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Dimitri was waiting at the castle gates, trying to soothe the fussy toddler on his hip. They were both eagerly awaiting Byleth’s return from Garreg Mach and it was impossible to say which of them had missed her more, but they both would be happy to have her home.
“Is Mama here yet?” Mikhail moaned.
“She will be very soon,” Dimitri assured him, rubbing a hand over his back. She really should have been back by now, and he hoped nothing was delaying her. She regularly split her time between Fhirdiad and Garreg Mach (although she had been happily spending more of her time at home since their son had been born), but she had been gone for an extended period as she had prepared for her maternity leave as they were expecting their second child.
Dimitri and Mikhail had gone to visit her many times, but it wasn’t the same as having her with them. He knew Byleth would be happy to be home as well. It was hard for her to be away from both of them, but especially their young son. The little boy wiggled in his father’s arms.
“Where is she?” he asked again. “Doesn’t she know we miss her?”
“Of course she knows,” he said, and just as he was really beginning to worry, the heralds sounded. She had arrived at last.
Byleth stepped inside the castle gates, looking as radiant as always. She was dressed plainly for traveling, her luminous green hair in a loose updo. Her hands were resting on the marvelous swell of her belly. When she saw her husband and son waiting for her, her face lit up with a bright smile.
Dimitri set Mikhail down and he ran into his mother’s arms. She scooped him up effortlessly and smothered him in kisses and he shrieked with glee. Dimitri was with them a moment later and pulled them into an embrace.
“Beloved, we missed you so much. How are you? How’s the baby?” he asked.
“I’ve missed you both so much. I am fine and so is the baby. She kicked up a storm the whole way here,” Byleth said wearily.
“You still think we’re having a girl?” he asked.
“Mother’s intuition. I was right the first time, wasn’t I?” she said, kissing the side of Mikhail’s head.
The three of them headed into the castle and all the castle staff they passed warmly greeted their queen. Byleth still found it strange to think of herself that way. This was far from any future she had ever imagined for herself, but she would live any life that allowed her to be by Dimitri’s side.
They arrived in the couple’s suite and Byleth was happy to finally be home. She looked forward to spending some private time with her family. Her son was nestled in her arms. Dimitri had offered to take him off her hands but neither of them could let go of the other.
“You’re sure he’s not too heavy, Beloved?” Dimitri asked again. He fussed more over her when she was pregnant.
“I’m quite alright,” she replied and nuzzled her nose into her son’s cheek.
“I’m not heavy, Papa,” Mikhail insisted.
“Why don’t we sit down by the fire? Would that make everyone happy?” Byleth asked, shooting a teasing look at her husband.
Byleth sat by the roaring fire. Winter hadn’t yet set in, but it was already considerably colder in Fhirdiad than at Garreg Mach. No matter how long she lived here, she didn’t think she would ever get used to how cold the northern reaches of Fharghus got.
A knock at the door ripped Dimitri’s attention from them as Byleth settled into a plush chair with Mikhail on her lap. He busied himself tracing the embroidery on her shirt sleeve and she listened to try and figure out what the messenger was relaying to him. She could make out the word urgent but not much more.
“Beloved, I apologize, but I really must step away for a meeting,” he said, utterly apologetic. “This won’t take long. No more than an hour, you have my word.”
“We’ll come knock the door down if you’re not back within the hour,” Byleth teased.
“I don’t doubt it,” Dimitri said and laid a kiss on each of their heads. “I really am sorry, Beloved.”
“Don’t worry yourself, it just means I get more time with my favorite Blaiddyd boy,” she ruffled her son’s hair. He nestled in closer to her and squeezed her as tight as his tiny arms could.
Mikhail was the spitting image of Dimitri, same soft blonde hair and big blue eyes. He was tall for his age, but skinny with long and lanky limbs. Byleth wouldn’t be surprised if he soon towered over her like Dimitri did.
Just like his father, Mikhail was completely devoted to her. He loved both his parents but loved her with an extra fierceness. Byleth tried to bring him with her to the monastery as much as she could. When she had told him she would be going to Garreg Mach for three months without him, he’d responded with a tantrum more powerful than she had ever seen from him. She was happy to be home with him now.
“Do you want to tell me what you and Papa did while I was gone?” she asked.
“We missed you,” he said quietly.
“You just sat around the whole time I was gone, just missing me?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said firmly.
“Well, I have met you and Papa before, so I believe that,” she teased. “Did he read to you?”
“Yes.”
“Did he play games with you?”
“Yes.”
“Did he take you fishing?”
“Yes,” he said, then added with a mischievous grin. “But he’s not as good at it as you are.”
“Of course not, I’m the best at fishing in this family,” she said, and pulled him into a kiss. “See, you did more than just miss me. Is there anything else fun you did?”
