“It ain’t easy keeping the Peace, huh?” Ira mocks me.

“Tell me about it... I think I preferred fighting over this.” I point to the scrolls and the books.

“Come on, you can afford to take a break.” Ira shows me a bottle.

“Sounds good to me.” I grin, locking my grip on Ira's forearm and let the assassin do his work. We emerge on the roof of the Palace. We sit down and open up the wine. Ira pulls out two mugs from his pouch and pours me a drink.

“Your highness.” He says. I just roll my eyes and take the mug.

“What royalty drinks wine from wooden mugs.” I mumble into the wine, taking a sip.

“The kind that don't care about wine in a wooden mug.” Ira takes a drink too. “Makes it easier to tolerate you.” He mocks me again.

“Ha. Ha.” I stretch out and stare into the evening sky. We sit in silence for a little while.

“How long has it been now?” I ask, sitting back up.

“15 years? Ish? I lost track.”

“You mean us being friends or.”

“I mean you as the King.” Ira says short and sharp.

“All these years and I still don't feel like the king...” I take another drink.

“Maybe that's cause you don't act as a typical king.”

“Maybe.” I shrug my shoulders. “Or maybe it's because I doubt I deserve to be king...”

“15 years is a little bit too late to be questioning that, don't you think?” Ira throws me a smile and a look to boot.

I shrug my shoulders again. He sighs.

“Let's recap then.” Ira starts. “You successfully managed to unite the four nations and bring Peace to the Land of Race.”

“Mhm.” I nod, sipping my drink.

“Your initiative played the biggest part in subduing the Rebellion.” He holds up two fingers.

“Right.”

“Because of that - every nation has gained profit and will, probably, continue to. Not to mention that Noxanda's been flourishing like never before because of it.” He opens up a third finger.

“Right.” I nod again.

“Because of that the fights have stopped and the people are happy.” Four.

“True.”

“With less deaths and more births, we had to reconfigure our agricultures and right now are successfully maintaining the improvements. Of course, they somewhat, contradict our original Noxian beliefs, but we manage.” Five.

“Right. Bigger fields for growing produce. But as long as we rotate the crops - it should be fine. I hope.” I add.

“Hope so. Next is what? Oh. Of course. The newly reinstated exchanges of work force. Trading secrets and whatnot.” He closes his hand and holds up his index finger again. Six.

“Not secrets per seeee.” I sway to the sides a little, even though I only had one drink.

“Sure. Need I say more?” He looks at me. I don't say anything, just stare into the distance. “If you ask me, you did more than plenty to earn the King's tittle. More than the Geezers ever managed.”

“Even so...” I ask for a refill. Ira silently obligates. Another moment of silence follows suit.

“Well?”

“Well what?” I finally look at my friend again.

“I know that look.” He points to my face. “Something's on your mind.” My shoulders twitch a little.

“What gave me away?”

“Maybe I just know you well enough. Being stuck with you for almost twenty years...” Ira takes another sip.

I laugh a little. “So you do keep track.” I try to mock him. He glares at me with his bored expression. I grin silly for a short moment only. My gaze redirects itself into the blushing blue sky again.

“You know. I've been thinking...”

“You? Thinking? No way.” Ira mocks me with a giggle.

“Ha ha. Laugh it up. I'll wait.” I tell him.

“Ok ok, what is it, your highness?”

“Did you have to?” I look at him. He nods, sipping his drink. I sigh. “Fine. Whatever.”

“Well? Are you gonna tell me what's on your mind or not?” He asks again.

“The Rebellion.”

“That’s what you’re worried about? Is this the one thing that keeps you awake at night?” Rebellion?” Ira glares at me. I keep my expression the same… He sighs. “Fine, I’ll bite. What about it?”

“It's been 15 years now. Yet barely anyone returned from there...” I answer.

“So?”

“What if the people there don't know that things have changed here?”

“What people?”

“Our people, I mean. The ones who left the Land of Race because they weren't happy here.”

“Ok. I'll ask again. What about it?” Ira pushes for answers.

