Archive of Our Own ^beta

Tranquillity was gonna become more rare for Evka and Antoine now, they knew that already, not even a few hours old and their boys were already keeping them both awake tonight.

The elf held Clement in one arm, the dwarf baby looked so tiny in his hold, with the other hand the man held a bottle in the boy’s mouth, meanwhile the dwarven woman sat beside them nursing Claude, the couple had decided they would take turns feeding either twin, Antoine had stated that it would be easier to feed one at a time and that it would be less draining for Evka, literally.

As Antoine fed Clement, he heard a small hiss come from his partner, looking over at Evka, which she clarified that he is allowed to, and seeing her wince in pain, “are you sore, mon coeur?”

“A little, but I guess I’ll just have get used to it”

The only bit of advice Kage was unable to give her as he chose not to breastfeed his girls, whether it was possible for him or not.

The little dark-haired boy peacefully suckled on his mother’s nipple as she smiled down through the pain, “It’s worth it though, just like Kage said”, even though the couple needed a few days to settle after the birth, they couldn’t wait to see their fellow warden’s face once he sees his new nephews.

“It is, our precious little boys”

Evka looked up, her husband stared down at their little son in his arms, remembering something, “how... how are you feeling about that?”

“Huh?”

“That we had boys”

The younger warden’s eyebrows narrowed in confusion, “I’m quite happy we had boys, what are you saying, mon cher?”

“Well, I was just kinda worried that you’re a bit disappointed that we didn’t have a girl”

“Why would I be?”

“Because of the name you wanted”

The realisation hit Antoine, his eyes widen just as Clement finished his bottle, the man put the bottle down on the side-table and propped his son on his shoulder to burp him, “mon amour, it is just a name, it is not a big deal”

“Are you sure, I know you really had your heart on it”

The tiny dwarf baby over the elf’s shoulder let out a small quiet burp, making his father grow a warm smile, “It would have been nice to name one of our children after my mother, but we couldn’t, that’s okay”, Antoine carried their younger son over to the two bassinets in the corner of their tent, gently placing the new-born into one, kissing him on the head before doing so.

“I wouldn’t love our children any less because of something like that”

“Yeah, I know, just thought that...”

A moment later, Claude was finished, Evka pulled down her nightshirt to cover her breast, she then burped the baby boy same as her husband and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead, making him curl up with a small coo, “here, I’ll put him to bed”, Antoine held his hands out to receive their eldest child.

Claude looked minuscule in his father’s arms.

The elf gave the dark-haired new-born a kiss in the same spot his mother kissed him before tucking him into the bassinet next to his twin brother.

“So, you’re not upset?”

“Non, not at all”

Evka looked at her husband with a concerned look as he returned to bed, snuggling up next to her, “not even a bit-”

“Evka, I feel fortunate that I even remember my mother’s name, as long as I still remember it, that is enough for me”

Antoine turned to look at the two silent cribs in the corner, “I wouldn’t trade either of our children for that”.

The dwarf looked at bassinets then to her husband who was now staring at her with his big, wet puppy eyes.

“Evka”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you”

Evka expressed a look of confusion.

“For what?” she asked

“Everything”

The elven man stroked his partner’s flushed cheek, his sparkling sapphire blues focusing directly into her sky blues, “Evka, mon coeur, my life before you was miserable, after my mother died, my whole future was bleak, the endless physical labour, the verbal.... and physical abuse...”

Evka winced at that part, she remembered the first time her husband told her about what happened to him, how mortified she was, she wanted to travel all the way to Orlais just to crush that nobleman’s head for violating Antoine and ruining his childhood.

“... when I got blighted, when I laid there in that country house, dying, I thought my nightmare of a life was going to end and.... I accepted it...”

The woman’s eyes widened as the elf broke contact, looking down at his hand that was gently squeezing Evka’s, “... I wanted the pain to be over, I was... almost glad... that I was dying, but then... you found me, and saved me”

“Antoine-”

“But you... you didn’t just save my life, you gave me a new one, a better one.... though it was not easy to become a warden, you stuck with me... you gave me so much, a new life, your love, your hand and now... two beautiful children”

Evka’s heart ached, Antoine took her hands and held them tightly while looking back into his wife’s eyes, “I love you, Evka, more than anything in the world”

“I love you too, Ani, and I swear I would rescue you a hundred times over”

The couple shared a long, loving kiss, embracing each other for the rest of the night, or at least until their sons decide to wake them up again.