Sorry for the long wait, but I just want to say thank you for being so patient with me.
It took a lot of tears for me to wipe away as I wrote this..and the more you read it, you'll begin to understand why
Unfortunately, I won't be explaining the title of the chapter (and would provide an explanation to it below the ending notes)
All I can say, enjoy the chapter and feel free to weep with me!
It was official—Yuri and Estelle were engaged.
And the response?
For starters, the majority of the Lower Quarter rejoiced as soon as they were informed. While the women and elderly immediately congratulated them, some of the men who previously courted the princess forced themselves to swallow their pride, approach them and wished them well with their future.
And then there was Ted and the children who took a while to let the information sink in. Unsurprisingly, Estelle came to the rescue, assuring them that if she's going to be married to Yuri, that would imply that she'll be able to stay in the Lower Quarter for as long as she wants to.
"R-really?" Ted spoke up with big, hopeful eyes.
When they gained a nod from the pink-haired woman, the green-haired boy beamed. He quickly turned to the other little boys and girls who also shared the same satisfied expression as he did. They averted their gaze over to the swordsman, who seemed to be silently watching their interaction with his fiancée.
"Big brother Yuri!" Ted cried, startling the latter.
Before he could even blink, Yuri found himself getting tackled to the ground by a mob of children. "Woah, hey!" He exclaimed, laughing in-between. "What's gotten into you guys?'
"Thank you, big brother Yuri!" He heard one of the girls chirped from behind. "For marrying Miss Estelle!"
"Yeah, yeah!" Another one agreed wholeheartedly. "Now, she's one of us!"
Listening to their praises, all Yuri could do laugh. "Actually, I was gonna be selfish and keep her all to myself," He proclaimed, causing some of the children to dramatically gasp and others to shoot glares at him.
Unfazed by this, he cracked a smile.
Crossing his arms, he snuck a glance at his fiancée who seemed to be trying her best containing her giggle. He veered his attention back to the swarm of children around him and noticed that they were dead serious to hear his response. "But you know what?" He began, bringing his hand forward and planting it on one of the little girl's heads, "I'll see what I can do,"
Once more, the children cried ecstatically with some of them removing themselves off of the swordsman to approach the princess standing nearby.
With one of them seizing hold of her hands, they escorted her over to the dark-haired man and pushed her forward. Luckily, Yuri was there to catch her and when they locked eyes with each other, they smiled and chuckled in unison.
Next came Brave Vesperia.
During one of their visits in Dahngrest, the pair announced their engagement to their found family. Unlike the Lower Quarter and the children, they were greeted with a mix of responses.
"Yeah, we won!" Karol cried, jumping out of his chair to high-five the female lancer and little pirate girl.
Meanwhile, Raven and Rita turned their heads to look elsewhere.
Yuri blinked, unable to grasp the meaning of his words. And when he did, he set his hand on his hip and narrowed his eyes. "Wait, don't tell me you've been betting on us this whole time?"
To his dismay, every single one of them, excluding Repede, nodded their heads.
Estelle blushed. "…How long have you guys been doing this?"
"About a year now," Judith answered, smiling pleasantly. "Oh but don't you worry, we'll be sure to distribute the Gald that Raven and Rita are gonna give to us any moment now,"
At the mention of her best friend, Estelle quickly glanced over to the short brunette who buried her face deeper into her book. "Rita!"
Growing restless, Rita slammed her book against the table and directed her finger at the bewildered swordsman. "Well, how was I supposed to know that that idiot would have the guts to finally propose, huh?" She cried, completely tomato red.
Both Yuri and Estelle looked at each other and exchanged smiles.
Catching this, Rita frowned. "W-what?"
"Actually…" Yuri began, raking his long mane as he turned the other way. "Estelle's the one who proposed,"
All eyes focused in on the princess who inwardly blushed. "Come on, don't give me all the credit with this," She urged her fiancé as she forced a smile. "You did the same thing afterward,"
Processing this new information, their friends looked at each other before bursting into fits of laughter.
"Okay, Raven! Pay up!" Patty cried merrily, "That's double the Gald!"
The ponytailed man groaned. "Why you gotta do this ta me?" He wailed, followed by the shake of his head.
While Karol and Patty playfully teased him, Judith and Rita seized the moment to approach the pair.
Pausing in her tracks, Judith tilted her head and said in a soft tone, "Congratulations," And shifted her eyes from the swordsman to the princess as she added, "I've been rooting for you for a while now. So seeing the two of you finally committed, I'm quite pleased,"
Estelle beamed. "Thank you, Judith,"
Yuri nodded in agreement. "Yeah, thanks, Judy,"
The pair turned their attention on the short mage who continuously tapped her left foot impatiently against the floorboards. "…C-congrats," She muttered, loud enough for the others around her to hear. "I-I wish you both the best in the future," Taking in a deep breath, she suddenly reverted her fixation on the dark-haired man and cried, "And you! You better treat my best friend well or you're gonna be sorry!"
