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Around two years had passed since the fateful first meeting between Vil and Leona. The captain still remembered from time to time the fierceness in the prince’s face that day. It was what he had found attractive to begin with, those bright amethysts looking at the pirate with the kind of confidence one could only have if he was strong. Even now, when Vil slept next to him, Leona could see that strength, that fierceness. It was morning, and despite the fact that the lion did not usually wake up first, this was not an exception. Vil had been having problems sleeping several times lately.

The younger said it was because he had nothing to do and everything would go back to normal once he found something to do. The brunette disagreed, so he had decided to set sail to the port where Azul lived to make him examine Vil with his magic. The magician used his powers to make deals, but he could do much more. Unlike Kalim, Azul was extremely powerful and had come to learn many types of magic.

The feline lay on his side to watch Vil, who was sleeping face down. The prince had let his hair grow, so now his golden hair covered his naked back. Leona moved Vil’s bangs away from his face and smiled. The blond always looked relaxed and calm when he was asleep. Leona loved it. He caressed the younger’s face softly with a single finger. He could have never imagined they would end up like this, together, naked, especially not after that awful first impression.

The lion could not forget the hatred in the prince’s eyes, the way his hands shook as he spoke about his past, his fragility when he discovered his cousin was trying to get rid of him and let the corsair embrace him. But Vil was so strong he had managed to leave all that behind and keep going, he had abandoned his fear to follow the path he really wanted to follow with that man. The older’s chest warmed when he thought about it, although he would never, ever, tell that to his queen, who was already opening his eyes to the lion’s touch.

“Leona…” yawned Vil in a low voice, “good morning…”

“Good morning, trouble sleeping again?”

“Yes, I wanted to go look at the sky, but winter is coming already and it’s too cold out there at night. So I simply stayed here and waited until my eyes closed.”

“Well, we’re in the middle of autumn, nights will be colder and colder,” commented the buccaneer. “How are you feeling? You had a headache yesterday, are you better?”

“Yes, but I’m a bit dizzy.”

“Then I don’t think you should eat, just in case, I don’t want you to throw up.” The prince nodded. “Should I ask Jamil for a cup of tea or something?”

“It could help me, thank you.”

Leona kissed the younger’s lips briefly and stood. He quickly took the clothes on the floor and put them on before leaving. Once alone, Vil yawned again and raised from the bed as well. Mornings were difficult lately, he normally woke feeling nausea which disappeared around midday in the best of cases but could last for the entire day. He got up and tried to ignore his dizziness as he got dressed. Then, he took a thick shawl from the chest, covered his shoulders with it and sat on a chair.

He had left a book on the table the previous night, so he took it and continued reading it or, at least, he tried. After a while, the door opened and the captain entered with a steaming cup, Rook was behind him. The brunette left the cup on the table beside the blond, and Vil grabbed it and took a sip of the bitter drink.

“Drink slowly,” said Leona. “Jamil says it will help you.”

“We hope so. Rook, can I ask why you’re here?”

“Oh, I just crossed paths with Roi du leon when he was leaving Monsieur multi-skilled’s room and I got worried,” explained the hunter. “You’ve been feeling sick for a few days and it’s the first time this kind of thing happens to you when the red comes.”

“Em…” hesitated Vil. “The red hasn’t come yet.”

“Pardon? Roi du poison, I have it perfectly measured. Your red should have come last week but it didn’t, so it must have come this week.”

“Rook, I can guarantee it hasn’t come.”

“Trust me, it hasn’t,” commented Leona.

Rook paled but managed to smile anyway. He looked alternatively to both of them, prince and pirate, and then scratched the back of this neck insistently before speaking again:

“I think maybe Monsieur multi-skilled should check Roi du poison. He has enough medical skill to know what happens to him.”

“You know what happens to Vil?”

“Bon… I may have an idea. But you should better trust someone who actually knows some medicine.”

The couple shared a confused look but guessed they should trust the knight. That guy knew Vil’s body better than Vil himself, which felt creepy most of the time if not always. Therefore, it would not be a good idea to ignore his suggestion of asking Jamil to check on Vil.

***

Leona’s back rested against the wall as he waited for Jamil to let him enter. When they went to ask him to check on Vil, he had not allowed the captain to go inside the room too, and he had to wait outside. After a while, the cabin door opened and Jamil closed it behind him. He seemed very serious and was looking at the older with worry.

“What’s it?” wondered the lion, already feeling uneasy.

“We need to have a serious talk,” answered the boy in a low voice. “I didn’t tell Vil because I don’t know how he will react but… Leona, he’s pregnant. I don’t have a way to prove it, but it’s the only thing that makes sense right now.”

“Oh, fuck.”

“That’s the only thing you come up to say? Really?” Jamil seethed. “I thought he couldn’t handle penetration.”

“Well, it’s been a while. We’ve been trying little by little, and now we do it like that from time to time.”

“I’m going to kill you both. Why none of you remembered to use abortive potions?” Jamil seethed again. “What do you want to do? Do I give him abortive herbs and tell him it’s medicine? But I warn you, it won’t be painless. Preventive potions are one thing, but once the creature is, well, a creature… it might hurt a lot.”

“No, Vil, he-“ Leona sighed. “Vil said some time ago he’d like to have kids. But I don’t know, I don’t think he’s over all his shit and I have no idea how he’d deal with something like this right now. I can’t give you an answer just yet.”

“We’ll get to Azul’s in a few more days, you must think about it. I won’t tell him a thing, and you shouldn’t either. The last thing he needs is for us to destabilise him. But you need to talk to him and make a choice.”

“Shouldn’t we tell him and let him decide? It’s his body.”

“Leona, if I’m telling you and not him, it’s because I don’t trust him to make the right choice,” replied the younger, seriously. “You may think this isn’t the right way to do this, but I don’t care. I’m doing what I think I have to do.”

“And your suggestion?”

“Get rid of the creature as soon as possible. It’s not only a huge responsibility Vil’s not emotionally ready for, it’s something that will change your lives completely. But this is just my opinion. Come on, enter, he’s ready to go.”

Jamil opened the door to let Leona go inside. The prince sat on the bed with an angry expression on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. When he saw the feline, though, he seemed to relax a bit.

“Will you finally tell me what’s wrong with me?” seethed the prince.

“I’m not sure,” responded Jamil. “It seems you ate something poorly conserved and these are the consequences. I’ll see if I have some herbs to help you recover, but I make no promises. For the time being, rest and eat well. If I find something useful, I’ll let you know.”

“Well, I guess this will do until Azul can check me,” sighed Vil. “What I don’t understand is why you had to tell Leona first.”

“I wanted to discuss with him the better way to explain the situation to you. You may leave. Don’t overwork, and if you feel dizzy or bad again, rest.”

“Okay, okay. I can take care of my body, I don’t need life instructions.”

Vil rolled his eyes and got up. He approached the captain and held his arm to pull him out of the room. When they returned to their cabin, the blond sighed once more and lie down on the mattress, strangely tired. Leona sat by his side and caressed his face tenderly. The lion could see it in his eyes, the prince knew they were keeping him in the dark about something, but Leona did not think he will ask. After being together for so long, they had learned to trust each other and talk about everything, but also to wait until the other was ready to speak.

