The Broken Crown
Chapter Six: Family
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Anna
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The memorial had been exhausting both mentally and emotionally. While Kurt and then Erik had given speeches of comfort, Anna had stood with Lorna, Talia, Emma, and Joshua. The Professor had been on the other side of the crowd and he caught Anna's eye a few times. He prodded at her mind, but she politely declined a conversation with him.
It had been a huge relief when the service ended and they returned to Erik's rooms. It turned out what she thought was a closet, had been a rather large guest room. Funny how he didn't mention it the other night and only offered to share his own bed. Anna was grateful to be honest. She had needed to be held in his arms the last few nights. But, now, someone else needed his attention more than her. If she was meant to be queen, then she needed to pull her big girl panties on.
Not twenty minutes after their quiet dinner, Talia was a blue ball of energy and boredom. It was clear form the faint, fond smile on Erik's lips, he was both charmed and bewildered.
So, Anna had made sure that her gloves were secured over her hands and forearms. It would probably be fine if she accidentally touched Talia. She was able to touch Kurt, his fur serving as a barrier, but she would never risk it. Nervously, she watched as Talia jumped onto Kurt's back and giggled hanging off him like a monkey, crawling to his head and playing particular attention to his muscular tail. The two of them had been playing hide-and-seek, but after the smell of sulfur started to stink up the apartment Kurt had put an end to the game. No one called them out on the smell of rotten eggs, no one wanted to be the one to spoil Talia's unabashed glee at playing with someone that was 'just like her!'
Rogue had discretely opened the large window to the breakfast nook, hoping to let in some fresh air. She caught Erik's relieved expression and they shared a knowing smile. He also was willing to put up with the smell if it meant hearing the sound of an innocent toddler's infectious laughter. There was too little to laugh about these days and they would savor these precious moments.
"Ah was wondering, Talia," Anna said, crouching beside the girl who was now sprawled out on the floor panting from the play with her father. "Have you ever gone on a Bear Hunt?"
Golden eyes grew wide as Talia turned towards Rogue. "A bear hunt? Really?"
"Well, it's pretend. Ah'll show you how to play, follow what I do," Anna explained. There were plenty of things from her childhood that were worth forgetting, but before her abilities manifested, her birth parents had been good to her. She remembering reciting the children's book with her mother while her father pretended to be the bear.
"We're going on a Bear Hunt, we're gonna catch a big one. Oh what a beautiful day! I'm not scared! Oh! A field — can't go over it, can't go around it — we have to go through it! Swish swash, swish swash." Anna mimicked the movements of wading through a tall field of grass. Kurt caught on quickly and Talia imitated them. Rogue caught Kurt's golden eyes and his shy smile. It felt so good to see him having fun, especially after he had delivered such an emotional eulogy an hour ago.
"A cave! A deep, dark cave!" Anna started towards Erik. He arched a silvery eyebrow as the trio approached. No doubt, he wasn't aware of this game either. "We have to go through it! Tip toe, tip toe. Oh!" Anna reached for Erik's ears and Talia jumped onto her grandfather's lap and copied her movements. "Two round ears," Anna said and traced her gloved fingers over Erik's ears. Talia did the same. Erik snorted. "A wet nose ," Anna said tapping the tip his nose and earning a narrow-eyed look at this point. "Two eyes."
Erik closed his eyes while Anna drew her fingertips over his eyelids, Talia's nimble fingers doing the same. "Sharp teeth," Anna said, touching either side of Erik's lips and forcing it into a smile. Talia giggled. "It's a bear!"
Erik's icy blue eyes snapped open and he let out a "Roar!"
"It's a bear! Run!" Anna snatched Talia into her arms and flew around the room while Erik gave a slow, lumbering chase, keeping his feet on the ground and half-heartedly reaching for them.
Then Talia teleported until she was on Erik's upper back. "Opa Bear! I caught you!"
"So you have, Meine Enkelin!" Erik rumbled, his voice sounding very bearish.
Witnessing Erik more at peace and happier than she'd ever seen him in the decade of knowing him, Rogue made her decision. While sharing Erik's bed for last few evenings had helped keep her own nightmares at bay, it wasn't fair to him. He had a chance to live stress free with his daughter and granddaughter. Lorna's arrival was a gift and she wouldn't let her selfish desire to be close to Erik rob him of his chance to get to know his family better. It did make Anna realize he'd be such a great father. She really hoped Planet M allowed him to simply be Erik or King Magnus. She didn't want him to have to be Magneto anymore.
