The Same Cloth

Chaos had descended upon the Aster Clan.

Not the terrifying chaos of the beast wave.

Not the chaos of battle.

This was somehow worse.

At least during a battle, everyone knew what they were supposed to do.

Tonight, nobody seemed to know anything.

Except that Celine was having a baby.

And apparently, that meant the entire clan had to lose its collective mind.

"Move!"

Elara hurried down the hallway carrying three blankets, two towels, and a basket filled with things she had apparently decided were absolutely essential.

"Where are the healers?"

"Already here!" Seraphine called.

"Where's the hot water?"

"Coming!"

"Who moved the cradle?"

Nobody answered.

Elara stopped.

"Who moved the cradle?"

Marcus appeared behind her.

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because it was blocking the door."

"It was supposed to be there."

Marcus stared at her.

"For what?"

"I don't know!"

She threw her hands into the air.

"Everything needs to be perfect!"

Marcus smiled.

"Elara."

"What?"

"The baby isn't going to inspect the furniture."

"I know that."

She paused.

"Probably."

Marcus laughed.

Elara pointed toward him.

"Don't laugh."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm smiling."

"Same thing."

Upstairs, Celine gripped Leo's hand.

Another contraction passed.

She breathed through it.

Leo looked considerably more frightened than she did.

Catherine sat on the other side of the bed.

"You're squeezing his hand too hard."

Celine looked at Leo.

"I'm sorry."

Leo shook his head.

"Don't apologize."

Celine squeezed again.

Leo's expression tightened.

Catherine smiled.

"He's turning pale."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I'm perfectly fine."

Celine laughed despite herself.

"You look terrified."

"I'm not terrified."

Catherine raised an eyebrow.

"You've fought catastrophe-class beasts."

"Yes."

"Monsters."

"Yes."

"Assassins."

"Yes."

"And you're afraid of this?"

Leo glanced toward Celine's stomach.

"Those things don't scream at me while I'm trying to help them."

Celine laughed again.

The tension in the room eased.

For a moment, it was simply the three of them.

A family waiting for another member.

Outside the house, however, things were anything but calm.

The elders had organized a security perimeter.

Tomas stood at the front gate.

Seraphine was overseeing the healers.

Edran was checking the protective wards.

Ordan had personally inspected every entrance.

The hunters had volunteered to patrol the compound.

All of them.

At once.

One of the younger hunters approached Tomas.

"Do you really think we need this many people?"

Tomas looked around.

There were nearly thirty armed hunters within sight.

"Probably not."

"Then why are they here?"

Tomas shrugged.

"Because every hunter in the valley apparently wants to protect one baby."

The hunter nodded.

"Fair."

Another hunter approached.

"What about the north wall?"

"Covered."

"East?"

"Covered."

"South?"

"Covered."

"West?"

"Covered."

"What about the roof?"

Tomas stared at him.

"The roof?"

"Could something land there?"

Tomas looked toward the roof.

Then toward the hunter.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"Go check."

The hunter nodded seriously.

"Yes, Elder."

He ran away.

Tomas shook his head.

"We've created an army for a newborn."

The news had spread throughout the valley.

The first prince was coming.

Nobody had actually asked Celine whether she wanted her son called that.

It didn't matter.

The name had stuck.

The town had sent food.

The blacksmith had delivered a tiny shield.

The farmers had brought fresh fruit.

The schoolchildren had made drawings.

The surrounding clans had sent messengers.

Even people who had only recently joined the Aster Clan were standing outside the house hoping to catch a glimpse of the baby.

The atmosphere was festive.

And yet, every few minutes, someone asked:

"Is he here yet?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

The poor messenger eventually stopped answering.

Catherine stood by the window.

She could hear everything.

The hunters outside.

The healers moving through the halls.

The whispers.

The footsteps.

The excited voices.

But her attention was on something else.

Her hand rested against her stomach.

Celine noticed.

"Catherine?"

Catherine turned.

"Yes?"

"You've been doing that all night."

Catherine smiled.

"I know."

"Why?"

Catherine hesitated.

"I keep thinking about what we talked about."

Celine smiled knowingly.

"Children."

Catherine nodded.

"Eventually."

"You really want one?"

Catherine looked toward Leo.

Then back toward her sister.

"Yes."

Leo smiled.

"You're already planning?"

"Maybe."

Celine laughed.

"You haven't even found a husband."

Catherine shrugged.

"I have a few candidates."

Leo nearly choked.

"What?"

Catherine grinned.

"I'm joking."

Leo narrowed his eyes.

"Please don't joke about things like that."

"Why?"

"Because I'm already dealing with enough."

Catherine laughed.

Another contraction came.

Celine's smile disappeared.

She gripped Leo's hand.

This one was stronger.

Seraphine immediately moved closer.

"It's getting close."

Elara rushed into the room.

"Is he coming?"

Seraphine nodded.

"Very soon."

Elara's eyes widened.

"Everyone is ready."

Celine laughed breathlessly.

"Everyone?"

"Everyone."

"How many people are outside?"

Elara hesitated.

"Do you really want to know?"

"No."

"Good."

The next several hours blurred together.

Celine endured wave after wave of pain.

Leo never left her side.

Catherine stayed beside her.

Elara moved constantly between the room and the rest of the house.

Marcus kept appearing with updates.

The healers worked carefully.

Outside, the entire clan waited.

Even the children at the school were awake despite being told repeatedly to go home.

Tomas eventually found himself surrounded by children.

"When is the baby coming?"

"Soon."

"How soon?"

"Very soon."

"Will he have powers?"

"I think he will."

"Will he be strong?"

"Probably very strong, if his parents are any indicator."

