Chapter Text
By the time Keyleth finally let herself admit what she suspected the last four and a half weeks to be true, it was already too late.
They'd had that conversation, the one where Vax told her that he intended to honor his oath to the Raven Queen, that he wouldn't let Vox Machina fight her to try to save him.
Part of her knew that she was always going to lose him to her. The other part of her, though, was ever the optimist. That part had hoped that he'd fight for them, for their life together. Now it was even more gut wrenching that he refused to fight that fight.
They would fight Vecna and then he would be gone.
If they survived this, at least she would have a living reminder of him.
She told no one. If anybody knew, they'd make her sit out this fight. They needed her in this fight against Vecna. They needed everyone. If she became a casualty, well, at least she would be with Vax.
Barely a week later, she sat in her hut, alone - well, sort of - finally out of tears to shed, at least for now.
Her heart would forever carry the weight of losing him, but she had to carry on without him. She had to live without him. She had to learn to find happiness again without him. If not for herself, then for the people she was leading and, more importantly, for the baby growing inside of her.
She spent the next couple of months finding a routine and fulfilling her duties as Voice of the Tempest only realizing how much time had passed when she opens up her front door one morning to the chill of winter.
She's beginning to show now, but not so much that her heavy cloak won't cover it.
She smooths her hand over the fabric.
"I need to tell Vex," she decides out loud.
Vex, who had informed her about six weeks ago when she and Percy had visited Zephrah that she was pregnant herself.
Keyleth had considered, of course, sharing her own news then, but opted instead to just congratulate Vex and Percy.
Today, though, today would be the day.
She asks that one of her servants message the De Rolos first, so she isn't catching them at a bad time. They quickly reply that they would love to see her and to come on over.
With that, she thanks her servant and makes her way to the nearest tree.
"Keyleth, darling, it's been too long," Vex greets her with a crushing hug almost as soon as she steps out from the Sun Tree.
"It has," she agrees, returning her sister's embrace.
"Percy is finishing some work in the clock tower and then he'll-"
"Patience, dear," Percy interrupted, strolling up from behind her to give his friend a hug. "Have you no faith in me? I told you I'd be here. And hello, Keyleth. How are you, friend?"
“I am well, thank you, Percy. How are you?”
“Can’t complain.” There's a flicker of a glance toward her abdomen and a flash of curiosity in his eyes as they pull apart, but he doesn't mention it. "Why don't we all go to the garden for some tea?" It may be colder outside than he prefers, but the garden is Vex's and Keyleth's favorite spot in the castle. He'll just drink some more tea to keep himself warm.
Keyleth nods in agreement, linking elbows with Vex.
"I suppose the biggest news is that we're planning a wedding ceremony, of sorts," Vex says after they've gotten comfortable and started sipping on their teas. "After the baby is born, of course.”
“We’ve always regretted getting married when none of our family was there to celebrate with us.” Percy and Vex share a brief look of remorse before he turns back to Keyleth. “I was wondering - would you be my Best Person?”
“I, uh, I’d be honored… that is, assuming -” her voice catches in her throat. She can feel Vex’s concerned gaze on her, but it’s Percy who speaks up first.
“Assuming?” he prompts in an encouraging tone, reaching out a hand and placing it on her shoulder.
She reaches up to grab it and takes a breath to steady herself, too afraid to look either of them in the eye. “Assuming it’s okay if I bring my baby?”
She looks up warily when Vex inhales sharply.
“Oh my! Darling, are you saying -?!”
“That I’m pregnant, yes.”
She barely gets the words out before her sister launches herself to give her a hug. Percy is right behind, turning it into a group hug.
“Tell me everything! Who’s the father? When did you meet him? When do we get to meet him? Is that why you’ve been so distant these last few months? I assumed it was just because -”
“Easy, dear,” Percy reprimanded his wife, giving Keyleth a protective squeeze. “You’ve got to give her a chance to answer one question before presenting the next. And Keyleth, dear, know that you don’t have to tell us everything if you don’t want to.”
