Title: All Marked Up (Elise x Odin)
They stand across from each other wordlessly. Ophelia lies between her mother and father in her crib, and lets out little gurgles and giggles.
Elise looks at her baby girl lovingly, but she can't help when her eyes wander to Ophelia's arm. It's such an odd looking birthmark. Her hand reaches out to gently touch the mark. It's smooth to touch.
Through her peripheral vision, she can see her husband tense up, and she looks towards him with a look of confusion.
"Odin?" She calls to him. "Are you okay? You've been unusually quiet. That's not really like you."
"H-huh? Me?" It isn't long before Odin starts to smile. Elise can tell that it's forced. "I've just been admiring the beauty that is our daughter! She looks… just like my mother."
The smile is gone now; a somber look has taken its place. "Your mother must have been beautiful," the words leave Elise's lips almost in a whisper. "Did your mom have that weird birthmark that Ophelia has?"
"What? Er-" Odin begins to sweat. "My mother never had a mark like that…"
Elise's eyes widen. "Woah, really? Huh, I guess it is just an oddly shaped birthmark then. Wow Ophelia, you're so cute with your little mark! We should give it a name, right Odin?"
He shakes his head. "No, I don't think we should…"
Odin refuses to name something? "Are you okay, honey? You always love naming things!"
"Yeah, but…" He doesn't get to finish his sentence as Camillla enters the room almost theatrically, her brothers trailing behind her.
"Oh, I knew I'd find you both here. I've been waiting all day to see my little niece!" She coos. "Ophelia, Auntie Camilla is here to see you, my dear!"
As Camilla holds Ophelia close to her, Xander and Leo can't help but watch with smiles on their faces. "She's going to grow up to be such an amazing woman," Xander comments.
"Ah, I thank you, milord," says Odin, and Xander almost scoffs.
"Please, Odin. We're a family now." He says. "Xander is fine."
Odin gives a small laugh. "Alright them milor – ah, Xander. This might take some getting used to."
Leo hums. "What were the two of you talking about earlier, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Oh my," Camilla teases. "How naughty you are, Leo! Prying will get you nowhere. Right, Ophelia? Uncle Leo has been naughty."
Ophelia giggles at this, and Leo sighs. To be mocked by his sister and niece? How annoying. Elise laughs it off.
"We were talking about what to name that weird little birthmark she has on her arm! Right, Odin?" She chirps.
"Birthmark?" Camilla and Xander parrot. The two of them look at Ophelia's arm to see the mark. How did they not notice it before? "How peculiar…" Xander murmurs.
"It's a… it's a family thing," Odin finally speaks up.
The royal children look to him, waiting for him to continue, and he does. "Back in my hometown, we called it the Brand of the Exalt. It's a… a pact with the leader of the Divine Dragons."
"This almost sounds like a fairytale Odin," Camilla says.
He shakes his head. "I assure you, it isn't. The mark tells the story of the Exalt who dared to point his sword at the fell dragon, of a woman who was courageous enough to jump through time – heroes who –!"
"It sounds exactly like a fairytale Odin," Xander says. "But, the story has gotten little Ophelia interested."
In Camilla's arms, Ophelia giggles, her eyes are fixated only on her father. Odin smiles weakly.
"Do you have this birthmark, Odin?" Leo asks.
"No, I do not…" he answers. At least, not anymore.
"Oh, why are we making so much commotion over this? It's something very unique, let's just leave it as that," Camilla says. "Auntie Camilla as some work to do little one, but she'll come to see you soon, okay?"
Ophelia is placed back into her crib, and the rest of the royal siblings leave the room, Elise is quick to turn to Odin and hold his hands.
"E-Elise?"
"Tell me all about your home town and the fell dragon!" She says with a smile on her face.
Odin is shocked. "You… you actually believed me?"
She nods. "Of course. I noticed how reluctant you were to talk about it earlier, so it all must be true." Her fingers suddenly fill the spaces between his. "Start from the beginning. And don't leave out any details."
Odin breathes in and out slowly before meeting his wife's eyes. "My mother… was a princess. My father, a swordsman. They bestowed upon me the name Owain."
"Owain," she repeats. The name is foreign on her tongue, but it isn't a bad thing. "I think that's a beautiful name."
He blushes. As the story continues on, Elise can't help but stare at her husband in awe. She gets to learn about who he really is.
And he's still the same charismatic, heroic man she fell in love with in the first place.
