The Same Cloth

By the beginning of autumn, everyone in the Aster Clan had reached the same conclusion.

Celine was going to have the baby soon.

Very soon.

Nobody knew exactly when.

Celine didn't know.

The healers didn't know.

Even Seraphine, despite spending considerably more time studying pregnancy than she had ever expected to, refused to give an exact date.

But everyone agreed that the baby was close.

And the entire Aster Clan had apparently decided that meant it was time to panic.

"Move that."

Celine pointed toward a small table.

Leo immediately moved it.

"No, not there."

He moved it again.

"Closer to the wall."

Leo moved it again.

"Actually, put it back."

Leo stared at her.

"Celine."

"What?"

"Are you enjoying this?"

"Immensely."

Catherine laughed from the doorway.

"You've turned him into your personal furniture."

Celine smiled.

"He's very useful."

Leo sighed.

"I thought I was the patriarch."

"You are."

"Then why am I moving furniture?"

"Because you're the patriarch."

Catherine laughed.

Leo looked at her.

"You're supposed to help me."

"I am."

"How?"

"I'm supervising."

"You're both terrible."

Celine smiled.

"You married us."

Leo looked around the room.

"I am beginning to understand the consequences."

The house had undergone a transformation.

The home that had once been perfectly comfortable for three adults had become a miniature fortress designed around one very important person.

A baby.

Sharp corners had been padded.

Cabinet doors had been secured.

Small objects had disappeared.

The fireplace had been surrounded by a protective barrier.

The stairs had a gate.

The windows had additional locks.

The nursery had been prepared months earlier, but now everyone had decided it needed to be inspected again.

And again.

And again.

Leo had personally checked every latch.

Marcus had checked every structural support.

Elara had checked every blanket.

Catherine had checked everything through her temporal senses.

Celine had checked everything else.

Even Tomas had gotten involved.

His contribution had been questionable.

He had placed a wooden training dummy outside the nursery.

Leo stared at it.

"What is this?"

"Security."

"It's a training dummy."

"Exactly."

"It's going to scare the baby."

"Only if the baby attacks it."

Leo looked at him.

"Tomas."

Tomas grinned.

"I'm preparing the next generation."

Celine laughed.

"Please take it away."

Tomas sighed.

"Fine."

He picked it up.

"Nobody appreciates preparedness anymore."

The nursery itself was beautiful.

Elara had spent weeks preparing it.

The walls were decorated with small wooden stars.

A cradle had been built by one of the clan's finest craftsmen.

The blankets had been made by women from the town.

A small wooden toy sword had been carved by the blacksmith.

Another craftsman had created a tiny wooden shield bearing the Aster emblem.

The room was filled with gifts.

And yet, despite all the preparation, Celine found herself standing in the doorway one evening, staring at the empty cradle.

She placed both hands against her stomach.

"Are you ready?"

The baby moved.

Celine smiled.

"That's not an answer."

Another kick.

Celine laughed softly.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Catherine appeared beside her.

"You've been talking to him."

Celine turned.

"You've been listening?"

"I can hear your thoughts sometimes."

Celine raised an eyebrow.

"Sometimes?"

Catherine smiled.

"Mostly."

Celine shook her head.

"You're impossible."

Catherine reached toward the cradle.

"It's strange."

"What?"

"Thinking about someone who isn't here yet."

Celine smiled.

"He'll be here soon."

Catherine nodded.

"Our first Prince."

"And your first child."

Catherine's smile softened.

"He's going to be spoiled."

"Absolutely."

"Mom already has enough blankets for five babies."

"She made twelve."

Catherine laughed.

"Twelve?"

"I counted."

Elara had indeed gone slightly overboard.

She had blankets.

Clothes.

Toys.

Bottles.

Food.

Medicines.

Books.

And enough supplies to make Marcus wonder whether they were preparing for a child or establishing a small military outpost.

One afternoon, Marcus walked into the nursery carrying another box.

Elara looked at him.

"What is that?"

"A gift."

"From whom?"

"Edmund."

Elara smiled.

"What did he bring?"

Marcus opened the box.

Inside was a beautifully crafted silver pendant.

The Aster symbol had been carved into it.

Elara smiled.

"That's beautiful."

Marcus nodded.

"He said it's for the baby."

Celine touched the pendant.

"It's beautiful."

Marcus smiled.

"He also said the town is preparing something."

Celine frowned.

"What?"

Marcus laughed.