“Well, Sylvain came by and he brought Dorothea with him and she was really nice and Papa asked Sylvain if they were on a D-A-T-E and Sylvain said yes and I told Papa that I thought she was really nice and I hoped she would come see us again and Papa said ‘don’t hold your breath’ and I don’t know what that means but she was really nice and she taught me a song but I don’t remember the words but she sang really pretty and I hope she comes back.”
“It sounds like you actually had a lot of fun without me,” Byleth laughed. Mikhail could be shy and reserved—even around her—but she loved when he got talking about things that excited him. She made a note to write a letter to Dorothea to let her know what an impact she had made on her son. She also planned to write a letter to Sylvain and implore him not to mess this up…again.
Byleth listened to her son tell her stories of everything that she had missed while she had been away. He talked brightly until he wore himself out and collapsed in his mother’s arms. She was certain Dimitri had been gone more than an hour, but since Mikhail was ready for a nap, she figured they would both lay down in bed and await Dimitri’s return.
Byleth was surprised how tired she was, she hadn’t meant to fall asleep along with her son, but nevertheless had. When she opened her eyes the dimming light coming in from the window told her Dimitri had been in his office longer than he had promised.
She tried to sit up, but Mikhail was fast asleep on top of her, and sleeping was dead weight. Between her pregnant belly and her sleeping toddler, she was pinned down. Just as she was about to panic, the bedroom door opened. Dimitri walked inside.
“Dimitri, help,” she called. “I’ve got both kids on me and now I can’t sit up.”
He ran to her side and picked Mikhail up. He held their son in one arm and helped her sit upright with the other. The boy continued to sleep soundly flopped in Dimitri’s arms.
“He sleeps so peacefully, doesn’t he?” Dimitri said with a smile.
“He sleeps like the dead,” Byleth said, and then seeing the look of panic on his face added, “He’s still breathing, I checked.”
“I suppose that’s what happens when you have only known peace in your life,” Dimitri said, and lovingly placed a kiss on the boy’s head.
“I pray that peace is all he’ll ever know,” Byleth said softly. “We fought a bloody war to give him this life.”
Dimitri moved around to the other side of their bed and crawled in beside her with their sleeping son between them. A happy family, finally able to enjoy the peace between them.
“I missed you so much, Beloved,” Dimitri whispered, gently caressing her cheek.
“I missed you,” she said, pulling his hand from her cheek to her lips and softly kissing his long fingers. “Your hair is getting long and you’re so scruffy.”
She teased her fingers through his hair and over the stubble on his face that was threatening to become a beard. Byleth ran her fingers over his strong jawline, his angular nose, his one stunning blue eye, all her favorite features of her handsome husband.
“I suppose my grooming has lapsed in your absence. I’ll see to getting a shave and haircut as soon as I can,” he ran his hand over his chin.
“I didn’t say that,” she teased. “I think you would look good with a beard, and I like when you look a little wild. It suits you.”
“The beard won’t be too rough on your skin?” he asked.
“I don’t think it will bother me,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Only one way to find out.”
She tapped her finger against her lips and beckoned him over. He was happy to oblige her. It was the first true kiss they had shared since their reunion and they both realized the deep want they had not yet expressed.
“What do you think, Beloved? Not too bristly?” he asked breathlessly when their lips finally parted.
“No rougher than your hands,” she teased as though she didn’t love the feeling of his calloused hands on her body.
“The beard will stay for now, then,” he said and cupped her soft cheek in his rough hand. He pulled her into another kiss, less hungry and urgent, but just as deep.
“Gross,” said a small voice. Mikhail was awake and giggling at them from where he laid between his parents. He had his eyes covered, but kept peeking between his fingers and giggling again.
“I’m sorry, do you think it’s gross to see your parents kiss?” Dimitri teased his son, punctuating each word with another kiss to Byleth.
“Would you feel better if I gave you some kisses?” Byleth asked. Mikhail nodded vigorously and crawled into his mother’s arms. She gave him a few kisses on his cheek, then blew a raspberry against his skin. He howled with laughter.
“I’m glad you’re home, Mama,” he said once he was done laughing. He nestled into her arms.
“I’m glad too,” she said and ran her hands through his hair.
Mikhail placed his hands on his mother’s stomach and gave her a big grin when he felt the baby kick.
“She’s excited to meet me,” he said matter of factly.
“I know she is,” she assured him. She stroked his hair as he continued to lay his head against her belly.
Byleth spent the evening happily curled up with her family, sharing more stories of the things she had missed. She was happy her husband and son had a good time while she was away, but hated to have missed it.
Eventually Mikhail fell asleep again, nestled comfortably between his parents. Dimitri ran a gentle hand along his son’s back.
“Should I take him into his bed?” Dimitri murmured.
“No, let him stay here tonight. We can make him sleep in his own bed tomorrow.”
“Of course, Beloved,” he said and kissed her cheek.
“I’m fading fast. I think we should all get some rest,” she said and punctuated it with a yawn.
“Goodnight, My Beloved,” he whispered. “Welcome home.”