Chapter Text
Emil and Marta Castagnier spoke about kids a few days after their wedding. Marta wanted any children that may come their way. They wouldn't make a conscious effort to conceive, but they wouldn't prevent any pregnancies, either. She had wanted a family for a long time and loved the idea that any day now, they would find out that they were having a baby. She thought it would be so sweet and romantic.
Emil was hesitant. He worried that he would not be a good father, and did not know if he would be ready. He never really had parents, after all. Any memories he had of his childhood, including time spent with his apparent father, were false. When he thought about it, he didn't have very many, anyway. There were gaps in his memory he hadn't noticed during the six months before he and Marta started their journey. Alba never raised his voice or hand to Emil after he returned from the Ginnungagap, but even after three years, no real familial love grew. Emil tried, but while there was mutual respect between them, he never thought of Alba as being like a father. Marta's enthusiasm was contagious, and her assurances that he would be a good father were comforting. Emil was willing to at least try. He agreed that it would be nice to see their little family grow.
Over two years had passed since they were married. In the interim, the Aselia Union officially opened and the young couple had major advisory roles in the Palmacosta branch. It was a nonprofit organization created by the Tethe'allan monarchy, some of the larger governments in Sylvarant, Regal Bryant, and Marta. Its purpose was to bring Sylvaranti and Tethe'allans together and prevent future tragedies like the Blood Purge. Aselia was apparently the name given to the world before it was split. Much of their day-to-day work involved reviewing reports on regions that bordered each other and conflicts between the formerly separate worlds. They also went out on peacekeeping missions, settled disputes, tracked trends in trade between the "worlds," organized cultural events, and even the odd festival. Their other friends lent their aid whenever they could.
Marta was glad that they would be able to make real strides in bringing the once separate worlds together. It seemed appropriate that she helped to create the organization whose purpose was to forge peace and understanding after helping her father to create the Vanguard all those years ago. It was a lot of varied work, and there were talks of splitting up the Aselia Union into more focused groups, although that would likely not happen until many years later. She might even become head of one of those branches, but she was assured that would be years away as well. Even if Marta surprised herself at how adept she was at diplomacy, she was definitely not ready to become a formal leader. While she still wanted children, her current duties kept her preoccupied.
With how busy she and Emil were with the Palmacosta branch, Marta didn't think it too strange that she was fatigued. Yet, should she really have felt that tired? When she started to bloat and her breasts felt sore, she thought that it meant her menstruation would start soon. It wasn't the most punctual thing, so she didn't think too much of it that it was almost six weeks since her last one. A week later and all she experienced was some light spotting. The bloating and tenderness did not subside. It took her feeling nauseated for a few days, then vomiting to realize what might have been going on.
"Marta!" Emil exclaimed, following her outside. The front door was closer to the kitchen than the bathroom and she just didn't think to use the waste bin. She threw up her breakfast into a nearby bush. Her husband, face creased with worry, helped her back to her feet, and asked, "Are you getting sicker? I can take you to the doctor."
Am I? Am I really? That was morning sickness, right? Marta thought.
"How?" Marta said, stunned. She immediately wanted to roll her eyes at herself. She glanced at Emil slyly, "Of course I know how."
"Huh?"
The initial shock passed over Marta, replaced with a thrilling realization. She had practiced in her mind, at least for a year, how she would tell Emil the news. She never thought he would be right there once she strongly suspected it. She could have tried to play innocent for now, confirm it later, then surprise Emil. She quickly decided against the idea. It would not be fair to her husband to hide it from him, and she was too excited to keep it bottled up.
Marta turned to face Emil. She could feel herself blush as she said, "I don't need a doctor now, but maybe …. a midwife soon?"
The blonde man blinked, "Mid … wife?"
Marta wrapped her arms around Emil and loudly whispered in his ear, "I, I think I might be pregnant."
Her husband blushed furiously, his eyes widening as he replied, "Y-you're …! P-pregnant? A-are you sure?"
"I'm not sure. That's why I said 'I think.' If we get some of those Tethe'allan pregnancy tests, then we can be sure." Marta heard they weren't one hundred percent accurate, but they were certainly better than waiting about five months to feel the baby move, or using old wives' tales tests that were hit or miss (more miss than hit, really), then waiting five months.
Emil was stunned for a moment longer. He then raised his arms to embrace Marta back and rested his head on her shoulder.
"I-I hope so! I really hope so! I was starting to worry that we couldn't have children," the young man said, his familiar voice sounding choked up. The twenty-three-year-old Emil did not have his sixteen-year-old youthful voice anymore, but Marta couldn't help but notice how despite sounding like Ratatosk now, he still had his uneasy manner of speaking at times.
"You were worried about that?" Marta asked.
"Well, yeah. It's been more than two years since we've been married. Colette got pregnant only a few months after she and Lloyd were married. Sheena, too, and she and Zelos got married after we did. It seemed like everyone else had babies quickly after their weddings. Tenebrae also said that there was a possibility because I'm part of a summon spirit, I couldn't get you pregnant. I was starting to worry that he might have been right."
"Oh Emil," Marta said comfortingly, rubbing his head, "Everyone is different. Some couples take ten years to get pregnant, while others have a baby every year. Sure, some of them never have children, but you can't be sure until it happens, or doesn't."