“That's just it. Maybe...”

“Maybe what?” Ira's tone gets cold and sharp. His battle mode. Instantly I feel like a child getting scolded and bite my tongue.

“Wykren.” He tries again. I sigh.

“I figured maybe we could go there and...”

“And what?”

“And talk to them...” I brace myself.

“Who would be going over there, exactly?”

“I...could...”

“Absolutely not. You can't go.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“What do you mean I can't go? I'm the King! I can do as I please!” I pout.

“Not on my watch. As the King, your only job now is to sight tight and safe. I'll go.” Ira tells me.

“Huh? Wait. You can't! You're my bodyguard and Chief of Security!”

“I'll put Lyma in charge. He's proven himself capable through the years.”

“But... Why can you go and not me? It's my stupid idea.” I stare at him.

“Exactly. Because it's your stupid idea, you won't let go of it so easily. Which could and probably will, lead you to doing something stupid too. The only way to prevent that is for me to take care of it, so you won’t have to.” Ira explains. Hate it when he's right... “Besides.” He adds. “I have to leave here anyways.”

“Why?”

Ira turns to me. Oh.

“You can't stand being around us anymore, can you?”

He turns away again.

“I see. I'm sorry.”

“For what?”

“For torturing you. Since you agreed to help us, I didn't consider how painful it must be for you.”

“Don't. I chose to do this. I said I'd go on vacation once everything settles. 15 years of Peace seems like the right time.”

“Excuses...” I mumble. “Will you come back?”

Ira shrugs his shoulders. “We'll see.” Doubt it...

“Don't give me that look.” He nudges me on the shoulder. “It won't change anything. We'll still be friends.”

“Riiiight.” I roll my eyes at him.

“Quit sounding like a pouty girl.”

“My best friend is leaving and you want me to be happy about it!”

“One best friend. You still have another one. She'll keep you in check. Has the claws for it.”

“Are you talking about Era or Vona?” I stare at him confused. He throws me a mean look and it triggers a roar out of me.

“On second thought, I am breaking up with you.” Ira says.

“Nope. You can't. King's orders.” I tell him through the laughter.

“Some king you are, drinking wine out of a wooden mug...”

I roar again. “That reminds me!” I hand him my empty mug. Now Ira rolls his eyes at me, but fills up the mug still.

“Well. Here's to us. Staying friends, then.” I hold the mug up with a smile.

“To us. My friend.” Ira says and we clang the mugs a bit too much, spilling some of the wine.

    It's been a few years now since Ira and I shared our last drink together... I wonder what he's up to? He's probably enjoying himself, while I'm stuck here, working myself to death with all of the reports and everything... Being King isn't as glorified as people make it sound... I stretch in the chair.

“Perhaps you should call it a night.” Era growls softly inside my mind.

“Perhaps...” I yawn again. “Ok. I feel like I'll pass out any moment now...” I get up and go over to Era. “Rest well.” I pet her.

“You too.” She blinks at me. I smile and make my way toward the bedroom.

“I'm sorry.”

“Huh?” Era? I stop and turn around.

“Sorry I can't help you anymore.”

I smile. “It's fine. I'm happy having you near. It helps me plenty.”

“How? I barely move.”

“When I look at you, I remember our days spent together and my life with my parents. It feels nice to get lost in those memories sometimes. I like it.”

“If you say so.”

I smile. “Night, Era.”

“Night, Ren.” Her deep growl soothes my soul. I slip through the door and into the bed, next to Vona.

“Another long day?” A whisper. I murmur something into the pillow. A light brush on the side of my neck.

“Sorry I can't help...” I feel like I heard this, already?

“Don't. Worry about getting better.”

“About that...” I feel Vona shift her weight... “I'm pregnant.”

“That's great, dear...” I mumble with a mouthful of pillow, dozing off... Wait. What!

“WHEN! HOW!” I spring up, holding myself up on the straight and locked arms.

“How? Really? Don't you think we are a bit too late for that talk.” Vona smiles at me.