"I don't know."

"Why?"

"Because apparently everyone is keeping secrets from us."

The secret lasted exactly three days.

Then the first caravan arrived.

Leo was outside inspecting the eastern wall when the guards sounded the alarm.

Not an emergency alarm.

A ceremonial one.

Leo looked toward the gate.

"What is that?"

Marcus joined him.

"I don't know."

The gates opened.

A procession entered.

At the front rode several mounted warriors wearing blue and gold.

Behind them were wagons.

Lots of wagons.

Leo stared.

"Who are they?"

Edmund approached.

"Representatives from the northern clans."

Leo blinked.

"What?"

Edmund smiled.

"They heard about the Asters."

Leo looked at the caravan.

"And?"

"They're here to pay their respects."

The northern delegation belonged to the Ravenwood Clan, a long-established clan that controlled the forests beyond the northern ridge.

Their leader, Elder Garrick Ravenwood, dismounted and approached Leo.

He was a broad-shouldered man with gray hair and a long scar across one cheek.

He bowed.

"Patriarch Aster."

Leo returned the gesture.

"Elder Ravenwood."

Garrick smiled.

"We have watched your clan grow."

Leo looked surprised.

"From that far away?"

"We hunters hear many things."

Garrick gestured toward the wagons.

"We brought gifts."

Leo smiled.

"You didn't have to."

"We wanted to."

He paused.

"Your clan has become a significant power in the valley."

Leo glanced toward the settlement.

"We're still growing."

"Exactly."

Garrick smiled.

"And soon you will have a new heir."

Leo's face changed.

"Our son."

Garrick nodded.

"The first child born to the first patriarch of the Aster Clan."

He smiled.

"Congratulations."

More caravans followed.

The Stonehaven Clan came from the western mountains.

Their people were famous for mining and metalworking.

They brought ore.

Weapons.

Armor.

And a tiny silver breastplate.

Leo stared at it.

"This is for a baby?"

The Stonehaven elder nodded solemnly.

"Eventually."

Leo laughed.

Celine smiled.

"Perhaps when he's older."

The elder nodded.

"Then it will be waiting."

The Moonfall Clan arrived from the eastern plains.

They were known for healers and herbalists.

They brought medicinal herbs.

Special teas.

Healing salves.

And several books concerning childhood health.

Seraphine nearly cried when she saw them.

"These are rare."

The Moonfall elder smiled.

"We heard your healing traditions were becoming famous."

Seraphine nodded.

"They're still developing."

"Then perhaps our knowledge can help yours."

Seraphine smiled.

"And yours can help ours."

They exchanged books.

The library gained another collection.

The Ironroot Clan arrived next.

They were farmers.

They brought seeds.

Fruit trees.

Livestock.

And enough food to feed the Aster Clan for weeks.

Marcus stared at the wagons.

"How many animals are there?"

The elder laughed.

"Enough."

Marcus shook his head.

"You people are trying to feed an army."

"Perhaps we are."

By the end of the week, representatives from nearly every surrounding territory had visited.

Some came from small clans.

Others represented larger ones.

Some brought practical gifts.

Others brought ceremonial ones.

There were weapons.

Books.

Jewelry.

Clothing.

Food.

Seeds.

Tools.

Magical artifacts.

And gifts specifically intended for the unborn child.

The Aster Clan had become known throughout the surrounding territories.

Not as a small family clan.

Not as a group of refugees.

But as a medium-sized clan with growing influence and a united territory.

And everyone wanted to establish a relationship with them.

The greatest excitement, however, centered around one phrase.

"The first prince."

It began with one of the visiting elders.

Then another used it.

Then another.

Soon, everyone was calling Celine's unborn child the First Prince of Aster.

Celine found it amusing.

Leo was less certain.

One evening, he sat with Marcus and Tomas.

"They keep calling him a prince."

Tomas nodded.

"Because he is."

Leo frowned.

"We aren't royalty."

Tomas shrugged.

"Not officially."

Marcus laughed.

"Don't encourage him."

Tomas grinned.

"Why not?"

Leo sighed.

"The child isn't even born yet."

Tomas nodded.

"Exactly."

"What's your point?"

"We have plenty of time to spoil him."

Leo covered his face.

The news reached the school.

The students became fascinated.

Some began drawing pictures of the baby.

Others argued over what powers he might inherit.

"He'll have plasma Like the Patriarch, ‘BOOM, PSHOOO!’"