The corsair did not like to hide things from his lover, especially regarding such delicate matters that affected the blond so directly. However, he could not deny he feared Vil’s reaction. It was true Vil had told him he would like to have a child someday, but he had never mentioned it again since that first trip to the Rose Kingdom. The feline was not sure if he would be able to handle a pregnancy and all that it implied. It may be dangerous for him, and the last thing the older wanted was to put Vil’s life at risk after all he had been through. Yet he did not believe this to be the right choice. He was so confused.

***

In the afternoon, Leona let Vil rest in their room and went outside. He never believed he would say this, but he needed some fresh air to clear his thoughts. Everything in the deck was the same, his men were working (or pretending they worked), Kalim was trying to do something useful, and Jack and Ruggie made sure things went smoothly. Or, more exactly, Ruggie was making sure Rook did not disturb the crew. Leona could not understand why the hyena liked him, he was noisy, annoying, clingy, and had a creepy obsession with beastmen.

The feline could not understand why his queen was friends with him either. Vil was refined, elegant, and all he did he did it carefully and dignifiedly. The hunter, though, was agile like a fox but also boisterous like a kid in a toy shop. And the toys, unluckily, were all those who had animal ears. Yet that madman was exactly what Leona needed right now. As if his day could not get worse. He approached Rook and Ruggie in a way he showed he would rather be doing literally anything else in the world.

“Hey, how’s Vil?” inquired his first mate.

“A bit better, he’s resting.” The lion turned to Rook. “Can we talk? In private.”

“Bien sûr, Roi du leon.”

Ruggie left, the captain supposed he would try to find some peace as he did his daily duties.

“Bon, what’s wrong? It’s about Roi du poison, right?”

“Am I so transparent?”

“Maybe,” laughed the blond. “Did Monsieur multi-skilled give you bad news?”

“Well, that depends. You said you knew what happened.” Leona lowered his voice. “You knew he’s pregnant?”

“Mais oui. I actually have a schedule with Vil’s red. Since it should have come a long time ago, I easily reached that conclusion. How did he react?”

“He hasn’t because he doesn’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“Jamil told me, not him,” confessed the brunette. “He says he doesn’t want to destabilise Vil, so we should give him something that would ‘take care of it’ without Vil knowing but… I don’t know what to think, to be honest. I get his point but Vil…”

“Don’t you think it’s Vil who must make the choice?”

“Yeah but getting here’s been hell for him and I don’t know what effect this might have on him. Some time ago he told me he’d like to have my children, but he isn’t mentally or emotionally ready for that.”

“And what about you?”

“Fuck, no,” seethed the corsair. “I don’t like kids and I don’t know how to deal with them.”

“And if he decided to have the child?” inquired Rook. “What would you do then?”

“I’d do whatever he wanted to do.”

“Then that’s the answer you were looking for, Roi du leon,” smiled the hunter, “You shouldn’t decide yourself because you have no right, it’s his body. You can choose whether to tell him now or wait until the magician does, but don’t do anything you may regret. Hiding the truth isn’t good, but you can apologise for that. However, I don’t think Roi du poison would ever forgive you if you do what Monsieur multi-skilled says. I understand why he thinks it’s the best, but it’s not right or fair.”

“Wow, you give better advice than I expected.”

“I’m Vil’s meilleur ami for a reason. Take care of him, please.”

“Of course.”

***

That night, Vil had sleeping problems once more. He woke up in the middle of the night, wet with sweat, and feeling dizzy and tired. But no matter how tired he was, he could not fall asleep. So he sat and sighed. He did not understand what was going on, and he hated that Jamil and Leona were hiding the truth from him. Vil was aware that the older would never hurt him, but the fact that nobody wanted to tell the blond what happened to him… It hurt. After a while he noticed a hand caressing his back, and when he turned he saw the lion looking at him with a smile on his face.

“Can’t fall asleep again?” asked the corsair with a lazy voice.

“No, and I don’t feel great either.”

“Come here, rest on my chest.” The prince obeyed, and soon felt the brunette’s arm surround him as he caressed his back slowly. “My mum used to do this when I had nightmares and couldn’t fall asleep afterwards. I know it’s not the same, but it might help you relax.”

“My dad used to sing me lullabies when I couldn’t sleep. I miss his voice. I miss him.”

“I’m sure your father knows you’re happy,” responded Leona, kissing the younger’s forehead. “He’d be so proud of you.”

“Not like my mother, who surely thinks I’m a disgrace.”

“If it helps, my father surely thinks the same, so we’re not that different.” The blond laughed.

“Thank you, Leona.”

“You feel better?”

“A bit, although I don’t think I’ll fall asleep today,” sighed Vil, cuddling.

“Then, what if we talk? Until you feel sleepy again at least.”

“Okay.”

“You remember when you told me you wouldn’t mind having children?”

“I remember, and I also remember your blatant refusal. You said we’d make awful parents.”

“And I still believe it,” laughed the feline. “You think you’ll ever be ready?”

“Yes. I don’t know when, but I know I’ll be able to do it someday,” answered the prince. “Why do you ask? Are you planning to knock me up? Because I’m not in the mood today.”

“Just making conversation. Raising a child now would be difficult.”

“Because we live in a filthy boat I suppose.”

“Oi, King’s Roar isn’t a filthy boat,” replied Leona, offended. “It’s a majestic ship, and very clean, Ruggie makes sure of that.”

“Whatever you say, cat,” mocked Vil, laughing. “But it would be hard actually. Many things would change. To begin with, would it be safe for me to spend my pregnancy in a ship?”

“Probably not. I guess we’d have to spend some time on earth,” commented the captain, ”maybe even a couple of years. A ship isn’t the best place for a baby.”

“It could be nice. You, me, a house in the middle of nowhere, away from civilization as my belly grows and grows. How does it sound?”

“It sounds awful. I mean, I could handle a house in the middle of nowhere, but you getting fatter? I don’t know if I’d still find you attractive. I may feel tempted by younger and thinner people.”

“I can’t believe this!” exclaimed the blond with faked annoyance. “Don’t be cheeky.”

“It’s a joke, idiot.”

“I know it’s a joke, asshole. But leaving that apart, you sound so serious tonight I almost think I’m really pregnant.”

Leona went quiet, he did not know what to say. It was just a moment, some seconds, but the lion felt it like hours.

“That would be a joke,” managed Leona to whisper.

“Yes, a terrible one.”

***

They arrived in Azul’s shop a week later. Since his first fateful visit, Vil had been there some more times and had become used to the place to a certain extent. He could not get used to the twins that lived with Azul, though. When he found out the three of them were mermen, not only Jade and Floyd, the news had surprised the prince, and he hoped he could see the magician’s true form one day. According to Leona, Azul did not like his true form, and the pirate suspected something had happened to him in the past. Anyway, the magician had earned the blond’s sympathy a long time ago, since he had shown he was trustworthy (and because he was unable to betray the brunette).

