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The streets of Treviso were never quiet, not fully. Not even in the middle of the night. Lovers new and old snuggled in the gondolas, slowly passing through the canals, lit by the soft moon glow. Tavern patrons stumbled out into the streets, some laughing, some trying to remember the way home. Some merchants were cleaning their shops for the night, while others were awakening to prepare for a new day. Assassins perched on rooftops, waiting for their target, for the right moment to strike. No, the Jewel of Antiva never fully slept.
Much like their First Talon.
But if any citizen looked at Villa Dellamorte, it wouldn't be Lucanis they'd see leaning over the balcony, but his lover. The beautiful elf, with the long, red auburn hair, brown eyes, Mythal's vallaslin gracing her face. Lilya Aldwir gripped the edge of the railing, closed her eyes and took deep breaths, inhaling the slightly salted air. The wind was just enough to blow a few tendrils of her hair from her face. At least she didn't need to tighten her robe more, with no fear of giving a show to anyone that glanced up. Not that it'd be able to hide much soon.
Lilya took deep breaths, filling her lungs deeply with the cooling air. She wasn't sure why, but it helped the nausea that she was definitely having more than just in the morning. At least the air helped at night. During the day, she tried her best to hide it from Lucanis, and she was surprised he hadn't noticed anything yet.
Lucanis.
She let out a sigh and opened her eyes to watch the city below, beyond the gardens of the Villa. She truly loved Lucanis, more than she ever knew she could. Moving to Antiva was an adjustment from being in Arlathan Forest, but she soon learned how to live and be happy there. Lucanis made it easier, and from the moment he had made that dessert for her in the Lighthouse, she knew that being with him was what she wanted for the rest of her life. They just hadn't discussed much of their future yet. And this wasn't a discussion she was quite ready for. Would he welcome the news? Would this even be something he wanted? And what of her? She was still pretty sure that Caterina thought she wasn't good enough for her precious grandson. Sure, Caterina had no issues with elves or mages in general, and she was grateful for Lilya's role in saving Treviso from the Antaam and Thedas from the gods, but Lilya could see the sideways glances that indicated that no one would be a suitable partner for Lucanis. Especially an elf mage of all things. Surely that could be passed down to any children. At least the magic part. She wasn't even sure how those with elven blood were treated in Antiva.
Lilya closed her eyes once more, inhaled, exhaled, inhaled, exhaled, and pushed back from the railing, ready to go back inside.
Except Lucanis was standing there, wearing just his sleeping pants, watching her. His assassin skills kept him quiet.
No.
Not Lucanis.
His eyes were glowing purple.
"Spite," Lilya gasped. "You startled me."
"YOU STARTLE US, ROOK!" Spite hissed out. "YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT. LIKE LUCANIS NOW. BUT YOU ARE OUT HERE. AGAIN." His eyes narrowed. How long had he known she'd been going out to the balcony?
"I just needed some air, Spite, that's all." She went to move past him, back into the bedroom, but he blocked her.
"ROOK NEEDS TO TALK TO LUCANIS. SHE SMELLS…WRONG. LUCANIS NOTICES THINGS BUT WON'T TELL ROOK. HE WORRIES. WE WORRY."
Lilya drooped her shoulders. Of course Spite would notice that she smelled different. Whatever changes her body was going through must have caused enough of a difference in her that Spite picked up on it. And what did Lucanis notice?
"You're right," she sighed. "I will talk to Lucanis in the morning. How about you let me back in to get some sleep? And let Lucanis's body sleep and you continue to keep watch?"
"NO." He folded his arms across his broad, bare chest. "YOU HAVE NOT SMELLED LIKE BLOOD IN SEVERAL WEEKS AND IT IS WRONG."
"It's not wrong, Spite, it's just--"
"TALK NOW!"
Lucanis's eyes quickly turned from purple to brown, as Spite let Lucanis take control, waking him up. This was not the first time that Lucanis had woken up somewhere strange, thanks to Spite's night-time wanderings. Yes, they had been happening less frequently, especially since they agreed upon letting Lucanis sleep while Spite guarded over them. Most nights, Spite was content to hold Lilya while she slept, or would explore the Villa, making sure to be back to bed before Lucanis woke. But some mornings, Lucanis would find himself waking in a completely different room, either by waking himself up earlier, or Lilya coming to find him in the morning.
