"Wait... So," Aefia spoke while pacing the room. Her boots making clicking sounds around the room. "Erebus is actually my uncle?"
"Yes, sweetie," Chronos answered for her. He sat behind his desk while resting his chin on his hand. Although her constant questions, he was still patient and smiled.
"And if he was one year younger then mom... He is currently fourty-two!"
"Yes."
"And I thought him as my younger brother?!"
"You can't blame yourself, he just likes to disguise himself as young."
"Holy shit!" She halted abruptly, grabbing her head with both hands as if she had just unearthed some ancient, forbidden truth. "And wait—then Matthew is in his fifties!"
"Nearing his sixties, actually."
"And he is my part-time knight?!"
"He cares for you, that is why."
"And you are in your fourties!"
"Yes."
"And aunt Pandora is nearing thirty-eight then! Aunt Athena and Khione are eighty and eighty-five respectively!"
"Well, how old did you think they were then?" He asked, chuckling softly.
"I don't know... Fourty-ish. Look, the time in the Guardian Realm was paused okay. You can't expect to me to not believe what I thought while in that condition." She spoke while shrugging her shoulders and folding her arms.
Chronos let out a laugh, then stood up, rounding the table until he came to a stop a few paces in front of her. "Don't you consider yourself seventeen still, even after knowing your body had been paused in time?"
"That is because our age is how long we have lived and experienced life." She answered, following him as he walked out the door towards the corridor.
Even with servants passing by carrying scrolls and laundry, neither of them made any effort to hide how close they had gotten over the last seven days. The cold, distant silence that usually hung around the Guardian of Time had softened into something undeniably fond whenever she was around.
"See? There is that part of me in you," he spoke with a warm chuckle, reaching over to ruffle her hair.
"Dad! I am not a kid anymore!" Aefia whispered urgently as she tried to swat his hand away lightly, her face instantly flushing with a tinge of embarrassment. Her eyes were darting around in a quick glance towards two guards who were trying very hard to pretend they weren't staring. "There are people watching!"
"Whatever... You are still my little baby girl," he answered, though a amused glint flashed in his eyes as he finally withdrew his hand, letting her smooth down her messy black-and-silver locks.
They stepped out of the double-doors and towards the garden behind the Death castle.
The morning air was crisp, carrying the sweet scent of night-blooming jasmine that grew around the marble fountains.
The fresh blades of grass along the lawns looked like grass. The rose bushes along the main pavements reaching towards the head-quaters looked mythical. Which was not as common for Aefia anymore, although they were during the first times. She used to get spooked by it.
Aefia slowed her pace, her hands tucked loosely into her dress pockets as she looked up at the towering, ancient trees overhead. Their leaves shimmered in shades of gold and pale sapphire, reflecting the perpetual twilight of the Realm.
"It's quiet here," she murmured, her voice losing its usual sharp, defensive edge.
Chronos slowed down to match her stride, keeping his posture relaxed. "Your mother liked a peaceful, rainy forest. So some of us tried our best to keep thos place preserved from Victoria."
"That woman Victoria was a nuisance... Wasn't she?" She asked while chuckling, lifting her gaze up at him.
"Yeah... She was," he replied softly. They stepped into the portal that lead to her place, and they came out the other side to be met with the sight of the reconstructing side of the castle. It was going back to white, but this time, it would have silver accents.
"Well, Sofia... You seem to like taking good care of what is yours." He let out a sigh, suddenly recalling of his and Seraphina's younger days. "Your mother would have been proud of you... Knowing how you stood up for yourself from one of her life-lomg enemies."
"Yeah... She would."
But almost at the same time—
She looked up at him, caught slightly off guard by the name he used for her. "Sofia..." she repeated quietly, testing the weight of it on her tongue. "It still feels strange hearing it."
"It was the name your mother and I picked before everything fell apart. We liked the meaning of it, hoping you would one day become what your name suggest. You did not fail us..." Chronos said, stopping beside a stone bench near a mirror-still pond.
"I used to sit right here, holding you when you were barely a weeks old, wondering what kind of person you would grow up to be. I worried you would inherit my rigidness, or your mother's reckless bravery."
He looked down at her, his expression melting into pure, quiet pride.
"Turns out, you took the best pieces of both of us—and built someone entirely your own."