"What are you thinking?" Kurt asked, standing at Anna's side. He laid his hand over the center of Anna's upper back, between her shoulder blades. She could feel the heat of his body even through her shirt and his gloves. This wasn't the first time that Kurt seemed attuned to exactly what she needed. She leaned against his shoulder.
"Me? You're the one that's suddenly a father," Anna whispered. "She looks just like you." She smiled, tears springing to her eyes. "You must have been so adorable as a child, Kurt."
"Ja, I was," Kurt agreed, a cocky smile on his face. "She will stay with Lorna and Erik for now," he said quietly. "Gott has certainly blessed us with kleine Talia."
"Ah gave Emma my room. Do you think Ah could stay with you for now?" Anna whispered.
Kurt's hand tightened gently on her back. "Naturlich. Of course. Though, surely it's not necessary. You and Erik are—?"
"Ah don't want to be selfish," Anna worried. "All Erik has ever really wanted — was a family. And here Lorna and Talia just showed up on his doorstep."
"Ja, ich verstehe. I understand," Kurt sighed. "It's starting to get late." He teleported next to Talia and with his tail wrapped around her waist plucked her off her grandfather. "Precious one, it is almost bedtime. Tante Anna and I need to head home for the night. We will be back in the morning for breakfast. Would you like that?"
"Yes, Vati!" Talia smiled, having already picked up the German word for father.
Kurt laughed and met Erik's solemn gaze. "We shall have our little one Deutsch sprechen."
"I suppose we will," Erik agreed. Kurt and Lorna carried Talia to the bathroom where she'd start a bath. "Anna?" He rose from the couch and started towards Rogue. "Are you leaving? I would like you to stay."
It was so tempting! "Ah should give you time with Lorna and Talia," Anna argued. "You and Ah will have time once we settle on Planet M."
"No. I wish to share quarters with you on the ship," Erik confessed. "Would you accept?"
Anna opened her mouth and then snapped it close. She almost retorted with a denial, but she'd agreed to be his queen. She nodded. "Alright."
The relief that flashed across his face shamed Rogue. She didn't think he would care that much! "It's just a couple of nights. Kurt and Ah will be here in the morning for breakfast, if that's okay?"
"Certainly," Erik said, continuing towards Anna. He took her hand in his, slipped her glove off. He traced his fingertips along the length of her forearm towards her palm, running gentle circles. "Sharing family in Talia brings me such hope on the eve of such an auspicious beginning for our kind. While I am overjoyed at a chance to be a grandfather." He looked down into Anna's eyes. "And while I'm sure adoption is a noble option, I should like to have a child withyou Anna. If it's at all possible."
"You're taking this monarchy business serious, eh?" Anna teased. She hoped her jest would mask how her heart rate sped up. She would love to have a child, but she wasn't so greedy to even hope for such a possibility. "Let's focus on the people right here and right now. Ah don't want to spend all my life building castles in the sky."
Erik laughed. He slipped his free hand into her hair, cradled the back of her head and pressed his lips gently against hers. "Meine Liebe, we are literally taking to the skies to build our new home."
He was right, she couldn't even think of an argument with her lips still buzzing from his kiss.
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Erik
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He had watched in disappointment as Rogue packed up her bag. It had been his hope to change her mind while Lorna and Kurt were busy bathing little Talia. Unfortunately, Anna was a stubborn woman. It was a trait that inspired both his admiration and his irritation. Kurt had left about ten minutes prior while Lorna helped Talia settle down for the night.
"I wish you would reconsider, Anna," Erik tried once more to reason with her.
Anna shook her head, dark hair tumbled down her shoulders. "It's been years since you and Lorna have spent time together. Talia has had an exciting evening. Kurt and Ah will be by in the morning."
"Anna," Erik said quietly, laying his hand gently on her shoulder. When she looked up at him, those emerald eyes of hers shimmered with tears. They dried up immediately. The woman was tough as nails. "You don't have to go."
"You need time with your family without your girlfriend around, Erik," Anna murmured.
She was so much more than his girlfriend. "Very well, Anna. I will see you in the morning." Erik reluctantly stepped back from her. He wanted to protest more, but he recognized that stubborn tightening of Rogue's lips and the tension in her spine. How he wanted to pry those lips apart and hold her close until she melted in his embrace!?
Erik had pushed Anna away in the past when he tried to force her to stay by his side. If you love someone, let them go. If they love you, they will return to you.
It had only been a few months ago that he had honored Charles' dying request to lead the X-men in the dream to co-exist with the humans. He felt like a wolf in sheep's clothing. That dream turned into a nightmare and Charles wasn't even dead!
