Chapter 365: My 2nd Gift To Azaire_Caelum On This Special Day

Elian;

His jaw tightens, and immediately, I know I’ve been saved.

He says nothing, but strides towards us.

Azula barely has time to squeak before he lifts her onto one shoulder with effortless strength.

"Papa! No! I’ll lose the game!" She whines dramatically, and I roll my eyes.

Serapha tries to dart away, but Koda catches her by the torso and lifts her at his waist like a weightless handbag.

She flails, but Koda ignores their protests.

"We had to team up with Màpà. He was losing!" she protests, and I cross my arms and glare.

"No, I was not." I clarify, but Koda doesn’t argue.

He simply looks at them with that calm look the girls have learned already. The one that pushes the girls to behave.

Azula wilts immediately, and Serapha stiffens.

"Didn’t we agree that you would not stress your Màpà?" He says evenly, and he’s met with silence.

The door opens again, and this time Zephan steps in. He takes a few steps in, and when he sees the mess that’s been created, he sighs.

"Serapha?" He calls sternly, and her eyes soften as she avoids his gaze.

Koda lowers her, and her little shoes pitter-patter against the smooth marble as she walks over to her father.

She stands in front of him with her head bowed and her fingers constantly curling and uncurling into each other in front of her.

Zephan gently taps her forehead before speaking.

"What was the agreement?"

Serapha pouts, but answers nonetheless.

"We... agreed that we would not stress Màpà while he carries the baby." She says, and Azula sighs from Koda’s shoulder.

Koda pinches her cheek lightly, and her lips puckered guiltily.

"Sorry..." She whispers, and Koda sets her down, and both girls turn to me.

My hands move to my waist as they make their way to me on their stubby little legs.

They stop in front of me, and then they both grab their ears.

"We’re sorry, Màpà. We didn’t mean to stress you." They chorus, and my heart— My stupid, weak heart melts.

I drop to my knees carefully and pull them both into my arms.

"My little princesses," I murmur into their hair, and I feel their tiny arms wrap around me as well.

"I am not upset with you," I whisper, and they squeeze me tightly.

"I was only worried you would hurt yourselves. I do not want that." I add, and they nod as they pull away.

"We’ll be careful," Azula promises, and I stare at her beautiful, big red eyes that mirror mine.

"We promise!" Serapha adds, and I gently tuck her silky white hair behind her ear.

I kiss their heads as I feel my heart swell, and they grin at me.

"I’ll hold you both to that. Now, go clean up for lunch." I say.

They scramble up and dash off together, already whispering conspiratorially about their next duel.

The room falls quiet as they leave, and I am left alone with Koda and Zephan.

Koda steps forward first, and before I can say a thing, he cups my face gently and kisses my lips.

"Are you okay?" He asks as he pulls away, and my eyes drift from him as my cheeks heat up.

All these years married to him, and a single move of intimacy from him gets me feeling all flustered.

"I am fine," I reply softly, and I feel Zephan beside me. He leans in and kisses my cheek softly.

"Does your back still hurt?" He questions, and I stare up at him.

"...Yes," I admit, and I see the concern in his eyes.

"Foot swelling?" Koda asks, and I look down at my fat ass legs in my sandals.

"...Maybe. I can’t tell if they grew since yesterday." I admit, and he hums thoughtfully.

Both of them then share a look, and I narrow my eyes.

"What—" I begin, but without warning, Koda scoops me up into his arms, causing me to yelp.

"Koda, what are you doing!?" I protest, but he adjusts me securely in his arms.

"You are not walking." He says as he starts moving towards the door, and my brows crease.

"Why? I can walk just fine!" I rant, and he gives me a look.

"You wobble." He retorts, and Zephan chuckles.

"I’ll get warm water for his feet." He then says, and my eyes widen as I turn to watch him start leaving.

"I do not need—" I try to stop him, but he smiles at me.

"Yes, you do," He says calmly, and I glare.

I am heavily pregnant. I am not helpless!!

But I also... do not protest any further.

Koda carries me back toward my chambers, with his heartbeat steady beneath my ear.

And as I watch Zephan leave, suddenly the back pain doesn’t matter.

The exhaustion doesn’t matter.

Even the broken statue doesn’t matter.

I rest my hand over my stomach again, and smile as I think about everything.

"Your sisters are chaos," I whisper, and the baby shifts gently.

I smile.

I think about Azula’s calm fire and Serapha’s reckless laughter. The way they held their ears and apologised... And how they’re so little but already know their way around me.

I think about the life I’ve built wth the Ashfang brothers... The wars we survived.

The trauma. The healing... The way love grew in the cracks, and I realise something.

I may be tired. I may be swollen... and I complain about it constantly... Constantly. But I am also the luckiest man alive.

I lean fully into Koda as I caress my stomach.

"I cannot wait to meet you," I whisper to the child inside me as I shut my eyes.

"You will be loved by an entire empire. Just like your siblings... But I will always love you most."

Koda glances down at me, and when I look up, our eyes meet.

"Talking to the baby?" He asks, and I smile.

"Yes."

"What are you telling them?" He asks, and I shrug as I snuggle closer in his arms.

"That I love them," I reply honestly, and he smiles.

"So do we." He says as we get to my room, and just then, Zephan returns with a basin of warm water.

He sets it down carefully and kneels, and Koda lowers me gently onto the bed.

Zephan removes my sandals, and I watch as both of them fuss over me.

These men—these fathers... These husbands of mine.

My family.

"I love you," I say suddenly, and they both look up at me.

"We know," Koda says, and I can’t help but smile at his confidence.

"But we like hearing it," Zephan chimes, and I laugh quietly.

As Zephan lowers my feet into the warm water and Koda massages my aching shoulders... I close my eyes.

I am carrying life again.

For the third time, and heaven know I would do it a hundred times more.

Because this?

This love... This chaos... This family?

It is worth every ache in my back. It’s worth every sleepless night, every broken statue and even every future battle.

Because I am so deeply loved by these men, and that love gives me the confidence to bring another child into this world without fear.

Because neither my children nor I will ever know what loneliness feels like.

Not in this family.... Not under this roof.

And certainly not in my arms.

I let out a breath as I lean back into Koda. Allowing myself to relax because for the first time in a very long while...

I feel completely and utterly at peace.

What more could I ever want?