Lucanis stood in a daze, shaking his head. "Por la sangre…Lilya? Mi amor, what are we doing out here? It is the middle of the night. Did something happen? Did Spite wake you?" Another room was one thing but this was the first time he woke up to what seemed to be a conversation between his demon and his lover.
Lilya shook her head, placing a hand on his arm. "No, it's fine. I woke up and needed some air. Spite was concerned. That's all." She leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Let's go back to bed." She went to move past him, but Lucanis's quick reflexes gently grabbed her arm.
"What’s going on, Lilya?" His voice was low, showing his concern. "Why did you need some air? Something is bothering you, I know." He furrowed his brow, and moved to look into her eyes. "You barely touch your wine. You drink less coffee. I heard you the other morning when your….stomach emptied itself. But you did not seem sick for the rest of the day. Or any other day you've done that. Which has been almost daily."
Lilya felt the tears coming to her eyes and she blinked to keep them away. With every word, she felt her stomach tighten with anxiety. He had indeed noticed.
"Talk to me, mi amor. I'm worried about you. " His brown eyes pleaded with hers, growing larger and wetter. "No secrets."
Lilya tore her own eyes away from him and glanced around at the surrounding rooftops. She could see fledglings from House Dellamorte standing guard on rooftops, keeping watch over the villa while their occupants slept. She doubted they could hear the conversation from their posts but she would rather not do this with an audience.
"Inside, Lucanis, please," she said softly, not taking her eyes off the rooftops. "We can talk there."
Lucanis followed her eyes, and understood that this was something more private. His arm not leaving hers, he guided her from the balcony and back towards their bedroom. Once inside, he closed the door, turning the lock, and faced the woman he loved. She was perched on their bed, feet flat on the floor, her robe tucked under her. She glanced up at him, her smile warm but wary, almost forced. He could feel the anxiety rolling off of her. She patted the bed. "Sit down, Lucanis."
"I worry every time someone tells me to sit down," he muttered, but he obeyed her and sat on the bed. He might be First Talon, but he would do anything she asked of him. Once he sat, he took her soft hands into his more calloused ones and watched her. "Whatever you have to say, I love you. Nothing will change that."
Lilya nodded and could start to feel the tears fill her eyes again. "I know, and you know that I feel the same way. It's just…" She swallowed and glanced down at their hands clasped together. "Lucanis, I…" She felt his hands squeeze hers. Blinking back tears, she looked at him again. She saw the love he had for her, the worry of the last few days, clearly on his face. His eyes told her that it would be ok. "I'm pregnant," she finally exhaled, saying the words out loud for the first time. "I'm pregnant," she said again, with the words sounding lovely in her ears. She couldn't help but smile.
And Lucanis was smiling back, even wider. "I knew it."
Lilya's mouth dropped in shock and she pulled her hands from Lucanis'. "Wait, what? You knew? What do you mean, you knew? I've been trying to figure out how to tell you for days now and you knew?!"
"Mi amor, of course I knew," Lucanis responded with a laugh from deep within him. "Well…I suspected. You forget I can be perceptive. Like I said, you hadn't been drinking much coffee or wine, your…mornings for a week or so….Spite said you smelled different, and not of blood lately. He was also concerned but I told him not to talk to you. He clearly didn't listen." He sighed. "Just because you are my only relationship does not mean I don't know how babies come about, or the signs. They're in all the romance and mystery serials. If Neve or Bellara were here, they'd have seen it too." He reached out to her hands again and gripped them both. "We are having a baby? Truly?"
Lilya nodded. "Yes. I saw a healer a few days ago and confirmed." The tears started flowing now and she wasn't sure why. She was happy Lucanis was happy, she was relieved he knew. She was worried she wouldn't be able to do this and what this could mean for them, she was upset she ever doubted everything.
"Are you alright?"
She nodded. "Yes, I think I will be." She swallowed and took a deep breath before continuing. "You want this, right? I know we haven't discussed children or our future or…."
Lucanis cut her off by placing his lips across her own. He kissed her softly, letting her remaining tears dance across his cheeks. "I want everything with you," he whispered as he pulled away. "Forever."
A small smile grew on her lips. "That's a long time. We won't live forever."
He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. He placed a kiss on her forehead before resting his own against hers. "I love you, Lilya. In this life and whatever life comes after. I'll find you there."
"Not if I find you first."
"No. You found me this time. Next time will be my turn."
She moved away from him, raising her eyebrow. "So you'll have to save me from an underwater prison in the next life?"
Lucanis smiled. "Maybe. Or from darkspawn or a dragon, who knows."