Aefia stared at her reflection in the glowing water, a small, genuine smile creeping onto her lips. For the first time since she had arrived in this strange, dangerous realm, the knot of tension in her chest completely took off. It pleased her to know that she once had a set of parents who actually looked out for her.And that is...
Right now... when she was just a daughter, walking through a quiet garden with her father.
"Well," she said, bumping her shoulder playfully against his arm, "if I took the best pieces of you, does that mean you are going to take over my paperworks for the rest of the week?"
Chronos let out a deep, booming laugh that echoed across the pond, startling a few glowing birds from the branches above.
"Nice try, my dear," he replied, shaking his head as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her along the path. "A true workaholic finishes her own paperwork."
"Pfft. Wow... I think I already have enough traitors for that." She rolled her eyes. Her long, fluttering, cape sleeves trailing her in the wind as she reached out to fix her white blazer.
"So now... Aren't you going to tell me how you and mom spent your good times? Thinking that you married at twenty-two... You two must have gotten along quite well..."
"Of course we did," he looked down at her, arching his brow.
It took her a moment to realize that he probably thought... She thought they were constantly arguing or something.
"No... I know you two got along well. But... I just want to know how you two spent your good times." She correct, waving her hands frantically.
"Ah! I get it... Well... You mother liked to take walks frequently along the gardens when she had you, and I would follow along most times. Then there was that one day I remember the most... Surprisingly, she started to speak about other things, and not work..."
***
"Slow down, Fina," Chronos called out from behind. Panting as he jogged up to her.
Seraphina stopped and turned around, her pastel yellow gown flowing around her as she twirled. A smile on her face. "I am walking, why are you stopping me from moving?"
"You are practically running."
"I am not."
"You are."
She glanced down at her feet. Then back at him. "...Perhaps you are simply walking too slowly."
He sighed. "There it is."
"What?"
"Your complete inability to admit that you are wrong."
"I am never wrong."
"You nearly walked into a fountain yesterday."
"That fountain was moved."
"It has been there for thrirty years."
"Then it moved itself."
Chronos stared at her while Seraphina stared back. Neither spoke.
Then she broke into laughter.
"You should have seen your face!"
"I am beginning to understand why people find you insufferable." He smirked.
"And yet you married me."
"Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?"
She immediately turned around and continued walking.
Chronos blinked, his smile wiped out. "Fina."
She ignored him.
"Seraphina."
Nothing.
He sighed and hurried after her. "I did not mean it like that."
"Too late."
"You know perfectly well what I meant."
"Unfortunately, I don't."
"Fina."
She finally stopped.
Chronos caught up, standing beside her. For a moment, neither said anything. Then, her lips curled into a small smile.
"You really are terrible at apologizing."
"I am trying."
"I know."
She slipped her hand into his elbow as they continued through the garden.
Seraphina's pace gradually slowed until she was walking beside him rather than ahead. One of her hands rested against the slight curve of her stomach, while the other remained intertwined with his.
Chronos noticed, his expression instantly softened.
"Are you tired?"
"No."
"You are slowing down."
"Because you are finally walking at a reasonable speed."
"That isn't what I meant."
"I know." She smiled.
He looked at her for a moment before glancing down at her stomach. It still felt strange. There was a child there.
Their child.
A person neither of them had met yet, but someone who had already managed to rearrange both of their lives without saying a single word.
Seraphina caught him that way. "What?"
"Nothing."
"You are staring."
"I was thinking."
"That is dangerous."
He rolled his eyes. "I was wondering what she will be like."
Seraphina's expression immediately brightened. "You have already decided it's a girl?"
"Yes."
"You don't know that."
"I have a feeling."
"You are the Guardian of Time. Surely you can do better than a feeling."
"I could."
"Then why don't you?"
"Because I don't want to."
She smiled again. For someone who had spent most of her life surrounded by calculations, strategies and danger, Seraphina strangely enjoyed leaving some things unknown.
Especially this.
"What do you think she will be like?" she asked.
Chronos thought for a moment. "Stubborn."
Seraphina's smile vanished.
"...Excuse me?"
"Very stubborn."
"How dare you."
"And argumentative."
"Chronos."
"Intelligent."
She narrowed her eyes. "Keep going."
"Independent."
Her expression softened.
"Perhaps a little reckless."