Due to that, he hoped Azul would be the one to tell him what was going on. Jamil and Leona had never mentioned Vil’s malaise again, and he was very displeased with their attitude. He had already talked to Rook and Jack about it, and they did not understand why they would not tell him the truth, as if it had nothing to do with Vil. He had not said this to his friends, but the prince had a suspicion, and if it was true, maybe somebody would be yelled at.

When they entered “The Sea Witch,” Azul was drinking tea with the twins. They were all relaxed, and the couple’s arrival did not disturb that peace. After taking a last sip to the porcelain cup, Azul stood and asked the prince to follow him. The feline stayed with the twins in order to give privacy to his lover. If for him, he would have no problem seeing everything, but he knew he was not needed and would even hamper Azul’s work, so he preferred to stay with Jade and Floyd until the silver haired one finished.

Leona was not very sure of how Azul would use magic to check Vil’s state, but he was not really curious. The magician had healed a wound of his once and it had not been a nice or painless experience. There were things he preferred to forget, and that was one of those. He already remembered what happened every time he saw his reflection in a mirror and saw the scar on his face. After a while, the merman returned and sat next to Leona as he took off his glasses. He looked tired.

“Congratulations,” said Azul dryly, “you’ll be a father.”

“So it really is that,” growled the older. “How did he react?”

“Oh, I’m not spoiling the surprise. He’s waiting for you, he wants to have a word with you. If I were you, I wouldn’t make him wait.”

The lion sighed but still got up and went to the room where Vil was waiting for him. The younger was sat on a couch with both hands covering his belly. Leona believed he would be mad, but Vil seemed calm. When he heard the door closing, the blond raised his head and he almost frowned.

“I’m pregnant,” spoke Vil, although it sounded more like a casual comment than a big announcement. “But, of course, you already knew.”

“Yeah.”

“Is this what Jamil and you were hiding from me?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?” questioned the prince as he stood violently and approached the corsair. “Why the hell you hid this from me? I knew there was something you weren’t telling me, but I didn’t insist because I trusted you. Maybe I should have never trusted you to begin with.”

“I knew I should have told you but-“

“Then why did you keep quiet?!”

“Maybe because I wanted to avoid exactly this!” roared the brunette. “You’re not ready to deal with this! And I knew I should have told you but it wasn’t my fucking idea!”

“It’s not you who decide whether or not I’m ready!” screamed the blond.

“Your reaction is precisely why you can’t go on with this!” The corsair seethed in frustration. “Maybe I should have taken Jamil’s advice and gave you something to make you have an abortion before we came here.”

“E-Excuse me?” Vil’s voice shook with wrath. “If you had done that, I swear I’d leave you and you’ll never see me again, Leona Kingscholar. You’ll never, and listen to me, never have the right to decide over my body. This is my body, Leona, and the only one who can decide what happens to it is me, I hope it’s crystal clear. I’m the one who will decide what I’ll do, just me.”

“You wouldn’t have known.”

“How stupid do you think I am?” seethed the prince. “My alchemy professor taught me what happened during an abortion. I would have known if you had taken Jamil’s shitty advice. But Jamil and you don’t care about how I feel about this, I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“You don’t mean that. You’re mad, you need to calm down.”

“I’m not mad at all,” replied Vil. “I’ve just found out that my lover and a friend have been hiding the truth from me and even planned to make me abort my child without telling me, but I’m not mad at all. To be honest, I already suspected I was pregnant, but I didn’t want to believe it. Can you imagine how I felt when Azul told me? Do you know how I feel right now, Leona, do you have the slightest idea?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“I want to cry. I trusted you, fuck, I trusted you blindly, and look where that took me. I don’t know if I can keep trusting you, I don’t know if I want to trust you again. Do you know how scared and confused I am? I’m pregnant with your child and you didn’t even plan to tell me! And now I know what happens, I don’t know if I want to do it!”

“W-What? Didn’t you say you wanted to have kids? I thought that- That’s why I-“

“Shut up! The last thing I want is to listen to your babbling! Get out!”

“Vil, wait, I don’t-“

“Get the hell out of here!” shouted the prince, pushing the lion. “I don’t want to see you! Get out!”

Leona held a sigh and exited the room. He slammed the door shut, not because he was angry, but because he was incredibly frustrated. He knew he had to tell him the truth, part of him suspected this was going to happen and he actually deserved it. Azul and the twins were still there and he joined them, sitting next to the one with glasses. Azul sighed and spoke:

“So you knew?”

“Yeah, Jamil checked on him and he reached that conclusion.”

“But why didn’t you tell me?” inquired the magician. “It was a terrible decision, I thought you smart.”

“The sea lion doesn’t understand anything,” mocked Floyd.

“The poor prince is probably crying all alone, sinking in anguish,” said Jade.

“Stop you two,” complained the corsair. “I just wanted to prevent him from reacting badly. I was stupid, I know, he has reacted worse than I expected. You need to tell me what I already know.”

“Leona, you must apologise,” advised Azul. “Tell him how you feel and listen to him without becoming defensive. But since he doesn’t want to see you right now, you’ll have to wait until he wants to speak with you again.”

“You may be a loan shark, but you’re good at reading people.”

“That’s the reason why I’m a loan shark, old friend.”

“Good luck,” laughed Floyd, “you’ll need it after what you’ve done.”

The brunette rolled his eyes as Jade and Azul tried to hold the laughter. Damned twins.

***

He was not sure of how long he had been there, the only thing he knew was that his eyes hurt. He had stopped crying some time ago, but he could still feel his eyes itch because of all the sobbing. The situation overwhelmed him. Okay, he had suspected he was pregnant, but accepting that he actually was… it was more difficult than he thought it would be.

Maybe he should have reacted differently. Maybe he should not have yelled at Leona. But what could have he done instead? He was furious. Of course he knew that man had not hidden the truth to hurt him, but nothing would justify his actions. Vil was the only one with a say on the matter, no one else, but no one seemed to care about his opinion.

Vil was not an idiot, he could make a decision on his own, he did not need another person to do it as if he was back to the palace. After all, he had not learned to fly just to be caged again. He sighed. He had to speak with Leona now he had calmed down. Then, somebody knocked. It was a weak noise, without strength.

“Can you let me it, Vil?” asked Leona’s voice from the other side.

“Come in,” responded the prince in a low voice.

The brunette entered in silence and approached the blond to sit beside him. The younger was on a couch, hugging his knees. The pirate did not know what to do, so he put a stray lock behind Vil’s ear. Vil raised his head, and the older’s heart fell when he saw his reddened eyes. It did not matter how hard he tried to protect his queen, he always ended up hurting him more. The story of his life.

“What do you want?” inquired the younger dryly.

“Do you remember the first time I brought you here?” commented Leona. “You ran away from the ship and tried to go back to Pyroxene on your own, but things got bad and I brought you here to see Azul. After that, I promised you’d never be my prisoner ever again.”

“What’s the point of this? I’m not in the mood for riddles.”