Yuri smirked. "I know," He began, taking hold of his fiancée's hand and squeezed in tightly. He turned to face the princess and grinned widely. "I'll be sure to satisfy her ladyship emotionally and…" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Sexually,"
Estelle blushed furiously. "Y-Yuri!" And lightly hit him on the shoulder.
The swordsman laughed harder, welcoming her into his arms and placing his chin on top of her head.
As they watched the pair's interaction, Judith and Rita snuck glances at each other. Judith chuckled lightly as Rita quickly looked the other way, the tips of her ears burning a little red prior to witnessing such an intimate moment between her friends.
Despite her protests, Rita knew, deep down, that her best friend was in good hands and that as much as she hated to admit it, she knew that Yuri was a suitable candidate for the princess.
And that alone was enough to put her at ease.
Lastly, there was the Council and the Imperial Knights.
As expected, the members were opposed to their engagement.
Even so, their main concern was on Ioder and Flynn.
While the prince showered his dear cousin with praises of approval and a loving embrace, Yuri was confronted with a menacing-looking Commandant who was ready to whip out his sword and slash him at any moment.
Fortunately, Ioder happened to be there and urged Flynn to follow his example.
Yuri stood there, trying hard not to laugh his head off as he watched his childhood friend congratulate him with a forceful grin plastered on his face.
"Now that you two are to be wed," Ioder began, getting excited, "Let me be the one to fund the entire wedding,"
"Your Highness!" Flynn exclaimed, only to close his mouth when he noticed that the latter was giving him a side-glance. Collecting himself, he straightened his posture and apologized for his interruption.
Shaking his head, Ioder turned his attention to the pair and continued, "Like I said before, I'll be more than happy to assist you with all the planning—the catering, the reservations and guests, the decorations…" Suddenly, his emerald green eyes twinkled. "Oh! I must get started with the commission!"
Estelle blinked. "Commission?"
Ioder bobbed his head excitedly. "You are going to love it!" He expressed, smiling away. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. Take your time and let me know when the two of you are ready, okay?"
"Thanks," Yuri began, chuckling a little. "And Flynn?"
Hearing his name, the knight peered upwards. "Yes?"
"Meet me at Marie's inn around nightfall," He explained, crossing his arms and offering him a smile. "There's something we need to discuss,"
Later that night, Flynn ventured to the Lower Quarter.
Greeted by the folks left and right, he maneuvered his way over to the public inn near the banks of the river. Entering inside, his face lit up upon recognizing familiar faces—with Marie and Ted tugging him over to a table located on the right where his foster father and brother were currently seated.
"My, boy you came!" Hanks called out, pulling out a stool from underneath the table and waving him over. "Come, come! Sit!"
Flynn smiled, nodding along as he did what he was told.
Once he settled himself down on his seat, he looked up to face the dark-haired man who seemed preoccupied with filling each tiny glass shots with the alcoholic drink gripped on his dominant left hand.
Putting the beverage down, Yuri looked up and grinned.
"Took you long enough," He teased as he handed each tiny shot toward the knight, then to the bearded man.
Flynn rolled his eyes. "Just tell us why we're here,"
Yuri nodded. "Well, how should I put this?" Ruminating through his thoughts, he finally settled with a conclusion. "I wanted to ask you both a request."
Hanks arched an eyebrow. "…Request? What for?"
The dark-haired man creased his eyebrows, opening his mouth to say something, only to stop himself and turned the other way to gaze through the window.
Growing worried, Flynn spoke up. "Yuri?"
Clearing his throat, Yuri began with "Ever since that night, when Estelle and I proposed to each other…we've been talking about the wedding details," Recalling the long talk they had in his room following that certain night, he mustered a tiny smile. "We were wondering…if it's alright with either of you…"
Heaving a deep breath, he finally faced the two men before him and delivered his next set of words with confidence.
First, he laid eyes on the blonde knight. "Flynn, will you attend the ceremony as our best man?" And then to his foster father with a softened expression. "And Hanks as my father?"
Both Flynn and Hanks widened their eyes.
"…Yuri," Hanks croaked, all the while too startled to say anything further. "I-I don't know what to…"
"Is this what you wanted to talk about?" Flynn wondered aloud, trying to process the new information.
The swordsman looked up and offered them a wide grin.
Taking notice of this, the blonde knight and the bearded man turned to glance at each other. Slowly, their lips curved upwards before reverting back to face the dark-haired man again.
"On my honor as a knight," Flynn began, thrusting his arm over his armored chest and beaming, "And as a brother and a friend—I, Flynn Scifo, will gladly take up the mantle as your best man."
Hearing his declaration, Yuri rolled his eyes. Even so, he couldn't contain the wide grin across his lips. "Alright," He replied, standing upright to give the knight a fist pump. Flynn leaned in to return the gesture. After that, Yuri fixed his gaze at his foster father, patiently waiting for his turn. "So, Hanks? Whaddaya say?"
