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The evening chimes rang out across the Garreg Mach grounds. Nighttime had come at last. Today had been a particularly strenuous day for Rhea, both mentally and physically. As excited as she was to be a mother, pregnancy was not without its struggles, especially this late into the ordeal. Trying to lead sermons and lectures proved more exhausting than ever. She found it impossible to focus on the church’s paperwork, as well as information regarding the Officer’s Academy. And that was just Garreg Mach’s portion of work; she had even more duties to other regions as the new queen of Fodlan. Negotiations with the stubborn nobility, ensuring security and safety for Fodlan and its citizens, and not least of all, the many, many public appearances she was mandated to attend as one half of the royal duo. Trying to maintain her image of serenity and grace proved taxing, to put it lightly.
At the very least, she was happy to see more people gradually returning to attend mass at Garreg Mach’s cathedral. The faithful followers who attended her sermons bid her good wishes and hopes for a healthy pregnancy. Not to mention she had Seteth, Flayn, and multiple other knights and priests who offered their help to her in this laborious time. Still, she felt obligated to do most of the work herself, perhaps as a form of atonement for her past failures. She knew that she may never be seen as a saint again, but for the sake of her friends and family, both alive and dead, for once in her thousand years of living she could at least try to live up to the title.
In any case, she breathed a sigh of relief, happy that the day was finally over. Her daily duties as archbishop had concluded, she had her daily visit to Manuela in the infirmary, and she had finished cleaning herself in the private bathhouse. Now she was finally free to relax in her bed. Her familiar, comfy, cozy bed. Clad in her white nightclothes with a silver nightgown overtop, Rhea lay comfortably beneath the thick layers of blankets, reading one of Seteth's new books by the candlelight; a “fairy tale” titled The Canyon of the Dragons . She had previewed the book early in its writing cycle when she had first heard of Seteth wanting to become an established author, and she was especially proud of him for getting his original story completed and published. After such a strenuous day, a whimsical story was exactly what she needed to ease her mind and lessen her worries. Still, she realized something, or rather someone, was missing from the evening scene; Byleth had not returned from his daily duties yet.
Then, right on cue, the bedroom door opened, and in stumbled the tired, lethargic king. Judging by the towel he carried with his clothes, it appears he had also finished taking a bath, though his bath clearly did not wash away his sluggishness. In an attempt to brighten his mood, Rhea showed him a comforting smile, the one she knew he loved to see more than anything else in the world, and beckoned him closer.
"I was wondering when you would come. You had me quite worried, my dear."
"I'm really sorry. Today's proceedings were quite strenuous. Sylvain can back me up on that," Byleth sighed. After a deep breath, he put on a grin of his own and approached the bedside. Upon reaching her side, Byleth moved his right hand down to Rhea’s baby bump, brushing over it with anticipation. "I'm happy to see the two of you safe and sound." Exchanging a light kiss, the couple pulled away with even bigger smiles on their faces.
"How are you holding up? Any changes? Worries?" Byleth questioned.
"Nothing to report, as a certain gatekeeper would say."
"Well, can I get you anything? Something to drink? Something to eat, perhaps? Annette brought some sweets earlier, if you’re hungry. Or maybe a massage, if you're sore anywhere? Or-"
"Byleth, thank you,” Rhea cut him off, “But really, I'm feeling fine. It's very sweet that you worry about me like this, but I don't need anything at the moment."
"Nothing at all? Truly?"
Rhea went quiet for a moment. As she contemplated, a sly smile crept onto her lips. "Well, actually, there is one request I have. A request that only you can perform."
"And that is?"
Rhea flipped up the bedsheets next to her and patted the bed softly. "Change your clothes, come lay in bed, and cuddle with your expecting wife."
Not wasting a second, Byleth changed out of his regal attire (with Rhea sneaking some peaks as he did so) into his nightclothes; a black and purple nightshirt and a pair of tailor-made wool pants, with Crest of Flames patches sewn into the legs. He moved into the bed next to his wife and pulled the bedsheets back overtop of them. Rhea felt a swell of fuzziness in her chest as her husband spooned her from behind. She knew that he knew this was her favorite position of all; being held, and more importantly, comforted by the one she loved with all her heart.
From there, the lovers stayed quiet for a moment's time; only the faint sounds of deep breathing between the royal pair filled the bedchamber. They didn't need sweet nothings or constant "I love you's" right now. Rhea's swollen belly and Byleth's slow caresses of her stomach were more than enough. The dusk colors faded away outside, leading the way for a dark and starry night sky to take its place, leaving only a couple of bedside candles to provide light for the king and queen. Drowsiness began to set in as they spooned, but the couple still had enough energy in them for some lighthearted banter.
"Not long now," Rhea sighed, breaking the silence. "Less than a month, perhaps?"
"That's what Manuela told us. It's amazing to think how far you've come, Rhea."
"Remember when we first broke the news to Seteth and Flayn?" Rhea chuckled. "Flayn, oh the look of excitement on her face…"
"I never thought I'd see Seteth cry tears of joy. Not only that, but he hugged us so tightly. It felt so… foreign."
"Well, take it from somebody who's known him for much longer: Seteth can be quite the softie under the right circumstances. Honestly, he's kind of like you in that way."
"I wonder how he would react if you told him that." Byleth mused. The couple laughed for a bit longer before Rhea continued.
"Althea. A name meaning 'hope'. A rather fitting name for our newborn, don't you think?"
"Indeed," Byleth mumbled. Another momentary silence followed before he continued. "It's still so surreal to me. Becoming a father…"
"Are you still nervous, dear?"
"A little bit, but not as much as before. I still think about the night we made this child. In the afterglow of that evening, I was scared. Terrified, even. I wasn't sure if I would be ready for the challenges of parenthood. But your words, your encouragement, gave me the confidence I needed. And in the months afterwards, you and several other friends assured me that I would be a great father."
Rhea let out a deep exhale. She closed her eyes as she monologued, "It's quite surreal to me as well. In all my years of living, both as Saint Seiros and Archbishop Rhea, I felt alone for the longest time. I had resigned myself to the notion that I would play the role of the archbishop for life. I believed feelings like love and devotion were things I would never again experience. Afraid that if anyone found out what my life was like, what kind of person I truly was, then they would turn me away in an instant.
“But miraculously, you proved me wrong, Byleth. You stayed by my side, even after learning of my mistakes, and assured me that we could set things right together. You supported me and the other surviving Nabataeans and helped bring about a world where we don't have to hide who we are. I confessed my love for you in the Goddess Tower, and you professed your love for me in return. And now, in a few weeks time, I'm going to be a mother of my own…"
As she trailed off, Rhea brought her hands onto Byleth's, their wedding rings brushing against one another complete with a light metallic sound. She did her best to turn her head towards her husband in an attempt to look him in his emerald eyes. "Thank you, Byleth. For everything you've done for Fodlan, and for me."
"And thank you Rhea, for the wisdom and compassion you have shown to me for so many years."
Byleth kissed her neck tenderly and nuzzled his face close to hers, eliciting soft giggles from the duo. Their cheeks were red-hot, but neither of them cared. Byleth hugged her closer, wanting to feel even more of her warmth. Blowing out the remaining candles, they drifted off to sleep together not long after, content in each other's company and ready for their future together.