However, it did bring Anna back into his life. When he'd been riddled by uncertainty upon coming to the X-men's school, Anna had been there, building his confidence. There were some days, when he felt particularly low, that he wondered if her only attraction to him was her ability to touch him. If that had been the case, they'd have fallen into bed under the sheets by now. Instead, there were words of encouragement, shoulder rubs, hand holding, soft kisses and late night cuddles.
She was back in his life and they would be starting a new life together, leading their people, on a virgin planet without the threat of another Holocaust. He'd heard stories of Bishop's future, mutants wearing power-dampening collars, placed in concentration camps and forced to labor for the base humans. He would do everything in his power to make sure that future never came to pass. His hands fisted at his side and the metallic pieces of his chest board vibrated before he forced his anger to subside.
He would do as Anna suggested, give her space and focus on his relationships with his Lorna and Talia. He would be forming a monarch with Anna as his queen. And he fully intended to have more children and watch the House of Magnus grow. Nothing had brought him more joy in his life than fatherhood and he wanted Anna to be part of that journey.
Erik leaned heavily on the railing to his balcony watching as Anna flew across the fallen city towards Kurt's apartment. As if sensing his gaze upon her, Rogue turned to face him, waved and then ducked inside the other building out of his sight.
The Shi'ar shuttle was in the middle of the city in an area that had been cleared out only that morning. His citizens were working diligently to load goods onto this shuttle and the first wave of those refugees would be settling onto the star cruiser by tomorrow afternoon. He glanced up at the full moon, amazed to know that on the dark side of the moon the long promised salvation for his people had finally arrived. He hoped, nay, he prayed that this was truly the Utopia he craved and not another dream ready to be destroyed.
He honestly wasn't sure his old heart could tolerate another crushed dream. The endless grief he'd suffered since childhood was almost crushing.
He let his gaze sweep across the fallen city once more. Erik was so done with Earth and was ready to lead his people to their new home. He stepped back inside his apartment, turned on his stereo at a low volume so as not to disturb his granddaughter in the guest room. He stretched out on his sofa and stared up at his ceiling while listening to some classic seventies rock music. Even he could admit that while only human, The Eagles were talented musicians.
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Lorna said softly, after putting young Talia to sleep and closing the door to the guest room. "It wasn't my intention to come between you and Anna." She sat on the arm of the couch near his feet.
"Do not be sorry, Lorna. I'm very pleased to have you here. And little Talia is an absolute blessing," Erik said calmly, turning to look at his beloved daughter. He knew without a doubt that Lorna and Anya would have gotten along. They had similar dispositions — big hearts, brilliant minds, and courage for miles. The fact that he and Polaris shared the same mutant ability truly made him both proud and excited. It also gave him hope that any child he might have with Rogue might be similarly blessed. In a perfect world, she would be able to carry a child and then be able to hold and cuddle that child like any other mother. She deserved to be able to touch more than just himself. He wasn't one-hundred percent sure about the reason behind her tears earlier, but he suspected it was his voicing his desire to have a child with her.
"She is, isn't she?" Lorna leaned forward and braced her forearms on her knees. "I was pretty surprised when Wanda showed up on my doorstop with a little clone of Kurt." A faint smile curved her lips. "Talia is incredibly mischievous, but she's so sweet natured. Thank God, she takes after her father." She sat up and ran her fingers through her long, bright green hair. "Wanda has quite the temper. I can only imagine what a terror she was as a child."
"Pietro has told me some stories," Erik murmured. It was a sore point, knowing that he had three grown children and yet had no part in their upbringing. All he'd ever longed for in life — safety for mutant kind and a family of his own. Perhaps now, he would be able to taste both. He so sincerely hoped so. "Anna and I had actually talked about our interest in children — hopefully in the near future. I just hadn't realized we'd be rewarded by having such a darling come into our lives at just this moment."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I've never been one to beat around the bush. I figure if you want something, you proclaim it and then take it." She yawned and covered her mouth with a fist. "You know, I was serious about the first major celebration at our new colony should be the union between you and Anna. I assume she is agreeable?" Lorna asked. She turned towards him, her green eyes dancing with amusement.
Erik found himself lost in her Spring green gaze for a moment. He had a thing for green eyes. He didn't remember much about Lorna's mother, except her green eyes. Though he'd only truly been captivated by one woman's green eyes. He sincerely hoped that he would father children with Anna and that they would have her beautiful emerald green eyes. He cleared his throat. "I went all out to propose to my first wife back in my youth. I should wish to do something elaborate and special for Anna. She's very low-maintenance, but I know she's a romantic at heart."