"I … I see." Emil picked his head back up, blushing again, "Look at me, jumping to conclusions."
"We should make sure I really am pregnant. Then, I guess, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. The store in the center of the city should have some tests. Come on." Emil nodded.
Besides, I could use something for this nausea.
An hour later, they returned to Marta's childhood home that was now theirs with three pregnancy tests and medicine made from ginger root. The couple was soon in the bathroom, watching the urine-soaked sticks with anticipation, Emil's arm around Marta's shoulder. After five minutes, the center of the sticks was supposed to change color: red for negative and blue for positive. The multiple tests were to better ensure accuracy. Sylvaranti having easy access to the devices changed their lives in the eight years since the worlds were united.
It felt like an eternity to Marta, and she imagined, to Emil, too. Hopeful or not, excited for not, this could change everything. So many thoughts went through her head about their future, about herself, and about her husband. She wanted this baby if it was one. What would they do if the tests didn't agree with each other? How would Emil react if she turned out not to have been pregnant?
Eventually, all three changed color, one after the other, to a deep blue. The two blinked repeatedly as if they were trying to clear their vision. Wife and husband then turned to each other, exchanging similar wide, happy smiles.
"I'm pregnant!" Marta exclaimed loudly.
"You're pregnant!" Emil exclaimed at the same time. He laughed joyfully and picked Marta up, then walked out of the bathroom, spinning her around once. "We're having a baby!" Emil added before he gave Marta a huge kiss. He then set her down and continued, "Sorry, I got a little carried away. I probably shouldn't spin you around like that now."
"It's okay, Emil. I'm excited, too! I'm almost surprised you are. You were nervous about having children when we first talked about them."
Emil rubbed his head sheepishly, "I'm still worried about it. I still don't really know what it's like to be or even have a father. W-what if I'm no good at being a dad? W-what if I never learn and our kid hates me?."
Marta frowned, "Oh no, I think I just made you more worried. I'm sorry."
Emil gave her a guilty look and said, "No, don't be sorry. It's not your fault at all. I just get apprehensive when I start thinking about the bad things that could happen. But, I am looking more forward to having a baby than I was even a few months ago."
"Really?"
"Yeah. At first, I was worried that maybe I couldn't give you the children you wanted. I didn't want you to become sad, so I never mentioned it before and hoped I was wrong. Then, over time, I thought about what it would be like to start a family."
The young man looked at Marta in her eyes, his serious, yet affectionate expression making her blush a little, "I love you, Marta. I want to always make you happy. At first, I wanted to have children with you because it would make you happy. Later, I realized I want to have children for me, too. I want to be the father I never had. I want to do my best to raise kids, you with." He then hung his head and continued, "Then I start worrying about if I'll be a good father or not, then I worry that maybe I couldn't get you pregnant at all. It's a vicious cycle. I guess I feel a little better now since you actually are pregnant."
"Oh, Emil. You're always a worrywart." Marta said teasingly. She then said, "I'm nervous about this too, a little."
"You are?"
"Of course I am. I'm so happy about it, but it's still a lot to take in. Am I really ready to be a mother? Will I be a good mom? Will the baby be born healthy, or will something happen to them, or even to me? A lot of early pregnancies end in miscarriage, too. "
"Oh … Marta—"
She cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. "But I'm not letting any of that get me down. I want to have this baby with you. " She touched his right cheek and said, "And I'm sure you'll be a great father, Emil. You're so kind and considerate. You've become more thoughtful since we were teenagers, too. I thin—I know you'll be a wonderful, devoted father."
Emil blushed again, then said, "I'll … I'll definitely try my hardest to live up to that. I'll become a good father because I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mother."
Marta chuckled warmly at the compliment. Emil kissed her, then rubbed his right hand over her lower belly.
"I'm probably only a month along. You won't be able to feel anything for a while," Marta said. She felt bloated, but it didn't show on her.
"I know," Emil replied "I just want to let the baby know that they have a great mom. And a dad who will do his best, even if he's both excited and worried at the same time."
Marta smiled, then placed both of her hands over the hand he had on her abdomen, "They have a great dad who will do his best because he's excited and worried at the same time." Emil laughed softly at that.
The excitement made Marta feel tired, even though it was still the early afternoon. Fortunately, it was their day off. Marta felt well enough for them to have lunch. When they finished eating, Emil carried her to their bedroom. He gently set his wife on their bed, then laid down next to her. Emil placed his hand back on her belly.
"It's almost hard to believe," he said quietly, "There's a tiny life inside you. They're going to be a new person. All because of us; all because we love each other."
"I know! It really is incredible! Just wait until they're born. We'll have to be careful not to spoil them too rotten," Marta agreed.
"They'll be irresistible, with your cheerful spirit and silky hair," Emil said
"They'll be just as irresistible if they're shy, caring, and adorable with your beautiful, green eyes."
"Your eyes are beautiful, too. Marta. They would be just as amazing with your eyes."
"My eyes are nowhere near as special as yours, though."
Marta and Emil continued back and forth for the better part of an hour, discussing anything and everything to do with the baby. What their child would be like. What a great parent the other would make. When they would tell Marta's father and Emil's aunt and uncle. When they would tell their friends and everyone at the Aselia Union. Who to ask about a good midwife. The expectant parents soon drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.