of this, however, she could say without hesitation. "Yes, I do. I wouldn't have married him if I didn't. I'd rather be a single mother than in a loveless marriage." Then, feeling emboldened, she added. "The same for you, Edea. Don't marry unless you love him. I think - no, I know - that you can find happiness with him, if you give him a chance, but don't you dare marry him if you don't love him. You both deserve better than that."

"I haven't even seen him in years," Edea grumbled. "If there even is a person under all that metal."

"You'll see him soon, I'm - " Edea had meant to say that she was sure, because the last reports from Alternis had said that they'd were finishing up sweeping the forest and helping Florem conduct citizen surveys within it, and that no trace of any monster or destruction had appeared. They'd warded as much of the region as possible, and were wearing out their already thin welcome. His forces would be returning back to Eternia soon, if they weren't already on their way. She'd meant to say all of that, but found herself interrupted by the door opening once more.

"Sorry I took so long, dear," Ringabel was saying as he came through the door, a cup in his hand. "I stopped by the cafe to…" He stopped mid-sentence, taking in the scene before him. A red flush crept up his cheeks. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"Edea, meet - ah, meet Ringabel. Ringabel, this is Edea. I'm sure you've met before?" Edea said, not sure what else on earth she was going to say now. She stood from her chair, grasping the baby close.

Ringabel bowed awkwardly, not taking his eyes off the younger Edea. "Hello my dear, ah - my dear… Sister?" he tried, voice cracking.

"Ew, don't call me that."

"Yeah, could you not? That's kind of weird."

"How is that weird?" Ringabel defended himself, turning to his wife. "If Alternis and I are said to be twins, then surely that goes for the two of you as well. That makes her my sister-in-law."

"Of course not," Edea replied, rolling her eyes at him. "There's only one Edea Lee. We're special. "Ignore the rumors. That's all they are," she said to her younger, other self.

Edea had not taken her eyes off Ringabel, gaze sweeping up and down his form. Edea wasn't sure if she should feel jealous or not. Ringabel was looking particularly put-together today, and this was Edea's first exposure to Alternis outside of his helmet, after all. Hopefully, she wouldn't get used to it. "This is supposed to be Alternis?"

Ringabel gave her a smile, one of those infuriatingly attractive smiles that he didn't seem to realize were lethal when sincere. "I assure you, I am much more good-looking than he. But yes, we have a slight resemblance, I suppose."

Edea glanced over at Edea.

"I know Alternis doesn't behave like this, but that's because of my husband's situation. Alternis can be just as sweet, though," she reassured her. "I promise."

"Alternis is… a good man," Ringabel said earnestly, surprising them both. "He's got Eternia's best interests always in mind, even if he isn't good at expressing his thoughts and feelings. You'll never find a man more loyal to Eternia, nor one who loves you as deeply as he does. He just needs a little help crossing the bridge to talk to you."

The younger Edea was quiet, wringing her hands in the hem of her sweater, watching as Ringabel gave Edea the cup of hot cocoa to sip. "I don't want to get married anytime soon," she finally said after they waited for her for several minutes.

"Then don't," Edea replied. "I know that - this Alternis and I are married, but you're your own person. He's his own person. You shouldn't marry him just because we married each other."

Ringabel squeezed his wife's shoulders. "I know this must be overwhelming for you, dear. Er, Edea. I would never ask you to prepare to fall in love with him. I only ask that you be his friend. He is in dire need of them."

She did not look convinced.

"Look," Edea said, handing Ringabel the cup of cocoa back so that she could fanagle Braev into the wrap they used to carry him in. Though he was wearing the coat that the Venus sisters had made, the wrap would keep him close to her so that her body heat would also warm him. "You and I? We're not the same. We have two different lives. Mine turned out this way, but yours is still yours to make! Alternis does need friends, Ringabel is right. I think - no, I know - that the next time you see him, he'll be nice. He does care for you."

"Your name is Ringabel?" the girl asked, raising her eyebrows. "What kind of name is that?"

He was busy helping Edea tie the wrap around her back, but he nodded his head. "Ringabel Lee. It's a pleasure to meet you, Edea. I'm very glad to see you healthy and happy, if not a little confused… but then, aren't we all? When we're gone, you should talk to your father."

"When we're gone, the rumors will fade. There won't be a wedding, or a baby… and Mother and Father will be happy to wait for you to decide whether or not you want to wed. We're from separate worlds, we should live separate lives."

Braev was now securely tucked in his wrap, and Edea draped a thin shawl over his head before sliding on her own coat. It would help keep him warm as they traveled to the Grandship, which would be a long walk out of the city through the snow.

"Are you leaving?" Edea asked.

"We have to finish our journey," Edea replied, picking up her cocoa again. It was nice and warm. "We… we need to talk to Father about the crystals, and go to Everlast tower, and then hopefully we'll be able to cleanse the darkness from the world. I pray this time it works."

Ringabel had his doubts, but he kept quiet as he zipped up the diaper bag one last time and slung it over his shoulder.

"With the Wind Vestal?" the younger Edea questioned. "Is she as terrible as they say? We were in Caldisla looking for her, but Ominas burned some of the city, and Sir Heinkel disbanded his squadron before we could find her."

So that was how she had survived Caldisla. "No!" Edea said vehemently. "She's wonderful. I wish you could meet her as well. The two of you could be friends." Was the Agnès from this world even alive? Edea hoped so, hoped she had made it back to Harena and was hiding. Perhaps she would even be able to meet Olivia there.

"I'll have to take your word for it," Edea said, but she sounded thoughtful. "I'm beginning to see that not all is as it seems."

"It really isn't," Edea laughed. "If you can't trust yourself, who can you trust?"

Being around two Edeas was beginning to get a little overwhelming for Ringabel. Obviously, he knew which one was his wife, and not just because of the baby she held. The younger one looked just that, younger. She was full of life, innocence. Just as vibrant and energetic as Edea had been when first they'd met. She hadn't seen the many things, nor experienced the many long months, that his Edea had. "Well said, my love," he told her, not missing the way that her counterpart stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"We should be off," Edea said. "We need to get back before it's too late to set up our room on the airship again… and you should see Mother. I'm sure she's missed you! She always misses us when we leave."

"I was planning to. I missed her too."

"You may want to wait a few minutes," Ringabel suggested. "Alternis and I are known as long-lost twins around here, but two Edea Lees may cause some confusion."

"It was nice to meet you," Edea said, placing a hand over the lump that was Bee Lee. He was beginning to squirm under her coat, and she didn't want him to be under it for long. "I wish we could see each other again, but…"

"This is enough," the other girl supplied. "I know the answers behind all those rumors, and… I have a lot of questions still."

"Ask Father," Edea insisted. "I think - no, I know, that he'll tell you everything that he can. Alternis, too. Ask him anything you want!"

Ringabel had the suitcase in hand. Luckily, it had wheels, but it was still quite bulky. "Bat your eyelashes at him and compliment his hair, and he'll tell you everything. Man doesn't know how to keep secrets."

Edea rolled her eyes at him. "Ringabel, please be quiet. You're making this weirder than it has to be."

"Oh, you said please this time! You must be in a good mood."

"Be quiet!"

Edea giggled.

"Goodbye, Edea. Maybe we'll see you again, maybe we won't. Just remember… talk to Alternis and Father!" With a nod at the younger girl, who nodded back and picked up one of the discarded fashion magazines they were leaving behind, they swept out of the door, heading for home.