"Fine," Lilya giggled. "Next time, you be the hapless hero, and I'll be the charming rogue."
"As long as I'm with you." Keeping his arms around her as best he could, he pulled her down onto the bed so that she was laying on top of his bare chest. He stroked her hair as she lay there. "Why were you outside on the balcony?"
Lilya started to trace his chest with her own fingers, curling his hair around them. "The air helps the nausea. I don't know if it's the temperature or the salt in the air or something else. But it helps. For now, at least."
Lucanis chuckled. "Maybe the baby likes the air. A true Antivan, just wanting to feel its home."
She smiled and snuggled into him a little more. "Maybe."
They stayed like that for a few moments, the quietness of their room allowing them to focus on their thoughts as well as just enjoy being in each other's arms.
"Lilya? Will the baby…be like you?"
Lilya frowned and raised herself up to turn and face her love. "What do you mean, like me?"
Lucanis sat up a little, leaning on his arms. "You know. Will they have…ears like yours?"
"You mean will they be an elf?" He couldn't be upset over her race, could he?
He shrugged. "I don't know how that part works."
Lilya nodded in understanding. He wasn't trying to be mean, just didn't know. "Most likely no. Children of an elf and human are known as elf-blooded and tend to take on the human characteristics, though ears may be a little more…pronounced. In some places," she paused and sighed before continuing. "In some places elf-blooded people are looked down upon."
Lucanis sat up fully. "That is terrible, mi amor." He gently placed his hand under chin and stared into her eyes. "I swear to you and the Maker that if anyone reacts that way to this child, they will answer to all of House Dellamorte."
She smiled and sat up with him. Of course her child would be the most protected in all of Thedas. But knowing what he would do to anyone who spoke ill of the child's parentage helped quell some of her fears. "I know. Hey, did you hear the rumour that King Alistair of Fereldan didn't take the throne because he was elf-blooded and it would destroy the kingdom? I think it was really because he wanted to marry the Hero of Fereldan, Warden Surana, but they wouldn't let him."
"I heard that he wanted to stay a Grey Warden. I knew he was involved with Surana but not the elf-blood."
She leaned down into him, against resting on his chest. "Maybe it's just a rumour. Maybe a bit of all." Lilya yawned, placed a kiss where Lucanis's heart was, and laid down again. They stayed like this for a few more minutes, Lilya drawing circles on Lucanis's chest, while he gently drummed his fingers on her arm. She started to doze off until his accented voice interrupted her.
"What about magic?"
"Hmm?"
"You are a mage. I am not. Will the child have magic?"
"Maybe. It runs in families. Just because you're the mage-killer doesn't negate that I can still pass on magic ability." Lilya's voice was starting to get heavier with sleep, her words slurring slightly. "Like hair colour, eyes, it's usually one of the parents, but sometimes it skips. We both have brown eyes but if a grandparent has blue, the baby can have blue. Same with magic."
Lucanis didn't notice Lilya fading to sleep, lost in his own thoughts. "My mother had blue eyes. It's one of the things I remember about her."
"Mmhmm." Soon she drifted off to sleep, leaving Lucanis with his own thoughts, and explaining the entire conversation with Spite.
*****
The streets of Treviso were never fully quiet, even at night. Silence was for an assassain's job, never letting the target hear you until you wanted them to. Noise was for the living. For the street cleaners working in the night to keep the city beautiful. For the bartenders trying to get their remaining patrons out the door so they could close up and rest. For the travellers waking early to catch a boat or a carriage to somewhere across Thedas.
And it was for a new father, trying to coax his five month old infant back to sleep.
He had awaken in his room, fully dressed, but standing over the crib, a bottle in one hand, a blanket in the other.
"SHE DOESN'T LIKE ME HOLDING HER!" Spite had told him when he woke up.
"Yes, because you're a demon she can sense this!" His voice had been heavy with sleep. But he had gone a long time with little sleep before. For Lilya, and for his child, he would do it again for a short time. "What did you do?"
"I SANG TO HER!"
"Por la sangre del hacedor, Spite, I told you not to sing! Nobody likes it!"
"SHE LIKES IT! SHE LISTENS AND MAKES LITTLE NOISES!"
Lucanis put down the bottle and blanket and cradled the baby to his chest. Once he had held her in one hand, he grabbed the bottle and blanket with the other and made his way to the balcony where a rocking chair had been waiting.
Lucanis now sat down and repositioned his daughter, covering both of them with the blanket that Davrin had gifted and started to feed her. "Well it looks like she was going to cry," he scolded Spite, while looking out towards the never fully rested city.