“Vil, I love you and you know it. I’m aware I shouldn’t have done what I did, but the idea of risking your life was… Fuck, it was unbearable, fine? And I didn’t mean it, okay? I’d never do something like that without consulting you first, because I know I’m not the one to choose here. What I’m trying to say is that… I’m sorry.”

“Is this an apology?”

“Well, it’s not my first time, is it?” seethed the feline. “You’ve been crying.”

“And why do you care? You’re a fucking asshole, Leona Kingscholar, I despise you.”

“Come on, don’t say that,” spoke the older. “Are you still mad?”

“Of course I’m mad. Why can’t we have a mature conversation for five damned minutes?”

“Excuse me, but I’m not the one insulting,” replied the pirate. “Let’s talk things straight, this can’t be that difficult. Do you want the child, yes or no?”

“Leona, I can’t make such a decision like this. It’s not like choosing an outfit, this will change our lives forever.”

“Vil, yes or no? It’s the only thing I need to know.” There was no answer, so the lion grabbed Vil’s chin to avoid him looking away. “Yes or no?”

“Yes, I want the child, okay?”

“Then so be it. See? It wasn’t that difficult.”

“But you don’t want me to have it,” responded the prince.

“It’s true. I don’t want you to have it because I don’t think you’re ready, and honestly me neither. However, if what you want is different, I have no right to forbid it, you said it yourself. I can only promise you to stay by your side to deal with this.”

“You have no idea what all this means, do you?” sighed Vil. “I can’t stay on the ship for nine months, Leona. If I’m doing this, I need to leave. And if you want to be by my side, you’ll have to leave as well, and I know you don’t want to leave.”

“Vil, you’re not-“

“Let me finish,” interrupted the younger. “I told you I wouldn’t tie you and I won’t. Maybe this is my chance to run away from you.”

“Can you shut your mouth for once?” growled the pirate. “You’re not tying me. I want to be with you and help you, why is it so difficult to understand? You’re so big-headed, I can’t stand you. I want to be with you, which part you don’t get?”

“Leona…”

“Would you mind if I join the conversation?” wondered Azul as he rested against the door frame.

“What now?”

“You shouldn’t be so rude towards someone who only wants to help, old friend,” replied the magician. “Have you forgotten about that small piece of land you owned and whose existence your family ignores? When we hid after leaving Afterglow Savannah, it seemed to me perfectly fine to live comfortably.”

“Azul, no one has been there for years, it must be in a terrible state.”

“Oh, well, I didn’t tell you but I used some magic through the house before we left. You know deals are my strong point, but I’m skilful in many other things.”

“What did you do?” questioned Leona.

“Nothing you should worry about. I simply made sure the inside remained habitable. It might not look good on the outside, but the inside is what matters,” explained the merman. “If you want my opinion, it’s the best place for Vil to spend these months. It’s a remote land and nobody expects us knows about it, so there’s no danger. Because I imagine both of you are aware of what may happen if any of your families find you and discover you’re expecting a child…”

“Things would get rough for us,” finished the blond.

“Exactly. You’re princes, or used to be. The child in Vil’s belly could be used against you to make you go back to the kind of life you used to have. You know how royalty thinks. That’s why it’s the fittest hideout. You’ll be safe and there are several small villages nearby to get food from. If you’re doing this, it’s actually your only option.”

“Are you sure Vil will be safe if I take him there?” asked the lion. “Nobody will find us?”

“I have no doubt,” assured Azul. “But you can’t be alone. Take Kalim and Jamil with you. Spending some time on earth without concerns will do well to them, and you need someone with medical knowledge like Jamil to take care of Vil, especially when he’s in labour.”

Leona looked at Vil and caressed his face tenderly. Out of the blue, all this thing that had felt like a bad dream until now was turning real.

“We do it?”

“We don’t know how long we’ll be there.”

“I don’t care. We do it? You want us to go? Say the word and we’ll do it.”

Vil bit his lower lip and nodded. Yes, he wanted to go and wanted that man to accompany him. Leona showed him a smile, half happy, half resigned, and then kissed his forehead. Vil had made a choice, probably the most important one he would ever make in his whole life.

***

A month and a half later King’s Roar reached the place they would spend the next few months. Of course, the couple would be accompanied by a small group whereas the rest would continue travelling across the sea. Leona had first decided that Ruggie would be the captain in his absence, but the hyena was not willing to leave him and elected Jack as the new captain.

The canine did not agree either, since he did not want to abandon Vil in such a difficult time. However, the prince had insisted he accepted the offer and stayed with the crew. Unlucky Jack, he could deny nothing to the blond, so he obeyed with his head lowered and promised to visit when the baby had been born.

The truth was that everyone was excited with the idea of the lion and the prince having a kid, and they were slightly disappointed to know they would miss Vil’s belly grow. Vil was of two months more or less, so his belly would start to grow in no time and they all wanted to see it. Although they decided they could handle it as long as they could see the baby after it was born. And like this, the ship set sail once more and the small group formed by Vil, Leona, Kalim, Jamil, Ruggie and Rook stayed on earth.

As Azul had said, the mansion did not seem to be habitable at first glance, but his magic became noticeable when they entered. The place was spotless, as if it had not been years since the last time someone had been there. Everything was clean and even the cushions on the beds were soft and fluffy. It was not as big as royal private houses tended to be, but it was more than enough for the six of them. There were several rooms and a couple of living rooms, also a kitchen and three bathrooms. It was impossible for such a well-equipped building to be in the middle of nowhere.

Knowing Leona as he did, Vil had no doubt that was the reason why he had chosen this exact place to build this house. After all, he had done it behind his family’s back, so it was rather obvious he wanted not to be found when he came here. The only thing that had not been affected by Azul’s magic had been the garden, although the prince suspected Rook and Ruggie would fix this in no time so he could go on a walk with his lover. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of spending the next few months there. He knew he would miss the ship, but he felt he would learn to feel comfortable here.

Vil wanted to help to get everything ready, however, Jamil insisted he could not force himself and should rest, so he sent both Leona and him to the bedroom they would sleep in while the others took care of everything. The room was simple, though it was not that different from the one he used to have in the palace. There was a small dressing table where he left his jewellery box, which was the single thing he had been allowed to carry. He had tried to carry his clothes, but, again, they had not let him and Rook would organise his wardrobe later.

The prince went over the entire room, watching and touching all he found, feeling from the softness of the couched to the quality of the curtains. He could resist and took off his shoes to walk barefoot on the carpets. Many years had passed since the last time he did that, he used to love it as a kid, but he was always scolded by someone in the palace who said it was ill-mannered. The lion watched him from the bed, unable to hold a smile. The blond was wearing a sleeveless white dress that fell over his knees, and his long golden hair was loose. And he smiled as only Vil could. He looked like an angel.

“Vil, come sit with me.”

The younger looked at him puzzled, but did what he was told anyway and sat beside the feline. Leona was lying on the mattress, with a hand behind his head and the other playing with Vil’s skirt.

“Have I ever told you I love this dress?” Vil shook his head. “I love to see you in white.”

“If you’re indirectly asking me to marry you, I think you can come up with a better way of proposing, don’t you?”