“Well?” I ask her.

“Well what?”

“Are you keeping it?”

“Wykren, why would you?”

“Vona, I love you. I'm not about to force you to do something you don't want to. We talked about this before. You said you weren't ready. We didn't plan for this to happen either, so if you don't feel comfortable with this, there are ways… What? What is it?” I wipe her tears away. “Is it too late for that?” She shakes her head.

“I didn't even think about that...” She says quietly. “Wykren, we talked about this like 18 years ago.”

“So?” I rearrange myself and sit cross-legged on the bed.

“So.” Vona sits up a bit more too. “We haven't talked about it since then.”

“True.” I nod. “Do you want to talk about it now?” She doesn't answer me. “Are you ready for this?”

“No. I'm afraid still. Plenty afraid... I don't believe I am suited for this... I never had parents myself, so I'm not sure how it feels or what am I supposed to do... But.” She takes a moment. “But. I don't think if it were up to me to decide - I'd ever be ready.” She wraps her hands around her stomach. “But.” That's a lot of “buts”...

“After everything you've done for me, for our people... I think that I'll be ok. If it's you I'm doing this with.” She looks up at me.

I take her hand into mine. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Are you saying you don't want this?” She pulls her hand out and I grab it again, pulling all of her into my arms.

“Like Hell! Of course, I want it! And you! Both of you!” I sit her down into my lap and wrap myself around her. Vona giggles lightly. She brushes her fingertips along my jaw.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting, but if it's not too late yet, may I please be the one to make your dream a reality now, and gift you with a child?” She whispers.

“Yes.” I kiss her. “Yes, please.” I kiss her again. “A thousand.” Kiss. “Times.” Kiss. “Yes.” Kiss. “I want you.” Kiss. “This child.” Kiss. “And Us.” A long kiss. I cradle my wife in my arms. Her shoulders twitch lightly.

“We need to pick a name!” I break the silence suddenly.

“Already?”

“Why not! No time like the present, right?”

“Oh...” Vona sighs. “Fine. Any ideas?”

“Gazarria! My greatest treasure!”

“And if it's a boy?” Vona looks up at me, teasingly.

“Hmm... Gazarrian? See. Works both ways! Zarri. I'll call her Zarri. Or Zarrian.” I grin proudly. “She’ll be a beauty like no other, just like her mother.”

“How are you so convinced it's a girl? Vona stares at me in the dark.

“Father's intuition?”

“You've been a "father" for less than five minutes...”

“Instinct?” I try again.

“Ever the animal, I see.” Vona covers her face with her hand. I chuckle a bit. A heavy sigh slips out of me.

“Something the matter?” I feel a gentle touch on my skin. I hesitate. “This about Ira?”

“Can't hide anything from you, can I?” I nuzzle my nose into her neck.

“What is it?”

“Something exciting and life changing is about to happen to me and I can't even tell my best friend about it...” Vona shifts around a little.

“Can't you reach him?”

I shake my head. “It's not about that. Because of my selfishness, I always ended up asking too much of him. I owe him his freedom.”

“Dear. Ira chose to stay. You can't be responsible for his decisions.”

“I know. But still. I feel like I never really gave him a choice to begin with... I just kinda, pulled him along...” Made him suffer in silence too...

“Well. He'll be back one day. The child will be a nice surprise for him, once he returns.” Vona tries to smile. I kiss her.

“You mean child-ren, right?” I tighten my grip around her.

“Pardon?”

“Well, I mean why not?”

“Not that I am saying no, but how about we start with this one first, and see how it goes? Before you make me sprout an army out of my body…” I can’t help but laugh at the wit of my wife.

“Deal.” I kiss her again. “You should sleep. You need to rest now.” I pick her up and squirm her under the covers again.

“Look who's talking.” She answers. I slip out of my clothes and cuddle up with her.

“Good night, Gorgeous.”

“Good night, Wykren.” I feel Vona's breathing drift into sleep. Maybe it's for the best that Ira isn't here to see this...