Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: Written: 2015, Found: 2018- Licia

It was a week of celebrations in honor of the founding of Palmarneae; but before the celebrations and visits, the family was allowed some semblance of normalcy, including conversation around the breakfast table. Raven slipped into the seat beside Zari two mornings later; Mika followed, kissing her quickly before joining her. Over coffee, pancakes, omelets and everything else under the sun, conversation rose and fell like the tides on the Marberleian coast, and Raven found herself relaxing. This was similar to when she was home at Redarnia.

"Uncle Mikalos?"

"Mhmm?"

The eight-year-old swallowed his bite before speaking. "If you die, will you be buried in Auntie Raven's country or here?"

All conversation, all movement, all breathing even, stopped, as every head turned to stare at the child. Mika, who'd bitten into his slice of toast at that moment, lowered the slice and chewed slowly, blue eyes filling with worry as he stared at his nephew. Raven lowered her coffee cup, and her husband swallowed, taking the time to gather his thoughts. A moment passed, as every head turned to the youngest prince, before he spoke up. "Where did this come from, Jicqi?"

Slowly, normalcy returned to the table, and things picked up where they left off. Raven spread raspberry jelly on her biscuit, Baxiana stirred cream into her tea, Targyn cut into his omelet before taking a bite. The boy looked around at everyone. "You and Auntie Raven are married, right?" Mika glanced at his wife, who shrugged, biting into her biscuit.

"Right."

"And Auntie Raven's a queen, right?"

"Right."

"So if Auntie Raven is a queen, and you die, are you going to be buried with Auntie Raven in her country?" Raven glanced at her husband, biting through her biscuit and hard into her lower lip. She pulled the biscuit away, letting out a yelp, setting it down and reaching up to feel her lip. Mika gently took her chin, turning her to face him, concerned. He whispered softly to her, gently thumbing her bottom lip tenderly, before kissing her softly, if only to buy time. A moment passed, before he sighed, gently releasing her chin and turning back to his nephew.

"I guess... were I to die, I would want to be brought back here, because this is my home." He turned to his wife. "I'm sorry, Nevermore, but I am first and foremost Palmarneaeian, and my marriage to you will not change that. I was born and I will die Palmarneaeian."

Raven reached up, caressing his cheek. "I know."

"What about you, Auntie Raven?"

Without removing her gaze from her husband's she replied, "I wish to be laid to rest wherever you are. You are my soulmate, and not even Death will keep us apart."

"Jicqi, why are you asking?" Eleia asked and the boy shrugged. "Just curious?" He nodded.

"Good to know." Raven replied, meeting her nephew's gaze briefly. Silence once more settled around the table, before Targyn finally spoke up, his gaze lighting on Raven.

"So... when exactly can we expect to spoil a new niece or nephew?" Mika choked on his coffee and Raven dropped the strawberry she'd taken from the plate of fruit; it landed in her coffee with a splash, as Raven turned and gently rubbed her husband's back. After several minutes, he waved her away, and she stopped.

"I'm... sorry... what?" He choked out, finally able to get air into his lungs. Targyn raised an eyebrow.

"It's an honest question. If I remember right, Raven needs an heir by a certain age-"

"Twenty-two." Raven replied, fishing her strawberry out of her coffee and setting on the edge of her plate, a look of disgust on her pretty features at the caffeine-drenched fruit. "I only just turned eighteen, Targyn."

"And we'd like to enjoy our marriage before we go creating a family." Mika replied, pouring a glass of orange juice and taking a sip.

"There isn't going to be any issue, is there?" Vanae asked, worried. Raven frantically shook her head, black curls waving.

"No! Everything's fine! We just-"

"We aren't like you, Tar, no offense. But we don't want to immediately start a family before we're ready. Let us enjoy a few years together before we go making babies."

"Besides, the potion I take lasts three months. When we're ready, then I'll stop taking it. And once I stop taking it, then we'll start trying." She met Mika's gaze, taking his hand. "But for now, I want to enjoy us- only us, our marriage. There will be plenty of time to make children later."

Something flashed in her husband's gaze, and he squeezed her hand. "Ravenna, you know- Marberleian law states that you need to produce an heir by-"

She reached up, covering his mouth with her hand. "I know, Mikalos. I have to produce an heir by my twenty-second birthday. I only just turned eighteen two months ago, and we married not even a week ago. There's plenty of time for us to enjoy our marriage before we start making children. We have four years before I need to have a child growing in my womb."

Again, she saw something flash in his blue eyes, and it tugged at the back of her brain- something she'd buried just before the eve of their wedding, something that had sent shivers down her spine and made her heart stall in her chest. Something she silently feared would never come true.

"...plan on enjoying what little time you will have together... you never know when Fate will steal it away."

She met his gaze, the question clear in her own eyes. Are you thinking-

- what I am? He nodded, and slowly, she lowered her hand. She swallowed thickly, as he took her hand, standing and helping her out of her chair. "Excuse us, Mum, Papa, but there's something we need to discuss in private." Before either could respond, the pair were hurrying down the hall to the room they were staying in. Once safely behind the bedroom door, Mika turned to his wife, who had lowered herself onto the edge of the bed, realizing the conclusion they'd both come too.

"I have a bad feeling about this, my husband." He joined her, settling by her side and taking her hands.

"It can't happen, Nevermore. There's no way-"

"There's always a way, Mika. And what's more, it was a threat, to both your life and mine-"

"And empty threat by an empty man-"

"But what if it comes true? Mika, what if something happens to one of us-"

He took her face in his hands, stopping her. "It won't, Ravenna. I won't let it, I promise." She shook her head, before curling into his chest.

"Don't make me promises you might not be able to keep." She breathed, burying her face in his chest, and he tightened his hold on her. He'd never broken a promise to her yet, and he was determined not to start now.