When the bearded man locked eyes with the latter, he couldn't help but muster a prideful smile. "You've certainly grown up…" He muttered lowly under his breath.
Lifting his chin, he faced his foster son and laughed heartily. "Sign me up!"
Once the word of their engagement was spread to their family, friends, and close associates—Yuri and Estelle gave Ioder the approval to begin with the wedding preparations.
Fortunately, Yuri was dismissed to take any part of it (which was a huge relief for Flynn and some of the coordinators), which meant that Estelle was required to remain in the Palace and take charge of everything with Ioder and Rita often there to aid her.
The first things that came to mind were the invitations and reservations of their guests—and with that in mind, Estelle immediately thought of the warm hospitality that was provided to her by the Lower Quarter and then, to Brave Vesperia, her found family.
After that, there were representatives of the guilds like President Kaufman from Fortune's Market and other friends she met in the duration of their journey like Karen and Rich from the King of Adventure and Teagle and his family.
Four weeks in and everything was going well.
And then—something happened.
It became during Estelle's spare time, which involved her and the female members of Brave Vesperia having a tea party in the castle gardens. Conversing each other animatedly, munching on lemon madeleines and sipping on their respective teacups, the four friends were having a delightful time away from work…when all of a sudden, Estelle hastily stood up from her chair and raced back inside.
Worried, the others chased her, yelling for her name through the halls in search for her.
A few minutes later and they found her—sitting next to the toilet and throwing up, along with one or two castle maids surrounding her and stroking her for support.
Clenching her teeth, the short mage entered the bathroom and instructed the maids to fetch the doctor. "Patty, go with them!" She cried over her shoulder as she proceeded to squat down and started rubbing her best friend's back in assurance. "Judith and I will take care of Estelle!"
The little pirate girl nodded, cried an almighty, "Aye!" and hurried off with the two maids behind her.
Now that that was out of the way, Rita and the female lancer were left with the poor princess.
"Estelle, we're here," Judith assured the pink-haired woman with a pat on her head, "If you need anything, we got you,"
Estelle meekly nodded, mumbled a soft "thank you" to them both before proceeding to vomit once more.
Another few minutes later and the doctor finally arrived back with their friend. Carefully, Judith and Rita took each of Estelle's arms over their necks and leisurely brought her back to her room which happened to be just around the corner.
Laying her down across the large mattress, the two allowed the female doctor to get straight to work as they left to wait outside, hoping for good news to come out of it. A long excruciating hour passed until finally, the doctor opened the door and happily invited them back inside.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Rita was the first to voice out her concern as she sat down next to her best friend who happened to have awakened and was sitting upright. On her opposite side, Judith plopped down while Patty made herself comfortable in front of the princess as she joined their hands together into a firm grip.
"Yes, Her Highness is going to be fine," The doctor insisted, causing the trio to finally exhale the breath that they've been holding inside.
"That's a relief," Judith was the next to speak out as she turned back to look at the princess and lean the side of her head against hers.
The doctor smiled as she continued with her report. "Rest assured, there was no food poisoning either," As she said that, she snuck a glance over to the little pirate girl who stared back at her with an equally relieved expression. "Yes, Her Highness is just experiencing a mild case of mild sickness and fatigue—all common side effects of pregnancy."
All four friends froze in place the second they heard the end of the sentence.
Judith and Rita turned to look at each other, then at Patty, and then finally their pink-haired friend. With eyes widened and big smiles appearing on their faces, they quickly looked back at the doctor for confirmation.
Swallowing thickly, Estelle finally spoke up, "A-are you saying that I'm…" Before she could finish her sentence, she lowered her head to look at her stomach and lightly grazed a hand over its surface.
Again, the doctor nodded in confirmation. "Congratulations, Your Highness!" She exclaimed with a surprisingly high-pitched voice, "You're going to be a mother!"
It took about a week and a half for the four friends to keep the big news a secret to themselves and made an agreement to announce it to everyone once the father-to-be returned from his duties. While patiently waiting for the arrival of a certain swordsman and the other members of their guild—Rita, Judith, and Patty surrounded the princess with tons of questions.
As it turned out, Estelle was barely about a month into her pregnancy as it was later confirmed by her that shortly after the night of the proposal, she and Yuri immediately consummated or in Judith's teasing words, 'went down to business'.
In addition, it was also in her best interest to remain clueless about the gender of the baby—claiming that she'd rather be surprised prior to the date of the delivery. But overall, Estelle expressed her joy of how her dream was coming true—getting married and having a child together with the one she dearly loved.
Overwhelmed with feelings of excitement and happiness, her trio of friends quickly insisted that they'll always be there for her and that they would support her during her pregnancy as well as help her take care of the baby.
Touched by their words, Estelle happily obliged.