“It’s not that,” seethed the older. “It’s just that I can’t stop thinking about it when I see you like this. Don’t you think about how it would have been if we’d married back then?”

“Of course I do,” answered Vil. “You would have courted me. It wouldn’t have taken me long to fall for you. We’d have a huge wedding, wearing your homeland’s traditional costumes and a lot of jewellery. Then we’d have our first dance. But I also think about how I’d feel on the wedding night.”

“We would have consummate when you felt ready.”

“Things are a bit different in Pyroxene. The Royal Council, and sometimes even the monarchs, must see the consummation. The couple must consummate in the wedding night in Pyroxene or the marriage would be annulled.” The prince smiled but still looked sad. “I know I wouldn’t be ready and I would hate you even if you didn’t want to touch me either.”

“Vil…”

“And then we’d start arguing all the time, and we’d be pressured to have children, and my life would become an absolute mess. I prefer things as they are now. We aren’t married but we don’t need to. We’re free to live the way we want to. You’ve helped me overcome my fears without pressuring me and… I’m so excited to have your child I can’t believe it.”

“It won’t be easy. You know that, right?”

“I know, and I’m ready. And it’s not like I’ll be alone, isn’t it?” The prince smiled again, this time he did look happy. “My only concern is whether we’ll be safe here.”

“Azul assured we wouldn’t be found here, and I trust him.”

“Leona, it’s not that I don’t trust Azul,” replied Vil, “but what if his magic isn’t strong enough? What if someone finds us? We don’t know if they’re still looking for me, or for you. And we both are aware of Azul’s limitations, he had problems with Neige, he may have them now too.”

“I understand you’re anxious, but it will be fine, okay? Even if they find us, I won’t let them touch you. The cub won’t be a prince or a princess, it will be free and I’ll make sure of that.”

“So this is a lion protecting his kid?”

“Lions protect our families, and the two of you are my family. You’ll be safe as long as I’m here to take care of you.”

“That makes me happier than it should,” laughed the younger. “I’ve always hated when people try to protect me. But when you say you’ll protect me, I feel so happy. You don’t want to protect me because you think I’m weak or fragile, but because I’m important for you and-“

“Stop, or you’ll end up crying. I hate to see you cry,” interrupted Leona, raising to embrace his lover.

“Because you never know what to do when someone cries in front of you.”

“That’s it, don’t make things more difficult for me,” said the feline. “You just need to know you’ll be safe, both of you. Don’t worry about anything. I’m here for both of you, I’ll always be.”

Vil buried his face in Leona’s chest and let tears flow. His feelings had been on edge since all this started and he could not handle it very well. He had never been emotional, but now he struggled to control his own emotions, they were too intense. It was undeniable his fears were not baseless, since he would soon gain weight due to the pregnancy and his movement would reduce, which meant he would be unable to defend himself if something happened. Vil was sure nothing would happen, but it was difficult to dispose his fears, he really did not want to go back to his previous life. He would not be able to bear it.

***

Leona woke in the middle of the night when he stretched his arm and found the cold empty mattress instead of a warm body. He raised his eyes and saw Vil resting against the window frame with both hands over his belly as he looked at the dark sky. The prince was barefoot and wearing one of the pirate’s shirts that fell seductively over his thighs. It was not the first time the blond got up at this time because he could not sleep, he had done it several times already. It seemed he was sleeping better this week, but he obviously had some problems yet.

The lion wondered if this lack of sleep would go on until the end of the pregnancy and could not avoid a pinch of worry. The baby had not even been born yet and he was already trying to protect it from any bad odd, he could not believe himself. Leona had never wanted kids, but all this kind of excited him. A child, his and Vil’s. It sounded surprisingly nice, he liked the idea.

“Vil,” called him, “don’t be there, come here.”

The younger walked back to the bed obediently without speaking and let Leona embrace him and sit him on his lap. The older’s hands went to Vil’s thighs, caressing the prince’s soft and smooth skin. Their lips did not take long to join. When they broke the kiss, they put their foreheads together for a brief silent moment, silence was more than enough for now.

“I’ve been thinking,” announced the blond when they separated.

“About what?”

“About everything,” answered Vil absently as he moved the lion’s bangs away to caress his scar. “About how I don’t know how you got this, for example.”

“You really want to hear this story now?” inquired Leona in disbelief.

“Why not? When you got it?”

“Some years ago, when Azul hadn’t founded “The Sea Witch” yet. Some men found out we had merfolk on board and set us a tramp to take them and probably sell them. Floyd and Jade have always known to protect themselves, but Azul isn’t… physically strong. Protect him was annoying, I almost lose my eye.”

“But you didn’t.”

“Azul healed me with his magic. It was a torment, I’d rather lose it.”

“Don’t be a whiner,” laughed Vil. “But you’re a good man. You always say you hate annoying things, but you still help everyone because you despise injustice.”

“I help those I care about, that’s all, even if extremely annoying. You’re a great example, since I know no one more annoying than you but yet I’d do anything for you.”

“Idiot…” The prince shook his head, unable to hold his smile. “This whole situation is so weird. It’s like… a happy ending. I’ve been so many years dreaming of having one I can’t believe it’s actually happening.”

“And you call me an idiot? This isn’t the ending, Vil. An exciting life of waking up in the middle of the night because a baby is crying awaits us. I hope you’re ready to sleep badly for the next three years.”

“And I suppose I’ll be the one to get up to see what happens to the baby, right?”

“Or we can call Ruggie,” suggested Leona.

“It’s your son, take care of him and leave Ruggie alone, he’s not our babysitter.”

“Why are we talking about this? It hasn’t been born yet,” complained the feline. “Your belly hasn’t even grown.”

“But it will soon, don’t talk about that. I’ll be huge and my chest will swell. It hasn’t even started and I already want it to be over.”

“You say that as if it will make me love you any less.”

“Leona, I’ll be a mess. And I’ll cry for every little thing. My mother once told me that when she was pregnant she once cried because she ate a piece of apple pie and it tasted good.” Vil sighed in frustration. “I want to die just by imagining it, I’m so embarrassed.”

“You’re really thinking these things, huh?” laughed the corsair. “I love you so much.”

“Don’t laugh at me, why are you always so… Mm…”

The older interrupted the prince kissing his lips and surrounding his body with his strong arms. The younger melted in the embrace and rested his hands on the buccaneer’s muscular chest as he moaned in his lover’s lips. That man was an idiot, but Vil did not mind walking the rest of the way with him. At least, Leona would make the trip entertaining.

***

Months kept passing and Vil finally became used to his new life. That place did not take much to feel like a second home, so soon his intrusive thoughts calmed down. The rest also seemed to have adapted well and did everything they could to make sure the prince rested and did not force himself. This got on Vil’s nerves because it made him feel like an invalid. Leona was the only one who allowed him to do things that, according to Rook the overprotective, he should not do. And, of course, the couple’s night activities had not stopped.

The blond, and actually everyone, was surprised by the brunette’s attitude, since he barely stayed away from his lover, even if that meant going on walks when he wanted to be asleep. Despite that, there were moments when Vil needed to be alone, and Leona always respected it. The younger had found out that the garden, once it was back to normal, was the perfect place to sit on a swing chair the hunter had somehow managed to fix and just think.