"SHE WAS HUNGRY BUT DIDN'T WANT ME TO HOLD HER."
Lucanis shook his head and glanced down. "You and Spite will get along eventually, my Annabella." He smiled at her while she hungrily gulped down the bottle of milk. He really didn't mind these night time feedings. He was used to being awake, and it let his soon-to-be wife and mother of his child rest more. And he cherished every moment he had with Annabella Lace, named for their fallen friend who saved them all. He also loved the thought of Lilya as his wife. He promised her forever the night she told him about their baby, and he meant it. He just needed to get his mother's opal ring resized for her more dainty elven finger before officially asking. But then she wanted to wait so she could fit in her dress properly.
It didn't matter to him when. As long as it was her.
As a baby gift, Bellara had given them something she designed using some ancient elf magic he didn't understand. Lilya was able to use it to get milk from herself into bottles (it looked uncomfortable) and then the bottles went into something that helped keep the milk at the optimal temperature at all times. As long as Lilya did some type of magic to it, of course. She was a Veil Jumper as well so it wasn't hard for her to figure out. But that gift was wonderful for times like this. He could feed his daughter without having to wake up the love of his life.
Once she was done, Lucanis laid down the bottle and positioned Annabella over his shoulder to burp her. After a few pats, the baby let out a loud noise that made Lucanis chuckle. "You are part elf, not drunken dwarf, mi vida." He repositioned the baby, cradling her in his arms. "Your mother was right though. Human ears." He leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. "My dark hair. Her nose, thankfully. You're paler, like her. But your eyes? Those are blue eyes. Like my mother."
He let out a soft sigh and smile. "I wish you could have met her. And I wish I had more memories of her. But you have her eyes, so she will live on. Unless she came back through you and came to find me, like I said I'd find your mother."
Annabella let out something that sounded like a laugh. Like she just spilled a secret.
"Huh," Lucanis said in disbelief and made a note to talk to Emmrich about spirits coming back.
He started rocking in the chair, holding his daughter tightly. He smiled at her as she yawned and closed her eyes, snuggling more into him. "You know, Annabella," he whispered. "They say Treviso is the Jewel of Antiva. They are wrong. It's you. You are the most precious thing in all of Antiva, even all of Thedas. I killed elven gods for your mother. I'd take on the Maker himself to protect you. "
*****
Lilya woke up to the sun beaming in her face. The balcony curtains were normally closed, but this morning, the sun was shining through them. Squinting her eyes shut, she rolled over to reach for Lucanis. His side of the bed was empty. She immediately jumped up and ran to the crib. Annabella was gone too.
Her breath hitched as a million different scenarios ran through her mind. Stop it, she told herself. Maybe they woke up and went to make breakfast. It's probably nothing. Or someone broke in and kidnapped my fiancé and child.
She grabbed her dark blue robe from the back of the door, slipping it around herself. It was then she felt the breeze, smelled the slightly salted air. The balcony was opened. That would be the light was coming through. She crept across the room slowly, preparing to cast a fire spell at anyone who would harm her family. She took a step closer and realized that Lucanis was sitting on the rocking chair.
No.
He was sitting wrong. Far too straight up.
"Spite?" She whispered, not wanting to wake her daughter. "Is everything alright?"
The demon turned Lucanis's head towards her. He was smiling. It wasn't as warm or bright as Lucanis's, and it might have been a bit unnerving if one wasn't used to it. But it was a smile.
"ROOK! I'M HOLDING HER! SHE LET ME!" He followed Lilya's lead and tried to speak quietly.
"That's great Spite," Lilya replied softly, smiling herself. "I know you've wanted to hold Annabella for some time."
"LUCANIS BROUGHT HER HERE. SHE DRANK. SHE SLEPT. THEN LUCANIS SLEPT. SO MY TURN. SHE STAYED SLEEPING."
Lilya reached out to take her child and Spite handed her back. "She may not have known it was you while she was asleep. I think she senses that you're not Lucanis and it confuses her. Someday you'll be able to hold her when she's awake."
"WANT TO TAKE ANNABELLA FLYING!"
"Not until she's a few years older, Spite." Lilya felt Annabella stirring as she was transferred to her mother, but she quickly settled again. "Let Lucanis wake up when he's ready." She moved back into the bedroom. She placed the infant back into her cradle and immediately heard Lucanis's voice.