Another day passed and finally, one of the royal guards knocked on the princess's door to inform her that Yuri was spotted inside the Palace. Hearing this, Patty volunteered to escort them to the room, giving Rita and Judith more time to talk their plan over with Estelle.
Minutes later and the door swung open. Estelle smiled as she took in the appearances of her fiancé, Raven, Karol, Repede, and even Ioder and Flynn who were included in the mix.
Upon sighting the pink-haired woman, Yuri quickly rushed over. "Estelle, I came as soon as I heard," He began, his hands somewhat fidgeting as he squatted to his knees and gently took hold of her hands, enclosing it with his. "Everything okay?"
Estelle nodded, squeezing their hands together in an assurance matter. "Yes, I'm fine," She replied, leaning forward to peck him on the forehead and added in, "Sorry for making you all worried,"
Yuri sighed, raking his other hand through his long, dark mane. "That's good," And chuckled lightly.
Estelle watched as the other males gathered around them in a half circle, with Rita and Judith sitting next to her and stroking her back for support.
"I have an announcement to make," She began, veering her eyes upwards to take a look at each and every single individual which made up her family before eventually landing on her fiancé in front of her. Taking his other hand, Estelle gently pulled it forward and let it rest on top of her stomach. Smiling, she snuck a peek at the latter whose eyes were slowly widening upon realization.
Seconds later, sounds of gasps and cries filled the entire room.
"E-Estelle…" Yuri began, unable to say proper words as he looked up to face her with a baffled expression. "You're…"
Unable to contain her excitement, she happily nodded. "We're gonna have a baby," She finally said, which earned her a large round of applause among her friends and family.
Processing her words, Yuri remained still.
Catching sight of this, Estelle grew worried as she brushed her hand across his right cheek. "Yuri?"
And then, out of the blue, she was pulled into a tight embrace. It wasn't until she realized that it was Yuri who was the one who initiated it and with tears brimming in the corners of her eyes, gladly enveloped her arms around his neck and drew him closer.
She heard her fiancé's muffled words and smiled, tightening her hold around him. "Yes," She agreed, tears flowing down her rosy cheeks. "We're finally going to have a family."
Their friends smiled as they watched the pair remained in each other's arms, with no words spoken between them. And when it did, Yuri was the first to break the silence as he quickly took his fiancée into his arms and began to twirl her around and around, their sounds of laughter contagious and overpowered with love and joy.
It was about a month since Yuri and Estelle's engagement were made public to everyone, and following that, the report of the princess's pregnancy shocked the entire capital of Zaphias.
Hanks, who later found out with the help of Marie and Ted, was swept with emotions. No words could properly describe his current state of happiness and to his surprise, it was later that afternoon that a certain couple came over to visit his residence to officially deliver the news to him.
Indeed, it was a momentous occasion—one that Hanks and the rest of the Lower Quarter would never forget. Here was a member of their community, who had not only found his purpose in life but was already making strides to his future, beginning with his engagement to the princess and having a baby together with her.
A party was commenced in response to the grand news with the majority of the attention focused in on the couple and their unborn baby in the making. Ted and the children persisted that they would be eager to let the new addition of the community to be a part of their group, to which Estelle happily took the offer. As for Marie, she was more than willing to let Yuri's room remain vacant and unavailable for the other guests in case the two were to drop by and visit every now and then.
With everything settled in, there came the news of Ioder. Due to the announcement of their pregnancy, he recommended that it was best that they'd halt the wedding preparations for now and focus their every attention on the princess and her condition. That being said, he took the liberty to unveil his wedding present ahead of time—as mentioned before, secretly calling it as a commission.
Thanks to the mayor of Halure, the prince managed to find the perfect spot for the couple to settle down, and through the assistance of Raven and Flynn, managed to successfully hire a guild specialized in construction work and commissioned for a two-story house to be built in the location closest to the large tree itself.
Upon visiting their new house, Yuri and Estelle were surprised to find out that the building itself somewhat resembled the mayor's which was found right in front of the entrance of the town.
"Consider it a gift for not only saving the world," Ioder began, shifting his eyes from his dear cousin to the swordsman he would proudly welcome to their small family. "But for also simply being there for Estellise and for being her main strength and source of happiness." As he said that, he bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Yuri Lowell."
Shortly afterward, Yuri and Estelle began to pack their belongings and transfer them to their new residential home. They even insisted Hanks, Marie, and Ted visit them every now and then. "We'll let Judy pick you guys up with Ba'ul," Yuri explained, crossing his arms over his chest, "And if you'd like, maybe stay for the night. We got about three spare rooms so…"
Hanks emitted a half-grin. "That'll be wonderful," He thanked them sincerely, "Though I'll have to check my schedule and see when would be the appropriate time to do that,"
Estelle stepped forth. "Take all the time you need," She insisted, smiling sweetly, "Our door will always be open for you,"
About twenty-four years ago, Yuri came into this world.
