This chapter is rather short, because I'm working on the longfic I've been talking about (and real life, of course). Review, please, and tell me what you think!

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Kyle wiped his brow. Plowing the fields in the heat was hard work, but he knew that at harvest time seeing the fruits of his labor would make all this sweat and effort worth it. Besides, he liked working in the soil.

Beside him his eleven-year-old daughter watered the seeds he had just buried in the warm earth.

"Hey, dad," she said, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face.

"Hm?"

"When did you know mom was the one?"

"When? You'll have to give me a second on that one." He thought it over in his mind. It was a good question, actually. It was hard to remember the exact moment when he knew without doubt that Cecilia was the one for him. Sure, he had always liked her, but he had also liked others too. He had fond memories of hanging out with Alicia and Mana and Rosalind and…everything female, actually.

Quite suddenly he remembered one day when Cecilia had asked to meet him in the woods and then told him Jake had asked her hand in marriage.

He remembered feeling chills. Married…to him? It would have meant the end of everything they had. Everything. And that scared him silly. So he said the only thing he knew to say; he pledged to marry her if only she wouldn't marry Jake. It was the closest he'd ever come to begging but, damn it all, he didn't want his Ceci to be gone forever.

But as he looked at his little daughter, he knew she wouldn't understand. And maybe she'd gag at all that 'romantic stuff'. So he told her about a different event.

"Well, Aria, I would say it was when your mom made me propose to her in a highly dangerous, monster-filled dungeon."

"There?"

"Why, yes, and then she asked me if I liked my girls weird. I knew we were meant to be from that moment on."

"…that's it? That's weird."

"Hey, weird is in your genes on both sides. You best not be insulting it just yet."

"But it's so…anticlimactic and not romantic."

"Well, I'll tell you what. You can go out and see if you can't do any better than that. But, I'm telling you, times of honesty like that are the best. You see, your mother was just getting an undeniable fact out of the way first. Wouldn't it be horrible if I went into the marriage thinking she was the normal little Ceci every one else assumed she was? But, never fear, she got that out of the way real quick. I knew exactly what I was getting into, and I didn't care. Not one bit. Now that's romance for you."

"..."

"Yes, good honest romance."

"Did you at least have to save her from a monster or something?"

"Nope."

"So you two went in to a horrible, monster-filled dungeon without a scratch just so she could ask for a proposal and tell you she's weird?"

"Yep."

"I'm sorry, daddy. I wish things could be more interesting for you."

"Back in my day, things rarely got more interesting than what was on the request board. These days you kids go exploring dungeons so deep you can't see the end."

"I don't go into dungeons any more. Not since after you grounded me." From the way her big brown eyes shifted and from how she suddenly looked unsteady that she was lying through her teeth. Honestly, though, he didn't feel like arguing about this today…again. So he only gave her a look that made her sure he knew what she was up to, all the while he was thankful that, at the very least, she was a horrible liar.

"So, was mom really weird?"

"Extraordinarily. From what I hear, she was strange even when she was a little girl. Of course, I didn't know her then."

"So…being weird is okay?"

"For you, it's inevitable. What with who your parents are…"

"Wow. Maybe I'll find a weird boy of my own someday."

Kyle laughed. "Hahaha…no you won't."

"A normal boy?"

"We aren't talking about boys ever. Not until you're fifty."

"But—"

"Nope."

From behind them, they both heard someone say, "I brought something to eat." It was Cecilia. Aria hungrily snatched the basket from her hand and began to eat.

"So, Kyle," Cecilia began. "I heard you two talking and I just wanted to say that of course Aria is going to find someone special for her."

"She's eleven," he said.

"Yes, well, it will happen one day."

"I don't think about it."

"I don't see why it bothers you so much, Kyle! It's a perfectly wonderful thing."

"But she's too young for that sort of thing. Right, Aria?"

"Actually, dad," she said, between bites. "I'm already married."

Both adults stared at her, stunned.

"Just ask Gordon! It's going to be our second anniversary in a week!"

"…Gordon MARRIED you?" said Kyle. "To whom?!"

"To Orland! And then Roy! And then Leonel! It's really hard to keep up with all the anniversaries, though, but I manage. It's really fun! I got to wear my best dress and I looked really pretty. Then we pledged our eternal love to each other forever and ever! And I have a lot of love, seeing as how I have to spread it out amongst all of my husbands. Cammy said I had a whole harem! But I don't really know what that means…and it made Orland sort of mad when I mentioned it…"

"And when did this happen exactly?" Kyle said.

"When you were away."

"Why didn't you do something about it, Ceci?!"

"Because I don't panic about these things like you do. If she wants to pretend to be married, I think it's a perfectly adorable, healthy way to be. It's preparing her for real marriage. Why, if she wants to pretend to be married to a boy…or three…" She stopped. "Oh. I think I get what you mean now…Aria, which one do you like the most? Perhaps you should teach yourself a little something about commitment."

"What?" said Kyle. "She doesn't need boys! Dump them all. And what are you doing with Orland, anyway? He's a near replica of his father. And Roy's too old for you! And Leonel's…tolerable…except for the hat. But, that's not the point. No boys, missy, until you're ninety-two. And even then you'll have to write a letter asking first."

Cecilia snorted. "That's right. Just listen to your father and be a single for the rest of your life."

"Actually, mom," Aria said. "Dad's right. I don't need boys. I mean, it's sort of fun, but I'm okay by myself. You know, I just like having some company." She smiled. "Maybe I'll stay married now to see how I like it. If I do, I'm sure it'll be a fun time." She smiled. "But if I don't that's okay."

"There's really no need to rush, anyway," Kyle said.

Covered in filth and sweat (other than Cecilia, who was well-polished and wearing her favorite sunhat), they all made their way back into the house, with Cecilia whispering something along the lines of, "Three boys? My, she does take after you."

To which, Kyle whispered, "Funny how, despite all those girls, I still chose you."

To that, Cecilia only smiled.

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This chapter was inspired by my thinking about how Cecilia gets Kyle to propose to her. It's one of the funniest moments in the game. "Do you like weird girls, Kyle?" "Yes, now marry me." You'd think Kyle would know better than chasing after weird girls…Well, they're both off-their-rockers but at least their off-their-rockers together.