“It’s okay,” she assured them. “I want to tell you everything because the answers are actually all the same because -” She hesitates, again fearing their reactions. How would they feel when they knew how long she’d been hiding this from them, from all of them? Tears well up in her eyes and her throat constricts.
Vex puts her hands on either of her shoulders, looking her dead in the eye. “Kiki, darling, is it my brother’s?”
She can respond only by nodding as tears stream down her face. One hand absently floats to cover her womb as Vex pulls her tightly to herself once more. Percy is also there in an instant, rubbing circles on her back.
“And he never knew, did he?” Vex asks, more a statement than a question.
Keyleth shakes her head, swallowing hard. “It was too late. By the time I finally let myself believe it, we were about to face Vecna, and then -” She cuts off short as tears again render her unable to speak.
“Kiki, darling, I’m so sorry you’ve been carrying this all alone.”
“It’s so dumb. I just I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t tell you. And then I was a-afraid that you’d be so mad that I kept it from him and you, and I -”
“Shh, shh, none of that. You’re still a sister to me Keyleth. I meant that when I said it. We’re family and Percy and I will be here for you as long as we’re alive. Our children will love you as an aunt, and you will always, always , be welcome in our family’s home. You hear me?”
“Whatever we can do for you, Keyleth, let us know. You say the word and it’s done.”
As the months progressed, she went to visit Vex and Percy more and more. Between helping them prepare for their wedding and making preparations for the babies in both Whitestone and Zephrah, winter became spring in the blink of an eye.
Naturally, the rest of Vox Machina, save for their fallen member, were made aware of Keyleth’s pregnancy and were nothing but supportive.
As her due date came nearer, Vex and Percy insisted she come stay with them in Whitestone. Vex, about to pop herself, was unable to travel further than she could walk: which, despite her tenacity, wasn’t far these days. Regardless, she wanted to be there for her sister in whatever way she could.
When the day finally came, Vex called for Pike, and the two were by her side through it all, with Percy nearby to fetch anything and everything she wanted or needed.
With Pike came Scanlan and Grog, both of whom were also eager to help however they could, but frankly, Keyleth didn’t want any more people fussing over her than absolutely necessary, so the goliath and the gnome waited patiently in another wing of the castle, taking bets on the gender of the baby and which features he or she would get from which parent.
Finally, after over half a day of enduring labor, Pike placed the small bundle on Keyleth’s chest.
“She’s beautiful,” Vex cooed, stroking her sister’s har. “Kiki, you did so well.”
Twelve seemingly sleepless months later, the day of Vex and Percy’s second wedding finally arrived.
Vows were exchanged, dinner, drinks, and dances were had until finally, far later than Vex and Percy preferred, the rest of the guests went home and only Vox Machina remained.
As they sat, sipping on their glasses of wine or tankards of ale, Scanlan spoke up.
"Vex, I had a hard time thinking of a gift for you, but if I may, I'd like to give you a wish."
The half-elf quirked an eyebrow curiously but gestured for the gnome to continue.
"I wish that Vax'ildan could come say a few words at his sister's wedding."
"Scanlan, do you really -" Percy began questioning, but stopped himself short as the large figure of the Matron of Ravens appeared at the edge of the cliff that they were all lounging on, the familiar figure of Vax situated in front of her.
Scanlan sighed in relief. Vex, Keyleth, and Pike gasped in surprise. Grog went bug-eyed. The two one-year-olds played with stuffed animals together on the blanket in front of their moms, oblivious as Vax descended and approached the group.
"Scanlan Shorthalt, you are toying with the designs of the gods still, I see, old friend."
The bard merely nodded.
"Thank you," Vax said before approaching his sister.
Vex threw her arms around him. "Brother, I've missed you so much!"
He hesitated a moment before hugging her back. "Don't worry about me. I am safe, and taken care of. I am always with you. You will live. As long as all of your hearts are beating, I will live within them. And my love will never dim."
"It's not the same and you know it," Vex argued, finally releasing him.
"You have children," he changed the subject. "Twins like us."
"I have a child," Vex corrected. It was a common misconception. From the day they were born, her and Keyleth's respective daughters were nearly identical. "The other is my niece. Your daughter."