Who would've thought that along the way, he would eventually grow up and lead a happy life, comprised of many firsts and never-ending adventures together with his found family and friends. And Hanks couldn't help but thank the heavens for giving his foster son the opportunity to step out of his comfort zone and explore beyond Zaphias—because if he hadn't, then he wouldn't be where he was now.
A proud member of a world-renowned guild, which just so happened to be named after the brightest star in the night sky, a former vigilante and one of the heroes who saved their beloved Terca Lumireis from the prophesied Adephagos, to becoming committed in an enduring relationship with a woman who loved every fiber of his being, a husband-to-be and now, about seven months in, about to be a father of a newborn.
Hanks recounted the time when he took up the responsibility of becoming the dark-haired man's foster father and the many struggles that he had to face that came with it. And with the knowledge, he thought that he'd be best to share them with the latter.
And so, here they were, sitting outside the front steps of the stairs of the house in Halure, sitting idly and observing Ted, the children and a few recognizable faces—Karol and Patty playing a game of tag in front of him. Motioning his head to the right, he found the short mage and the female lancer engaged in a private discussion with Marie and Estelle, who was already showing signs of a large bump (though was perfectly concealed thanks to the maternity clothes she recently bought).
Satisfied with the view, Hanks fixed his attention over to the blue dog sitting next to him. He reached out to scratch Repede's furry back who responded with a low wail and his tail whipping from side to side.
"Care for a drink, old man?"
Hearing this, the bearded man peered over his shoulder. He smiled brightly as soon as he recognized his foster son presenting him with a cup of herbal tea, his personal favorite. Mouthing a soft, "thank you", he graciously accepted it and brought it down on his lap. From the corner of his eye, he took notice of the dark-haired man settling himself on a seat right next to him.
The sounds of crickets chirping in the background and the gentle breeze coming in with the company of cherry blossoms caused Hanks to lean back and sigh heavily, welcoming the solace and comfort that nature offered for them.
"In a few more weeks, yer gonna be a father," He began, turning his head to look at his foster son.
Yuri nodded with a grin. "Seems about right," He mumbled, bringing the edge of the cup and sipping the liquid. "It's already been seven months and even now, I'm still dumbstruck,"
Hanks laughed earnestly. "Really, now?" When he caught his foster son's tired expression, he shook his head and said, "That's the same feeling that I had when you were born,"
On the topic of his birth, Yuri took this as a sign to bring up a certain issue. "Say, Hanks?"
"Yeah?"
"I've been meaning to ask…" Yuri began, lowering his gaze at the cup he held with one hand. "About my mother…"
Unfazed by his words, Hanks nodded along. "I see…" He trailed off, ruminating through his thoughts.
"Is it true?" Yuri pressed on, finally raising his chin to look at his foster father in the eye. "That she died because of childbirth?"
Hanks sighed deeply. "So, you've figured it out, huh?"
"Marie mentioned it to me once when I was about eleven," The dark-haired man answered, casually shrugging his shoulders. "It wasn't much but when she told me, I managed put the pieces together and…"
"So, then you knew?" Hanks interrupted, becoming alarmed and shooting him a glare. "You knew for so long and you didn't tell me?"
Yuri furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought that it'd be best to keep the information all to myself," He explained, his eyes downcast. "But at the same time, I refused to accept it as truth. So, I told myself, that I'd wait until the time came…for maybe you to break the news to me."
Hanks softened his eyes. "Well, if you wanna know," He began, looking up to the sky. "Here's the truth—yes, your mother did die during the process of childbirth…she lost too much blood and her oxygen levels were significantly low." He didn't need to sneak a glance at the latter as his ears picked up the sudden noise of a fist against wood.
"Because we didn't have enough Gald to pay for a doctor, we did our best to keep her stable and healthy…it was a difficult delivery for her. And because of it, she paid the price." He mustered a tiny smile as he continued in a soft, calming tone. "But you know, Lilian knew…that even though she wasn't gonna make it, the minute she saw you, she had already seen the future that you were going to pursue."
He removed his glasses to quickly wipe the tears that were beginning to flow from his eyes. Once he reclaimed them, he finally turned to face his foster son. As expected, Yuri's expression was mixed with anguish and frustration—but the sight of his red, swollen eyes was more than enough to break an old man's heart in half. Once again, Hanks was witnessing the poor man in his vulnerability, a side that not every person except to those close to him have managed to come across.
And as always, Yuri was in conflict with himself.
Hoping to ease the tension, Hanks reached out to place a hand on the other's shoulder. "And you know, she was right. And now, look at you—you've come a long way since then," He pressed on with a tender look. "Lilian and my beloved Jiri…they would be so proud of you." A pause. "I, too am proud of you and what you've become."
Yuri moved his head to face the bearded man and forced a chuckle. "That's reassuring," He commented, grinning.