There was when he was right now. The morning sky was cloudless, so it was the perfect day to relax and enjoy the sun without worries. At the beginning, Vil used his time alone to think about all that could go wrong, but his mentality was starting to change, and now he mostly thought about a promising future. He imagined himself holding his baby, and the picture softened him. The prince wanted to see his kid and see what kind of person it turned into. He was excited, more excited each day, and was beginning to believe it would end up well. After all, that man who saw his future some years ago had said there was a child in his bright future.

Vil touched his belly, already big, and smiled. The baby moved a lot now. It was a nightmare at night, since the blond could barely sleep, but it was nice to feel the movement during the day. Just like him, his kid could not stand still for a long time. He was sure they would get along. And another who could not stand still was Kalim, who appeared to be enjoying his temporary time on earth and was constantly running from a place to another.

“Good morning, Vil” greeted Kalim as he sat beside the prince. “You look good today.”

“Good morning, Kalim, how are you? I see you’re active from morning.”

“Yeah, Jamil and Ruggie have gone to the village to buy some food,” explained the boy. “I tried to convince them to let me go but they refused again. Jamil still says it’s too dangerous for me.”

“Well, we don’t know who you may bump into, it isn’t so absurd.”

“I know, but I really wanted to go. Leona’s still asleep?”

“As always,” sighed the blond. “He woke when I got up, but he fell asleep again before I left the room.”

“It’s his biggest talent, isn’t it?” laughed the shorter.

“Indeed.”

“And what about you?” asked Kalim. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m better than I expected to be,” answered the blond, caressing his belly. “I’m uncomfortable sometimes because I can’t really move much, but it isn’t the hell I used to imagine. Although cravings and mood changes are awful, I’m struggling with those.”

“So it isn’t that hard?”

“Well, that’s what I say now, wait some more months and we’ll see if I think the same,” laughed Vil. “Labour is…”

“Terrifying?” suggested Kalim.

“Yes. I don’t think there’s anything scarier for me,” confessed Vil. “There are so many things that can go wrong. I’ve heard so many stories of people that have died giving birth. I don’t feel ready. Jamil tries to calm me down and guarantees there will be no problem, but I’m just not ready.”

“I guess he says it because he’s sure it will go smoothly. Yet I don’t think he gets why you’re so scared. I imagine it’s the kind of thing you only understand if you’re in the same position.”

“Exactly. It’s not him who has to pull out a baby, it’s me.”

“To be honest, I don’t get you,” commented Kalim. “I get chills just with the thought of being you. I don’t want to be in your position, ever.”

“I understand. But there’s something good,” replied the prince. “The red doesn’t come.”

Both boys laughed and then remained in silence until the shorted stood in a jump and announced he would go see what Rook was doing. Vil stayed there for a bit longer, watching the sky lost in his thoughts. He had not lied, giving birth terrified him, anybody who was on the ball would panic. It was true he did not know much about it, but he knew it hurt like hell and there might be a lot of blood everywhere. It definitely was not an appealing premise. He sighed. He could always blame Leona in the future, if he survived.

***

Sleeping was becoming more and more difficult for Vil, just as the passing of weeks. It may be that the baby noticed the prince’s anxiety due to his fear to the moment of labour, and that was because it moved so much at night. This was one of those nights. Vil sighed with frustration and covered his face with both arms. He was exhausted and yet he could not fall asleep because certain someone still had enough energy to bother him. Leona twisted with annoyance beside him and opened his eyes.

“Again?” muttered the lion, he sounded tired as well.

“I’m sorry, it doesn’t stop moving,” responded the blond, moving away his arms. “Make it stop, please, I just can’t take it anymore.”

To the younger’s disgrace, the baby only calmed down at night if the brunette talked to it, none understood the reason and Jamil had been unable to give them a reasonable explanation (in case there was one). That was why the corsair was the only one capable of stopping this situation when it happened, which frustrated Vil a lot and annoyed Leona a bit, since his sleep time was sacred. Yet the lion always did what he needed to do without complaining or throwing it to his lover’s face. So the older put away the sheet covering Vil’s belly and moved closer, caressing it tenderly.

“Oi, cub,” said him in a calm voice, “it’s late and dad wants to sleep. Jamil told us you notice when dad’s nervous, so you must know he’s not feeling well, but I’m here, okay? Nothing will go wrong if I’m here to take care of you two.”

“It stopped…”

“You’re welcome,” answered the pirate as he covered Vil with the sheet again and returned to his place in bed. “You look terrible.”

“It hasn’t been my best day,” complained the blond. “I puked everything I ate and despite and exhausted, I can’t sleep. I’m sick of all this.”

“Just five more weeks and it’s over.”

“You say that because it’s not you who’s carrying the kid. It’s very easy to say it will be over in five weeks when you aren’t uncomfortable all the time, barely sleep and your mood is changing constantly.”

“Wow, anything else to throw at my face?” laughed Leona.

“I apologise.”

“Don’t. It’s funny to see you being so rude, it takes me back to old times.”

“Oh yes, when you kidnapped me, such a great time,” commented the prince with sarcasm. “At least back then I didn’t have to deal with this huge belly and…”

Vil gestured towards his chest, which had swollen during the pregnancy. His chest growing during adolescence had been an almost traumatic experience, that was why he decided to get rid of it. Therefore, this was worse than a nightmare for him. Maybe it was the thing he hated the most of everything he was experiencing. He used to hate his chest and had avoided looking at it for years, he even covered it in shame of his own body. This was not being easy for him. Feelings and memories he believed forgotten came back every day, and he could not face them, not again.

“I don’t know, I like them,” replied the feline, squeezing one of the breasts without strength.

“Stop, don’t touch them,” seethed the blond, hitting his lover’s hand to put it away. “I don’t want you to touch them, they’re sensitive.”

“And what if… I touch you in other places?” suggested the older and he put his hand on Vil’s inner tight and caressed the area over the clothes. “Do you want me to help you relax, my queen?”

“Leona…” moaned the younger.

“Tell me, love,” responded the feline, not stopping his hand. “You know I’d bury my face there if not for your belly. I’ll be able to do it again in a few more weeks.”

“Ah…”

“I guess that means I can go on.”

The brunette sneaked his hand under the prince’s clothes and started to masturbate him slowly, just like Vil liked it. Vil’s moans soon filled the room, to the captain’s satisfaction. Leona leaned on him to kiss his neck without halting his hand. And suddenly, the blond went from hell to heaven in a couple of minutes.

***

Vil cuddled next to Leona when the older finished cleaning them up. The corsair surrounded the prince’s shoulders with an arm and let him use it as a pillow. The blond seemed to have calmed down and his eyes were finally closing. The baby also seemed calmer now and it does not move insistently anymore. The lion could not hold a smile as he kissed his lover’s cheek and caressed his huge belly.

“Five weeks.”

“Five weeks,” repeated Vil, “and we haven’t thought of any names yet.”