Vax turned toward the girls, crouching to look between them. They weren’t both his sister’s children?
He was met with two sets of hazel eyes matching his own. Mouths and ears just like his, and blonde hair that had a light wave.
It was powerful, facing the next generation, knowing what could have been. It was strange, too, he’d been watching over all of Vox Machina when he could - over Keyleth, especially - and he’d seen his sister give birth to her daughter but he’d never known Keyleth was expecting at all. He knows for a fact that he has been watching consistently enough that he would have noticed.
Keyleth watched him closely for any reaction. Was it her own tears that she was holding back, or were his eyes getting watery too?
"She has your nose," Vax said finally, looking up at Keyleth.
"The rest is all you," she replied with a watery chuckle.
"The blonde hair?"
"Probably something to do with all the gods we were around."
They stood a few feet apart, each unsure of their next move.
"Don't be weird. Go hug her!" Vex chastised her brother, giving him a shove towards Keyleth.
The druid let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as Vax wrapped his arms around her.
"My love, my home, forgive me," he rasped, emotion finally finding its way into his voice as he pulled back to put his hands on her shoulders and look her in the eye. "She's beautiful. You're beautiful. Forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive," she assured him.
"I left you to raise a child on your own," he argued.
"There's nothing to forgive," she repeated. "We get to go on because of you. It's not taken lightly." She paused, relishing the feel of him in her arms. She thought she'd never see him again, thought she'd never have to have the conversation about their baby but now that he was here in front of her, the guilt came crashing over her like a tsunami. "I, uh, I'm sorry I never told you."
He gave her shoulders a squeeze before releasing her. "Let's walk." He held his hand out in question.
"Will she allow it?" Keyleth asked, nodding back toward the Raven Queen, who still loomed at the edge of the cliff.
"Right now, you're more important. I'm sure she'll understand." Still, he glanced over her shoulder at his Matron, who gave no reaction.
With a shaky smile, she picked up her daughter, situated her on her hip, and took Vax's hand in her free one.
They began their stroll in silence, until Vax was sure they were out of earshot of everyone. Then, he picked a tree and settled down beside it, patting the ground beside him, an invitation.
"Dada?" the one-year-old asked, reaching out toward him.
"Yeah, baby. This is your daddy."
Without a second thought, Keyleth handed the one-year-old off to her father and sat down beside them.
"Dada dada," she repeated, patting Vax's cheeks.
He turned to Keyleth, awestruck. "She knows me."
"Of course."
"How?"
"I tell her about you every day. She loves the ravens."
"Caw caw! Dada ayben!"
"Yeah, baby, that's right." Keyleth reached over to stroke her cheek at the same time that Vax moved to, resulting in their hands one over the other on their daughter's cheek.
Their eyes snapped to each other, full of emotion, full of words unsaid.
"When?" Vax asked finally.
"When what?"
"When was she born?”
"She was born about a year ago. Only a few weeks before Vesper."
About a year ago - Vax did the math in his head. He definitely would have noticed. Why hadn’t he seen? Rage began burning in his chest as the pieces began falling into place.
“When did you know that you were pregnant?”
Her gaze dropped to her lap. “By the time I knew for sure, we were about to fight Vecna. I'm sorry I didn't tell you.”
"Why didn't you?"
"Partly because you had made it clear that you were going to honor your contact with the Raven Queen, but mostly because I didn't know if we were going to make it out alive."
"Kiki," he rasped, reaching with his free hand to tilt her chin up towards him. "I'm so sorry."
She turned away from him again, lifting her hand to stroke their daughter's hair.
"You've given me the greatest gift, Vax, not once but twice. I'll never forget that, or you."
Vax adjusted his daughter in his arms and scooted closer to his woman, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in.
“Do you see us, with your ravens?”
“I’ve seen you, but I’m starting to wonder how much of it is true. I never knew about our daughter.”
"You haven’t seen the whole picture…" Keyleth whispered, summoning up every bit of courage she had to ask the question that she so feared the answer to, "Does that mean -?"
"It's time to go, Vax'ildan," the voice of the Raven Queen interrupted, her figure appearing nearby.