Hanks nodded, squeezing his hold on Yuri's shoulder and continuing, "And now, you're gonna begin another journey—one that I happened to have a lot of experiences with," Removing his hand from the latter, he frowned. "It's not an easy task being a father. And to be a good one, that's something even I can't put off,"
Yuri stared at the bearded man as if he produced two heads.
"What are you talking about?" He argued, "I turned out pretty okay,"
Hanks chuckled. "That, you did," He agreed, "But back then…I kept doubting myself. Worried that I would screw you up or something. Jiri would have to frequently remind me that parenting was a two-person job and that she wouldn't want me to take all the responsibilities on my own,"
He heaved a sigh as a memory from long ago resurfaced from the back of his mind—of his beloved wife consulting him in their bedroom, during one of the times when Yuri was fast-asleep in his crib. And then the wonderful memories of him and his wife immediately struck a chord in him. As a surge of negativity swept over him, Hanks quickly downed his drink in a few big gulps.
Placing his now empty cup on the open space in-between them, he forced himself to continue. "And when she passed away, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't bring myself to do anything. And so, I hoped and prayed that everything was going to be alright for you and Flynn," A light chuckle escaped his throat as he jerked his chin to the open front yard. "Being a father was the hardest thing I ever had to do…but I did what I could and now, look at me. A happy old man just waiting to see the face of his grandchild before passing,"
Catching on to his words, Yuri called him out for saying such a thing.
"It's gonna happen," Hanks said firmly, "It's the cycle of life, after all. We are born, search the world to find a place to call our own, settle down and have a family, then experience the hardships that comes with the job of a parent…and before we know it, the little ones will grow up so quickly, seek out their own future and repeat the very same thing that you originally sought after…"
As for the next set of words, he closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "And then you'll be an old man, just like me…appreciating everything and what life has to offer to ya, being thankful for the things that you were given and looking back to the things that you regret, knowing that you can never go back and change it…you eventually learn how short life is, and how you should do whatever you can in your power to live vigorously until it's time for you to depart and continue to the next stage of life…"
"It's sad, I know, but it is the way of life…" Hanks pressed further, "And in my life, I've had many things I've regret, people that I wish to reconnect with but at the same time—was blessed with so many fortunes: two sons, a wife, a community, and now, a daughter-in-law and a grandchild about to be born at any moment…"
Yuri creased his eyebrows as he listened intently. "Hanks…"
"Sorry," Hanks apologized, chuckling. "Must've gotten a bit sidetracked,"
Yuri shook his head and grinned. "No," He affirmed, "I'm just glad to hear that I'm not the only one with doubts and concerns. You are right, though—we do have one life in this world. And I can't speak for anyone else but,"
Standing up, he focused his concentration toward the clear blue sky and continued, "It doesn't seem to me like there's any reason why we get dumped into this world. But once you're here, you just do what you can to give this life everything you've got."
Hearing this, Hanks smiled. Rising from his seat, he turned to glance at his foster son and said, "Took the words right outta my mouth,"
Together, father and son exchanged similar-looking smirks before erupting into fits of laughter.
Once the laughter ceased, Hanks offered him the brightest of smiles. "If yer having trouble with the first few stages of fatherhood, you'll always have me as your support,"
"Thanks," Yuri replied back, "I'm gonna need it,"
Hanks laughed boisterously. "You sure will, boy,"
In the first few weeks of March—Estelle's water broke.
…And it just so happened that they were finishing up an assignment from a client in a secluded town. With the members of Brave Vesperia at present, they immediately split into groups—with the girls rushing to bring the princess inside the cabin and nurse her in her critical state while the boys were out to fetch any items or clothes they could find and give it to the latter.
And because they were currently on a boat, soaring through the skies—the absence of a doctor brought nothing but distress and frustration within the group.
A few hours later and Estelle's condition worsened.
In a desperate motion, Karol ran outside to ask Patty to land anywhere she saw fit. To his disappointment, she informed him that they were still in the middle of the ocean (around the area of the Shrine of Aude) and even if they did happen to land somewhere close like Nordopolica, it wouldn't have changed anything as the day had transitioned to dusk—meaning that it was already too late as the doctors and other shopkeepers have already left for the day.
"Breathe, Estelle!" Rita urged her best friend as she continued to dap the wet cloth over her forehead, "You got this! We believe in you!"
"We're here with you," Judith joined in, trying hard to sound and remain as calm as she appeared to be, "You're not alone!"
"Look at me, Estelle," Yuri came in as he held tight of the princess's sweaty hand. "Ignore the pain and just focus on me, alright?"
Estelle meekly bobbed her head, about to say something when she felt another wave of unbearable pain pierce through her chest and screamed at the top of her lungs. At the same time, she tightened her hold on Yuri and Rita's hands who were there to provide her with unconditional support.
Gritting their teeth, Yuri and Rita endured the pain and carried on by showering her with words of encouragements, pecks on the forehead, and laying out the blanket over her quivering form in an effort to keep her stable and still.