"Annabella? Mi vida? ANNAB- - Maker's charred body Lilya, don't do that!"
Lilya put a finger to her lips as a signal he needed to quiet down. "She's fine. Spite didn't tell you I had her?"
"No. He just told me to wake up. Por le sangre del hacedor, I thought something happened to her." He ran his fingers through his unkempt hair. "Spite!"
Lilya swore she saw a purple flash in his eyes but if he said anything, it was for Lucanis' ears only. She made her way to the closet to put on some clothes. After he had finished grumbling to himself, she continued , "He said you fell asleep out there. He stood guard, and happily held Annabella while she slept." She slipped on a white shirt, leaving it undone. She turned around and pointed to her breasts. "Not for you." Lucanis chuckled as she made her way to the crib, Annabella started cooing, alerting her parents that she was awake now. Lilya picked her up, placed a kiss on her nose and moved to the bed, sitting down to feed her.
Lucanis sat next to her and watched. "I'd burn all of Thedas if it meant protecting her."
Lilya smiled as Annabella latched on to take her breakfast. "You're forgetting that I'm the one who can do magic with fire so I might be more effective. You could stab everyone my fire doesn't kill, though."
Lucanis beamed at the woman who would be his wife in a few short months. "You are amazing, Lilya." He leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "Te quiero, mi amor."
She smiled and leaned her forehead against his. "Ar lath ma, vhenan."
Annabella stopped drinking from her mother and started to babble, clearly unhappy that she was not the center of her parents' attention.
Lilya grinned and brought her to eye level. "And you, da'len. The most important thing in my life. Let's get you changed and ready for the day." She handed her to Lucanis before getting some clothes from the drawers.
As Lucanis burped her, he could smell exactly why she needed changing. "Taash is finally coming to visit. They said they were coming on the boat from Rivian that lands today. Their letter said they'll have have a new dragon or wyvern toy for Annabella."
Lilya chuckled as she sat back down on the bed. She laid down a sheet as Lucanis laid their baby on it. "Start her early on liking dragons and wyverns?"
"Of course," Lucanis said, moving to remove her dirty clothes. "She is my child after all." Annabella cooed at her father, lifting her legs up and reaching for her toes. "Look at that flexibility. Pure Crow. Pure Dellamorte." This brought a laugh from the baby, and an eye roll from Lilya.
"You'll change your mind if she has magic like me." Lilya continued changing the infant, wiping her with towels, putting them aside for Antonia, one of house Dellamorte's most trustworthy staff, to help clean. Once she was cleaned and changed, Lilya craddled her to shoulder.
"Now, my Annabella Lace, shall we go see Nona Caterina?"
Lucanis grinned widely at his family. "You know she hates when you call her that."
"Yet, you encourage me." She leaned over and placed a kiss on her fiancé's cheek, Annabella reaching up to pat her father's chin as she did so. "Let's get some breakfast." Lilya stood up and made her way out of the room.
"Uh, mi amor?" Lucanis called out. "As much as I love you wearing just a shirt with your breasts out, there are other people in the household. Including my grandmother and cousin."
She frowned and glanced down. In the middle of getting Annabella ready, she had forgotten to put the rest of her clothes on. Lucanis had reached them and took his daughter. "You get dressed. I'll start making the coffee," and he and Annabella departed the room.
Lilya sighed and went to her cabinet, finding something more appropriate to wear. Once she had slipped into comfortable pants and buttoned up her shirt, she made her way to the balcony to close the door.
But she stopped.
She stood outside.
She watched the city beyond the gardens. Below her, people were rushing to cafes for morning food and beverages. Shopkeeps were getting their wares ready to sell. Restaurant owners were looking for their freshest fish and vegetables to prepare for their patrons throughout the day.
Lilya sighed, happily. House Dellamorte was a long way from Arlathan Forest. Life had changed so much from when she was learning to control her magic from others in her clan, exploring ancient ruins with other Veil Jumpers, traveling Thedas with first Varric, then the rest of the Veilguard, fighting her own gods. And now, here she was, on the villa balcony of the most powerful family in Treviso, maybe even Antiva, preparing to marry the First Talon and already raising the most precious child with him.
She smiled, closed her eyes, and leaned against the balcony, taking a deep breath of the salted air, the flowers coming from the garden below. She could almost smell the coffee brewing from the floors below, its bitter and sweetness mixing together to become something perfect.
Lilya opened her brown eyes and pushed back from the ledge, turned around and re-entered the room, locking the balcony doors behind her.