"That sounds suspiciously like you."
"I am not reckless."
"You once jumped off a tower because you wanted to test whether your new paragliders could handle the wind."
"They worked."
"You broke your ankle."
"That is unrelated."
Chronos laughed while Seraphina gently bumped her shoulder against his.
"I think she will be clever," she said. "But I don't want her to become obsessed with proving it."
He glanced at her. "Why?"
"Because I know what it's like." Her voice became quieter.
"I don't want her to spend her entire life thinking she has to be useful before she deserves to exist."
Chronos's expression changed. He squeezed her hand. "She won't."
"You don't know that."
"I know that I will make sure of it."
Seraphina looked at him. For once, she didn't tease him.
"You will be a good father."
He smiled faintly. "And you'll be a good mother."
She looked away. "...I hope so."
They eventually reached a marble bench beneath one of the enormous trees. Seraphina sat down first, carefully adjusting her dress before leaning against the backrest.
Chronos sat beside her. He reached into the small basket he had carried along and pulled out a piece of fruit.
Seraphina watched him. Her eyes followed the fruit. Then his hand. Then the fruit again. And he noticed.
"No."
"I didn't say anything."
"You didn't have to."
She looked away innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I will ask you if you want one, you will say you are not hungry. Then I will give you a piece of fruit, and you will skip dinner."
"I am not hungry anyways."
"Alright..." Finally, he took a bite. And she continued staring.
Another bite. She stared harder.
Chronos sighed. "Fina..."
"What?"
"Get your own."
"I don't want one."
"Then stop looking at mine."
"I am not."
"You are."
She smiled. Then, without warning, leaned over and stole the remaining piece directly from his fingers. She calmly ate it, while stared at his empty hand.
Then at her.
"...Really?"
She swallowed and smiled sweetly. "It's your child eating."
He blinked. "Do you want another piece?"
"Are you questioning your daughter's needs?"
Chronos stared at her for several seconds. Then sighed and reached into the basket. He pulled out another piece whether she asked or not.
Seraphina's eyes immediately lit up. "You brought more."
"I knew you would steal mine."
"So you planned for it."
"I have known you for long enough."
She leaned against his shoulder with a satisfied smile. "See? That is why I married you."
"I thought you married me because you loved me."
"I can have multiple reasons."
He smiled. "I suppose you can."
For a while, they simply sat there, until yhe garden was quiet.
The wind moved gently through the leaves, while Seraphina rested her head against his shoulder while absentmindedly tracing circles against his hand.
"Do you think she will like fruit?" she asked.
"Probably."
"How do you know?"
"Because you do."
She smiled. "Then she will probably steal yours too."
"Absolutely not."
"She will."
"She can have her own."
"You will give her yours."
"I won't."
"You will."
"I won't."
Seraphina lifted her head. "Chronos."
He looked at her.
"You will."
He stared at her for a moment. Then sighed. "...Fine."
She laughed. "I knew it."
He looked down at her stomach again.
"Do you think she will look like you?"
"I hope so."
"I hope she gets your eyes."
"I hope she gets your patience."
"Then we are doomed." Seraphina laughed again. "And what would you name her?"
Chronos went silent.
Seraphina tilted her head. "You haven't thought about it?"
"I have."
"Well?"
"I don't know."
She smiled knowingly. "You do."
He looked away. "...Sofia."
Her expression softened. "Sofia?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because it means wisdom."
Seraphina rested a hand over her stomach. "Sofia..." She repeated the name quietly. Then smiled. "I like it."
"Good."
"But I think she will need something else too."
"What?"
"Something that belongs only to her."
Chronos looked at her.
Seraphina smiled.
"She'll have our names. Our history. Our enemies. Our mistakes. Maybe even our stubbornness." She gently rubbed her stomach. "But I want her to have a name that reminds her that she's allowed to become whoever she wants."
Chronos's eyes softened. "You've already thought about this a lot."
"Of course I have."
"Workaholic."
"Idiot."
He laughed. She leaned against him again. A long moment went by.
"Chronos."
"Hm?"
"I am happy." She whispered, her red eyes zoning out towards the fountain in front. He turned his head to kiss the crown of her head.
"I know."
"I have never been happier."
"Neither have I." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "And I know our daughter too... Will be happy."