With Judith taking the role as the midwife, she proceeded to lay out the available blankets underneath the pink-haired woman's legs. Once that was good to go, she went on to spread the latter's legs and narrowed her eyes. "Okay, I'm going to start asking you to push," She began, earning their attention. "I could see something coming out! So, when I say push, you do it, okay?"
Again, Estelle nodded. "O-Okay…"
And for the next twenty minutes or so, they did exactly just that. During the process of the delivery, Estelle had lost a majority of her energy and as a result, was unwilling to push any further, which would potentially endanger her and the baby's life.
With little to no options left, the group was beginning to worry for their friend and to their surprise—four ethereal spirits were summoned to save the day.
"We heard her call and here we are," Undine declared, "We will do what we can to stabilize her formula for a safe delivery,"
Right away, the aquatic humanoid-looking spirit glided over to Estelle and brought her hands down on each side of her head. Whispering a few words, she allowed a stream of water to encircle around them. Slyph and Gnome followed next as they conjured spells of their own—producing tiny rocks for stabilization and gales of wind to change the temperature of the cabin to a certain degree.
Lastly, there was Efreet who proceeded to create a tiny swirling fire and allowed it to spawn throughout the area as the hanging lamp above them was beginning to lose its glow.
Thanks to their efforts, Estelle managed to regain her strength and with a few more pushes, a high-pitched wail erupted, causing every single person inside and outside the cabin to freeze in place.
Yuri watched as the female lancer gently cradled a small, squishy looking baby coated with blood and other bodily fluids. He didn't realize that he'd been staring at the sight for too long until Rita had to smack some senses out of him.
"What are you waiting for?" Rita cried, her voice cracking, "Go to her!"
Alarmed, Yuri asked, "W-who?"
"Your daughter!" She persisted with tears in her eyes.
Nodding, Yuri moved forward, gently removing his hold on his fiancée to head over to Judith. "Here," She said, presenting him with a scissors and urging him to cut the umbilical cord that was connected to the baby's belly button. When he continued to stare at her with a dumbfounded look, Judith gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, she won't feel it,"
Yuri heaved a deep breath, mustered a low, "Alright," and then seized hold of the scissors. Leaning in, he took a quick look at the newborn's crying face and smiled earnestly. "This won't hurt, okay?" And then proceeded to cut the cord in half.
Once the procedure was done, Judith stood up from the ground and with the baby in her arms, went off to the other corner of the cabin to begin the wash. "Rita, come over here!" She cried over her shoulder.
Rita nodded, "Coming!" And shortly after pecking her best friend on the temple and muttering a few more words of encouragement into her ear, she ran off to help the female lancer.
A moment of silence ensued.
Something took hold of Yuri's left hand, startling him.
Moving his head, he was met with the most breathtaking view of Estelle—despite how utterly drenched she was with sweat, how rosy her cheeks were, her doe-shaped seafoam eyes and fair skin were glistening like stars, reminding him of the very first time he saw her in her naked form and how he knew at that very moment, how much he wanted to be with her.
"…Estelle," He managed to say, followed by a triumphant smirk. "You did it…"
Albeit dazed and with half-closed eyes, Estelle heard his words and produced a smile. "No, we did it…" She said, squeezing his hand in assurance.
Yuri shook his head. "No, I didn't,"
To his surprise, Estelle shot him a sympathetic look. "Yes, you did," She insisted, bringing her other hand to brush his slightly reddened cheek. "You were here to support me, and I'm forever grateful for that,"
Again, Yuri shook his head. "Come on, this was all you! All I did was sit here and did nothing," He pressed on, leaning in to softly kiss her on the lips and wiping away the strands of hair on her temple. "Man, she's gonna be so thrilled to have a badass mom like you,"
Upon hearing this, Estelle blinked. "Wait…" She trailed off, "I-It's a girl?" When she saw that the swordsman was smiling and enthusiastically nodding in response, she brought a hand over her mouth, closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "A girl…oh my goodness, a girl!"
Yuri chuckled. "It's a girl," He repeated, once more, leaned in to capture her lips to which Estelle happily reciprocated. Once they withdrew, they turned to face the four spirits looming over them.
"Thank you," Estelle thanked graciously, bowing her head respectfully.
Undine mimicked her gesture while Gnome let out a contented cry. Behind them were Slyph and Efreet who seemed to be preoccupied at observing the two female friends currently bathing the newborn.
"She's so squishy looking…" Efreet commented, sounding displeased.
"Doesn't she?" Slyph agreed along.
Undine chuckled. "I'm afraid they are too enamored with your child to return the gesture," She apologized, "Forgive them for their immaturity."
Yuri shook his head. "It's fine," He assured her, grinning from ear to ear. "I mean, we did produce a nice-looking baby," And then snuck a glance over to his partner who couldn't help but giggle at his comment.
Few minutes later, Judith returned to their side while Rita rushed out the door to urge their friends to come over.