“Well, this is as good a moment as any other,” responded the feline. “Is there any name you like?”

“I haven’t given it much thought actually,” said the younger with a guilty smile. “And you?”

“Not really. What should we do? We decide one when we see the cub’s face?”

“No shit, all babies look the same, we should have some options at least.”

“Then you start, my queen.”

“I always have to do all the work,” sighed Vil. “If it’s a boy, I like Eric for example.”

“Eric?”

“Any problem?” questioned the blond, raising an eyebrow.

“No, but it’s different from what I expected. I believed you’d choose a more refined name, like William or Theodore, I don’t know.”

“I’d never call my son Theodore, please, have some respect for me,” replied the prince with annoyance. “I like Eric because it’s my dad’s name.”

“I see. It isn’t that bad.”

“What about you?”

“Hum… Violette or Tatiana. I think any of those would fit a girl raised by you.”

“You can say whatever you want about me, but those names aren’t like you at all,” laughed Vil. “But I like them, they’re very… refined.”

“Stop laughing at me, princess,” seethed Leona. “This has been easier and faster than I thought.”

“Right? I thought it would take us longer. Say, you want it to be a boy, a girl…?”

“As long as it’s healthy, I don’t care. Though I’d like a girl to spoil her like a princess.”

“Like you do to me, you mean?”

“Yes, but in a different way,” answered the lion, smiling. “One of the things I like about my country is the women, you know: I was taught to respect them since I was a kid, so I think any woman, no matter her qualities or flaws, must be loved and respected. There are many women in this world that don’t know how that’s like, because they live in places where men consider them inferior and they are neither loved nor respected. I’d like to have a daughter to teach her she isn’t less than anybody just because of what she is, so she must walk with her head high up and be proud of herself.”

“That’s very cute of you, Leona. It’s a pity not everyone shares your ideals,” sighed Vil. “I mean, there are people who’d mistreat me just because of my genitals or because I don’t identify as a man or a woman. If there were more people like you, there would be fewer problems as well.”

“Well, I cause a lot of trouble.”

“I’ve just said something nice about you, don’t spoil the moment, you idiot.”

“Do you feel like sleeping?” asked the pirate, ignoring the other’s comment deliberately.

“Yes, I’m feeling a lot better thanks to you now. Honestly, I can’t wait to sleep an entire night without waking up every few hours.”

“Be patient, babies cry a lot.”

“Please, shut up and don’t remind me,” begged Vil, sighing. “Getting up in the middle of the night to see why the baby’s crying this time. I can’t say I’m excited.”

“I’m serious, can’t we let Ruggie deal with that?” suggested Leona.

“No, Ruggie isn’t your slave. It’s our child, so we must be the ones to take care of it, understood?” The lion growled. “Do and say whatever you want, but it’s our responsibility, I won’t allow you to make Ruggie do your job this time. And now, good night.”

The feline growled once more but did not add anything. He simply closed his eyes and noticed the prince’s breathing, just like his own, slowed down. And when he felt the blond had fallen asleep, he did the same.

***

Vil broke water five weeks later, in the middle of the night. Leona ran to call Jamil, and everyone helped to prepare the bedroom so the prince would give birth as comfortably and safely as possible. Once everything was ready, Jamil threw all but Ruggie out, since he was the only one who could lend a hand. The rest, however, would simply be a bother and he would not allow any problem to happen.

Jamil knew Vil’s fears for this moment, so he convinced the blond to adopt the posture he felt more comfortable with instead of doing it with him lying on the bed as was usual. According to the brunette, this would reduce the pain, since it was the position his body asked naturally. Yet the labour lasted for some hours. Waiting outside the room, the others got chills with the constant screaming of the prince. No one managed to sleep until the door opened again when the sun was already shining, not even Leona.

“We’re done,” announced Jamil, letting him in. “It’s fine, but Vil has passed out because of all the effort. But you don’t have to worry, he’ll wake after a while.”

“And the baby?” asked the lion.

“Ruggie is cleaning her and you’ll see her soon. Congratulations, captain, it’s a girl.”

“Une princesse!” exclaimed Rook as he dried his tears with a silk handkerchief. “She’ll be the most beautiful woman in the world when she grows up, and until she’ll be the most beautiful girl. I think I may be crying.”

“Yeah! I get how you feel!” said Kalim, sobbing as well.

“For heaven’s sake,” sighed Jamil. “I knew you two would make a scene, but please shut up or you’ll wake Vil.”

And then, before Jamil could continue complaining, the hyena exited the adjacent bathroom carrying something small covered by a blanket. When he saw Leona, Ruggie quickly approached him and gave him the child. There she was, wrapped in a sky blue blanket, his daughter, a tiny lioness with champagne blond hair like the prince. It was the first time Leona had ever held a baby but he soon got used to it as if he had done it his whole life.

He caressed one of the kid’s ears with a finger. Newly born lion cubs’ ears were incredibly soft. She woke up. The corsair saw clearly a pair of green eyes like his looked at him curiously. He thought she would start crying, since babies cried a lot and that stuff, but she did not. Instead, she smiled and stretched her hands towards him as if she aimed to touch him. Leona lowered his head and his daughter caught a braid and pulled from it. The captain did not like kids, that was true. But he liked this little one, he liked her a lot, even if they had just met.

He could not wait for Vil to open his eyes, he was sure his lover would love her as much as Leona already did. And as if his wishes had been heard by some kind of omnipresent deity, the younger twisted in bed and woke. Jamil was the first to approach to see if he was feeling alright and check if there was any postpartum complication. Once he had a green light, the feline sat beside Vil and kissed his forehead.

Oh, he felt so proud of Vil, he could not help it. Leona was aware of how hard this had been for the blond, and yet he had managed to overcome all the difficulties. It was finally over, nothing separated him from the way he had been chasing for years. However, when Leona tried to give Vil their daughter, the prince moved away and did not even gaze at the newly born baby. The older noticed he had paled out of the blue and was trying to hide his shaking hands. Something was not right.

“Vil, what’s wrong?” inquired Rook, moving close to the bed. “Are you feeling unwell? Maybe you need to rest first, you seem a bit sick.”

“Don’t let her near me,” responded the prince dryly. “I don’t want to carry her. I don’t want to see her.”

“What the fuck, Vil? It’s your daughter,” replied Leona. “What do you mean you don’t want to see her?”

“I-I don’t know, okay?” answered the blond in a low voice as he sobbed. “But I can’t do this. I-It’s just too much right now.”

“Monsieur multi-skilled, do you know what’s happening?” questioned the hunter, turning to Jamil.

“Maybe, but I need to speak to them in private first. Ruggie, take the little one and leave, please.”

The hyena begrudgingly did as he was told and exited the room with the rest. Once alone, Vil lowered his head and buried his face in his hands in order to hide his teary face. Leona, next to him, felt lost. On the one hand, he was mad that after nine long and difficult months, they finally get to meet their daughter and the prince, instead of being happy, had rejected her as if she was a stranger.