"Will he be a prince?"

Tomas sighed.

"Something like that."

One little girl raised her hand.

"Can we play with him?"

Tomas stared at her.

"He's going to be a baby."

"So?"

"He can't even walk."

She thought about it.

"Then we'll carry him."

Tomas laughed.

"Fair enough."

Near midnight, the house finally became quiet.

Not because the excitement had ended.

Because everyone was listening.

Then came Celine's cry.

Leo's heart nearly stopped.

Seraphine immediately began giving instructions.

"Stay calm."

Celine breathed heavily.

"I am calm."

Seraphine smiled.

"You are doing wonderfully."

Leo held Celine's hand.

"I'm here."

"I know."

"You can do this."

"I know."

Catherine stood beside them, tears already gathering in her eyes.

Elara watched from nearby.

Marcus stood behind her.

For all their preparation, none of them were prepared for this moment.

This was the moment.

The moment their family changed forever.

Then came one final cry.

Celine fell back against the pillows.

For several seconds, there was only silence.

Then—

A tiny cry filled the room.

Everyone froze.

Leo stared.

Celine looked toward Seraphine.

Seraphine smiled.

"It's a boy."

Leo's eyes filled with tears.

Celine began crying.

Catherine covered her mouth.

Elara broke down completely.

Marcus wrapped an arm around her.

The tiny child was cleaned and carefully placed into Celine's arms.

She looked down.

Her son.

Their son.

The first child of the Aster Clan.

Celine gently touched his cheek.

"Hello."

The baby made a tiny sound.

Leo leaned closer.

"He's beautiful."

Celine smiled through tears.

"He's ours."

Leo kissed her forehead.

"Yes."

Catherine came closer.

She gently touched the baby's tiny hand.

His fingers curled around hers.

She gasped.

"Oh."

Leo smiled.

"What?"

"He grabbed me."

Celine laughed softly.

"He's already decided he likes you."

Catherine smiled.

"I am pretty awesome."

Elara approached slowly.

She had been waiting for this moment for months.

She looked at the baby.

Then at Celine.

Then at Leo.

"Oh..."

Her voice broke.

Leo smiled.

"Mom."

Elara wiped her eyes.

"I'm fine."

Marcus laughed softly.

"You've been crying for ten minutes."

"I have not."

"You have."

"I am allowed."

"Of course."

Elara carefully touched her grandson's head.

"Hello, little one."

The baby opened his eyes.

For a moment, Elara simply stared.

"My grandson."

She began crying again.

Marcus wrapped his arms around her.

"I told you."

"I know."

She laughed through her tears.

"I just..."

She looked at Leo.

"Your father would have loved this, and your mother would have spoiled him rotten."

Leo's smile trembled.

"I know."

Outside, the clan waited.

Nobody knew exactly what was happening.

Then they heard it.

A baby's cry.

It echoed through the house.

For one second, everyone was silent.

Then the entire compound erupted.

Cheers.

Laughter.

Applause.

People hugged one another.

The town bells began ringing.

Someone started playing music.

The children screamed with excitement.

Tomas stood on the steps.

"HE'S HERE!"

The cheers became even louder.

The news traveled through the valley within minutes.

The surrounding clans heard.

Messengers carried the announcement.

The Ravenwood Clan sent congratulations.

Stonehaven sent another gift.

Moonfall sent healing herbs.

Ironroot sent food.

The surrounding territories celebrated the birth of the first child of the first Aster patriarch.

The First Prince had arrived.

But inside the house, the celebration was quieter.

Celine held her son.

Leo sat beside her.

Catherine watched them.

Elara and Marcus stood nearby.

Seraphine checked both mother and child one final time.

"Everyone is healthy."

Leo let out a breath.

"Thank you."

Seraphine smiled.

"He's strong."

Celine looked down at him.

"What should we call him?"

Leo looked at Catherine.

Then at Celine.

They had discussed names many times.

But now that he was actually here, one name felt right.

"Noctis. It means night, and goes perfectly with Aster"

Celine smiled.

"Noctis."

Catherine nodded.

"I like it."

Elara smiled.

"Noctis Aster."

Marcus looked toward his grandson.

"The first."

Leo looked at the tiny child.

"The first of many."

Catherine smiled.

"Hopefully."

Leo looked at her.

She grinned.

"What?"

"You really are thinking about your own children already."

"Of course."

Celine laughed.

"She's been waiting for this conversation."

Catherine smiled.

"I've always wanted to be a mother."

Leo looked at her.

"Then when you're ready..."

He looked at both sisters.

"...we'll be ready."

Catherine's smile softened.

She looked at the newborn, wondering exactly what her relation to the child is.

"I’m very much ready."

She gently touched his tiny hand.

"Very much so."

Outside, the Aster Clan celebrated.

Inside, a new family settled into its first night together.

The first prince slept peacefully in his mother's arms.

Leo sat beside them, unable to stop looking at his son.

Celine leaned against him.

Catherine rested nearby.

Elara and Marcus finally sat down.

For once, nobody was rushing.

Nobody was fighting.

Nobody was rebuilding.

Nobody was planning defenses.

They were simply together.

The Aster Clan had been born from tragedy.

It had grown through hardship.

It had survived attacks, betrayal, monsters, and catastrophe.

And now it had something none of those things could take away.

A future.

A tiny heartbeat.

A child named Noctis.

The first prince of the Aster Clan.

And outside the house, hundreds of people stood ready to protect him.

Perhaps far more than necessary.

But nobody seemed particularly concerned about that.

Because if there was one thing everyone in the valley agreed upon, it was this:

Nobody was going to let anything happen to the first little Aster prince.

Not if they had anything to say about it.

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