Raven and Karol were the first to come in, followed shortly by Patty and Repede. As soon as they entered the scene, all three of them stopped midway in their tracks as they took in the appearance of Estelle resting comfortably and holding onto her newborn baby.
"Oh my god! It's here!" Karol cried with glee as he hurried over to take a good look at the babe.
"What a specimen!" Patty agreed, joining the boy who was seated rather closely next to Rita and Judith.
Meanwhile, Raven silently walked over and sat next to the two youngsters while Repede made his way over to his owner, their eyes fixed in on the bundle of joy present before them.
"What a beautiful little babe ya got here…" He commented as he proceeded to reach out and tickle the baby. "Coochie coochie coo~"
What followed after was an eruption of joyful laughter. All eyes focused in on the ponytailed man who was at a loss for words.
Yuri and Estelle snuck glances at each other and smiled.
"Woah, Raven! Look!" Karol pointed out, directing his finger at the newborn. "You made it laugh!" Suddenly, he was hit on the head. "Ouch! Hey!" Recovering quickly, he turned to glare at the short brunette next to him. "Rita!"
"Stop calling the baby 'it'!" She protested, suddenly getting defensive. "Can't you see that it's a girl?"
Patty blinked. "…A lass?"
Estelle nodded. "That's right," She began, her face lighting up like the sun. "And she's lucky to have everyone here as part of her family,"
Upon hearing this, Karol started choking up. "I'm an Uncle…" He croaked, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm an Uncle!"
"Hey, I'm an Uncle too, ya know?" Raven argued, though failed to conceal his cracking voice.
"And we're Aunts," Judith piped in, sneaking glances at Rita and Patty who looked back at her with bright red cheeks and satisfying grins.
"Guess that also means Repede is an Uncle too," Yuri began, glancing over at the blue canine who barked in response before resorting to pointing a finger at himself. "And I'm the dad,"
Estelle smiled, "And I'm the mom," She concluded, sighing. "Which means that this little one is going to be a new addition to our family,"
Yuri heaved a sigh. "With one more mouth to feed, guess we're gonna have to start tackling more work," He grumbled, veering his eyes over to the young boy, "Ain't that right, Capital Karol?"
Upon realization, the boy released a low groan. "Aww, man…you're right,"
Estelle giggled, and soon after, Yuri and the rest of the members of the guild—including the four spirits still present, joined in for the laugh.
March 18th—was the day that Yuri, Estelle, and their found family, Brave Vesperia would never forget; the day when a new addition to their little group had finally arrived. What a coincidence that the date itself just so happened to be the same one when Yuri and Estelle began their journey together.
Under the starry night and the blessing of the legendary Brave Vesperia—Yuri and Estelle bestowed their beautiful little daughter a name: Genevieve Lowell.
Eve, for short.
Named after the same guild that provided a home to them, the beginning of a new phase in their lives as newly-appointed parents as well as the collaboration of humans and spirits working effortlessly to bring new life into this world—the little girl became the embodiment of new changes.
...And that's the end of the eighth chapter!
AHH, STILL TEARS IN MY EYES. But yeah, I planned this from the start-their daughter, Genevieve (Eve), but as for where the location of where the delivery was going to happen? Yeah, you're gonna have to thank the yustelle community on tumblr and twitter (I've read some of the comments by some fans and was inspired to let Ba'ul/Fiertia be the one to be the location)
Hanks's declaration was very emotional for me as I had to sit down and reflect on what the character had to go through-and because of that, I began to lowkey see Yuri as a son (...yeah, that's weird to say but it somewhat fits with the story)
Oh and Yuri's dialogue about being stuck in this world-doesn't it ring a bell? Yes, that's because it's the same line he says to Duke the first time they met (and I secretly wanted to implement it in so it fits)
AND IF ANY OF YOU AREN'T AWARE-THE TITLE OF THE CHAPTER IS A FORESHADOW TO EVE'S BIRTH (SHE WAS NAMED AFTER BRAVE VESPERIA WITH ITS TRANSLATION, '(EVE)NING STAR'. AND ALSO, TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR IS THE FIRST SONG THAT ESTELLE AND YURI WOULD LIKELY SING TO HER.
AND IF ANY OF YOU GUYS ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE MARRIAGE-DON'T WORRY, MORE EXPLANATIONS WILL BEGIN TOMORROW.
SPEAKING OF TOMORROW...
All I can say is that it would be the final conclusion (though Monday would be the epilogue, which is technically the 10th chapter-but anyway, once I publish the second to last chapter, be sure to read the ending notes because there will be announcements!
As always, thank you for the comments! (they give me an insight into what you guys think of the fanfic and I'm glad for the overwhelming positivity and support!)
Again, thank you all for the support!
And feel free to comment (and give kudos in the A03 community)-I'm always eager to hear your opinions and open criticisms!
That's all for now!
See you tomorrow (with a box of tissues)!