On the other hand, it was rather obvious something happened to the younger and the brunette wanted to comfort him and tell him everything would be alright because they were together, even if he had no idea of what was going on. But he did not know what to do or say, since he did not understand this whole situation. Lucky him, Jamil sat beside Vil before Leona could do anything and grabbed the prince’s wrists to see his face.

“Listen to me,” said the boy softly, “it will be alright. What you feel doesn’t mean you’re a monster or a bad father. Some people react like this after giving birth, it’s inevitable.”

“But my own daughter… I…”

“It doesn’t matter. You must focus on recovering. What you’re feeling right now may last for a few days or months, but I won’t allow it to become a serious issue. I promise you’ll soon enjoy holding your child.”

“What’s exactly happening to him, Jamil?” wondered the captain.

“What I feared it would happen if the pregnancy came to a successful end,” sighed the long haired one. “His mental state was pretty weak, so this was bound to happen. Pregnancies are long processes that require a lot of emotional burdens, so it’s common that some people break down after labour. But it can be solved, don’t worry.”

“How?” questioned the blond.

“Well, seeing your daughter now displeases you, but it’s important you don’t lose the connection with her, so you’ll need to hold her from time to time. Don’t fret, it will just be when she eats, since you have to breastfeed her. The rest of the time is for you to take care of yourself. Try not to be alone, be accompanied as much as you can. And don’t stay still, it’s good that you’re active and fill your mind with things apart from sadness and frustration. Eat well, sleep well, talk about your feelings, and you’ll overcome this. But remember, be patient and don’t be hard-nosed.”

Vil and Leona shared a worried look. None of them thought this would happen, they were convinced it would be the end of a hard trip, not the beginning of a worse one. However, even if the lion did not really understand what happened or what his lover was going through, he caressed Vil’s face tenderly and kissed his forehead. If Leona could only stay by his side and support him, then he would do that, he would be for him no matter what.

***

The days that followed were not easy for Vil. He was still uncomfortable most of the time, and sometimes he felt like his life made no sense. He could not understand why holding his daughter felt like the worst of the punishments, or why both her laughing and her crying were a torment for him. When he saw Leona embracing her and looking at her as if she was the most valuable thing on earth, his stomach twisted and he did not know why. The prince should be happy his daughter’s father loved her so much, but yet he felt no joy, just anguish and melancholy. Sometimes he was even jealous of the child, since the feline paid more attention to her than to him when he was the one suffering, or because the lion got up from bed at night attempting not to wake him to stop the baby’s sobbing instead of staying by his side to comfort him.

Vil trying to occupy his mind with other things as Jamil had advised, so now he spent most of his time with Rook like he used to do in Pyroxene. Things were easier with Rook. He found it easier to open to his friend because the hunter had seen all of him, the best but also the worst. Rook was the only one who could comfort Vil after he was abused at fifteen, the only one he allowed to see him shake and cry inconsolably, the only one there who prevented him from making a terrible mistake moved by despair. He had been lost that time, and now, after believing he had finally found his place, felt lost again.

He needed to find his place once more, and there was nobody better to help him than his best friend. Rook listened to him, in silence most of the times, to his constant babbling of his feelings and the pain his own emotions caused him when he thought badly of his kid. Some other times the knight led the conversation, recounting past stories to entertain Vil or uttering long complex and slightly metaphysical monologues about the prince’s situation.

And although Vil had been sceptical at the beginning, he realised two weeks after giving birth that he was starting to heal. His daughter’s lunchtime did not hurt so much, and he did not mind Leona paying attention to the little one or getting up from bed to take care of her. It was the third week when he noticed he could smile again. And when he lest expected it, he smiled when he heard his baby girl babble while playing with Ruggie. Somehow that deep sadness he had felt before was far away now, as if it was a memory from many years ago and not the way he felt a few weeks ago. He still felt sad from time to time, but melancholy had vanished little by little as days passed. Sleeping was easier. Breathing was not that difficult. Living did not feel like a punishment anymore.

He knew something had definitely changed when he heard his daughter’s sobs one night and automatically raised from bed to hold her. The blond did not even realise what he had done until he felt the brunette’s hands on his shoulders. Vil had not noticed the baby had stopped crying either, he seemed in trance.

“Vil?” muttered the lion. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I- I am okay.” The prince covered his mouth with a hand and held a sob. “I’m okay.”

“Oh my… You are?”

“Yes.” Their child interrupted the conversation, babbling and stretching her little arms to the blond as if she wanted his attention. “Hi, sweetheart, I can finally hug you. I wanted to do this so bad.”

“Vil, let me introduce you to our daughter Tatiana.”

“So you chose Tatiana in the end?” The blond held laughter when the baby grabbed his finger. “I love it. It’s perfect. She’s perfect. And it took me so long to realise.”

“It doesn’t matter, my queen, you’re fine now and that’s all that matters.” Leona kissed his lover’s forehead and then leaned to caress Tatiana’s cheek. “She wanted to meet you too. Every time she saw you she moved her ears and her tail intensely.”

“My little lioness. I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere without you.”

In his arms and under the dim light of a candle, Tatiana’s golden hair shone like the sun, and her bright green eyes rivalled two gemstones. She was like pure light wrapped in a soft blanket. After all the pain Vil had gone through these past few weeks, things finally made sense again. It was as if Tatiana had always belonged there. And now, the only thing that frustrated the prince was not having done this before, because he had never felt so happy, so comfortable and so sure he was where he ought to be and walking the right path.

Epilogue: Five years later

Vil was the first to exit King’s Roar, dying to see his homeland again. His white dress danced with the wind, and he had to hold his hat to prevent it from flying away. The rest of the crew followed him afterwards. Suddenly, a little girl with blond hair and feline ears appeared, clearly excited to visit a new place. Leona followed her and caught her before she could run away and get lost in the crowd.

Apparently, that week Pyroxene was holding a festival in memory of the “missing prince,” who vanished overnight and left his parents one wish: for them to find a fair leader for the kingdom in his absence. There were many tales about the mysterious prince, and most of them contradicted each other. The real story was mostly unknown, since the monarchs had only revealed the necessary parts. Some people actually tried to find out more after the monarchs retired a year after the surprising disappearance of their only son, but those attempts always led to nowhere.

With their retirement, the rulers announced the end of their dynasty and the beginning of a system by which the population would choose the government. They also declared this festival to honour their son, maybe hoping he would hear about it and would return someday. Who would have imagined it would actually happen.

“What do I always tell you about running off the ship when we dock somewhere?” sighed Vil as he fixed his daughter’s hair, who was still in Leona’s arms. “Don’t let her down or we’ll lose her in a moment.”

“Don’t worry, she won’t run away from me this time,” assured the captain, grinning.

“It’s not fair, you said I could see the festival,” pouted Tatiana.

“And you will, sweetheart,” replied the blond, “but you’ve never been in a big city before and you may get lost, so we must be extra careful, okay?”

“Okay, but I want to hear the story of the prince. The true story.”

“Wow,” whistled the brunette, “you drive a hard bargain.”

Vil and Leona shared a look and started walking to the city centre. And maybe it was because Vil had been living with no more than memories of Pyroxene for years, but this place had never felt more beautiful than now.