At least, Erik thought she was low-maintenance in general. However, under the sheets, Anna Marie was insatiable and he was eager to taste her again. He had to remind himself, it was all in due time. They needed to prioritize and he had a lot to do — lead their people, establish a new colony on an Eden of a planet, make sure Anna was unquestionably in love with him, reconnect with the progeny that wanted to connect with him. He was thrilled to have Lorna at his side and Talia as well. The fact that Talia was Anna's niece and their family tree was entangled made his chest ache in a good way.
"So, the House of Magnus," Lorna mused. "I talked to some other people on the island — they're thrilled to have a Royal Family. There is some concern about Mystique — she has made quite a few enemies."
"Anna, Kurt, and Talia are part of the House of Magnus. Raven is not," Erik said firmly. He'd dealt with Mystique for the better part of half a century. She was slippery as an eel and not to be trusted. "I'm going to turn in for the night. Good night, Lorna. It's really good to have you here."
"It's nice to be wanted, Dad," Lorna said, smiling softly.
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Anna
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She clinked the long neck of the beer bottle against Kurt's as they sat side by side on the roof of his building. Neither said anything for the longest time, merely watched the stars in the sky. She wondered if the constellations would be different on Planet M or if they would be opposite. How did a Mirror Dimension even work? Would she become left-handed on their new home world?
"What are you thinking, Schwester?" Kurt asked.
"Just wondering if I'm going to become left-handed when we reach Planet M," Anna answered. She waved around her empty bottle in her left hand.
Kurt chuckled, stretching his arm over Anna's shoulders and drawing her to his side. He tucked her head under his chin. "I don't think that's how it works."
"Ah guess we will find out," Anna answered, closing her eyes and enjoying the simple affection of family. Kurt was another person that touched her without even thinking. He said his fur gave him a protective barrier, but that wasn't something she was willing to risk with little Talia. "What are you thinking, big bro?"
"I am thinking that my best friend has chosen to stay behind," Kurt said. "Logan and I spoke over the phone earlier. Several of the X-men are staying behind to continue to try and find a place of co-existence with the humans."
That was unfortunate. Logan was one of Rogue's closest friends and was Kurt's best friend. However, Jean planned to stay on Earth and so did Ororo. She wasn't surprised he would choose to stay with them. "You know he taught me everything I know about being a mechanic."
"Did he now? I never considered patience as one of Logan's strengths," Kurt mused. "What do think about Mutter? Have you heard from her?"
"Honestly?" Anna leaned back to meet Kurt's pensive expression. "She's probably been here all along masquerading as someone else. She and Erik don't exactly have an amiable relationship." Just like Kurt, she had mixed feelings about her foster mother. "She has made a lot of terrible decisions, but I do think they have all stemmed from her desire to survive. It is hard to be kind when you are constantly struggling with persecution. Sometimes I forget she's two centuries old."
"Raven's natural form is distinctly other. I am grateful that Talia will have a chance to grow up without being persecuted for her appearance," Kurt said quietly. "I suspect this is why Wanda had her brought to me, though I would have preferred to have known about her before."
"You know about her now," Anna said sagely, reaching for Kurt's gloved hand and threading their fingers together. "Ah guess it's important we stop dwelling on past woes. We can't fix them, can only move past them."
Kurt squeezed her hand. "Is that why you're staying with me instead of with Erik? Are you worried about past woes?"
"Nothing like that," Anna argued. "Ah don't want to depend on him too heavily. Ah need to be strong enough to pull my own weight. He's Lorna's Daddy, not mine. He asked me to be his partner, his queen, so I gotta focus on being strong enough to do that." She sat up and turned towards her brother. "Ah thought it might be helpful to talk to Remy. Tell him goodbye one last time."
"Ja, that might help. Closure is important, Anna," Kurt murmured. "The Memorial was nice, but the wounds in our heart are still fresh. At breakfast tomorrow, I should like to discuss building a church on Planet M. Do you think Erik will be open to the idea?"
"He's always been one to support religious freedom, so long as it didn't infringe upon others," Anna answered. The desire to provide safety for his people to practice their faith had always been paramount for Erik, his childhood experience of persecution uniquely shaped him. "He's not particularly religious himself." Honestly, aside from his being circumcised and the tattoo on his forearm, she wouldn't even know he was Jewish. And that was more by a happenstance of birth rather than a choice.
"Do you want me to go with you? To talk to Remy?" Kurt asked.
She was tempted to go by herself, but Gambit was Kurt's friend too. She wasn't the only one missing his witty banter and charming personality. "Yeah, Ah'd appreciate the company."
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