"No, spatial magic, like Matriarch Celine, it’ll be like ‘WANNNNNG!’"

"Maybe time magic!"

"What if he has all three?"

One teacher finally interrupted.

"We don't know what abilities he will have."

A student raised his hand.

"Can he have four?"

The teacher sighed.

"Potentially."

The classroom erupted.

Even the town celebrated.

Edmund declared a festival.

Marcus protested.

"You don't need a festival."

Edmund smiled.

"I am the mayor."

"You are also an Aster elder."

"Exactly."

"You can't just declare festivals."

Edmund looked at him.

"I already did."

Marcus sighed.

Leo laughed.

"Let him have it."

The festival lasted three days.

There was music.

Food.

Games.

Competitions.

Dancing.

The children decorated the streets.

Aster banners hung beside the town's traditional symbols.

For three days, the entire valley celebrated.

And Celine spent most of the festival sitting beneath the great oak while everyone repeatedly told her not to stand for too long.

At one point, she looked at Leo.

"If one more person tells me to sit down..."

Leo smiled.

"I'll tell them..."

"You?"

"...to bring you a comfortable chair."

Celine laughed.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"No."

She smiled.

"I really don't."

That night, after the festival ended, the family gathered in the nursery.

Marcus stood near the cradle.

Elara sat beside Celine.

Catherine stood near the window.

Leo rested one hand against Celine's stomach.

The baby moved.

Everyone became quiet.

Elara smiled.

"He knows we're here."

Celine laughed.

"Maybe."

Marcus looked at the child that had not yet been born.

"First prince."

Leo shook his head.

"Just our son."

Marcus smiled.

"Of course."

Catherine approached.

She placed her hand gently against Celine's stomach.

Her expression suddenly changed.

Leo noticed.

"What?"

Catherine became still.

"I..."

She paused.

"What is it?"

Catherine smiled.

"I felt something."

"What?"

She closed her eyes.

"His future."

Everyone became quiet.

"What did you see?"

Catherine opened her eyes.

"Nothing clearly."

She smiled.

"But I felt..."

She searched for the right word.

"Possibility."

Celine smiled.

"That's good."

"Very."

Catherine looked toward Leo.

"He has a lot of it."

Leo smiled.

"Then we'll make sure he gets to choose what he does with it."

Later that night, Celine finally went to bed.

Leo tucked the blankets around her.

Catherine kissed her sister's forehead.

Elara checked the room.

Marcus checked the doors.

Then Tomas appeared.

Leo stared.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to check the perimeter."

"At midnight?"

"Security never sleeps."

Marcus shook his head.

"Go home, Tomas."

Tomas sighed.

"Fine."

He walked away.

Then turned around.

"Congratulations again."

Celine smiled.

"Thank you."

He nodded.

Then disappeared down the hallway.

Leo closed the door.

For a moment, everything was peaceful.

Celine rested one hand over her stomach.

Leo lay beside her.

Catherine slept on Leo’s other side.

The house was quiet.

The clan was quiet.

The valley was quiet.

And beneath the silence, life continued.

The Aster Clan had survived tragedy.

It had survived exile.

It had survived betrayal.

It had survived the beast wave.

It had grown from a handful of people into a thriving community.

Now it waited for the arrival of its first child.

The first child of its first patriarch.

The child everyone had already begun calling the First Prince.

Celine closed her eyes.

Then suddenly opened them.

"Leo."

He woke immediately.

"What?"

She looked at him.

"I think..."

She paused.

Another contraction tightened across her stomach.

Celine gripped his hand.

"I think it's time."

Leo froze.

Catherine woke.

"What?"

Celine breathed deeply.

"The baby is coming."

For half a second, nobody moved.

Then the entire house exploded into motion.

Leo jumped out of bed.

"Catherine!"

"I'm here!"

"Mom!"

Elara was already running down the hallway.

"Marcus!"

"I'm coming!"

From somewhere outside came Tomas's voice.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?"

Leo shouted:

"THE BABY!"

The entire Aster Clan seemed to wake at once.

Lights came on across the compound.

Guards began running.

Healers hurried toward the house.

Elara shouted instructions.

Marcus started organizing people.

Catherine stayed beside her sister.

And Celine, despite the chaos surrounding her, smiled.

Because after months of waiting...

After years of everything their family had endured...

Their child was finally on the way.

And the first prince of the Aster Clan was about to be born.

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