and all their words for glory

well they always sounded empty

Ulric didn’t like it – his inability to follow at the Regime’s side and watch over them as they made their way past the doors into where they were all to meet. He looked over every single unfamiliar face that passed them by with a critical eye, yet there was nothing he could do except to stand outside, wait, and hope for the best. At least in their stead, he could watch over the rest of Delumine’s citizens and ensure their safety until they went back.


Eventually, the doors shut, leaving the impressive groups that had gathered to wait, biding their time with baited breath. With a lofty sigh of his own, the Warden turned his back on the meeting area and sought out the familiar faces of his own land. Molten eyes fell first upon Eulalie and a gentle, yet strained smile tugged at his dark lips, but even that was soon to fade away as he soaked in the anxiety that plagued her expression. His ears tipped back in concern and before he could so much as murmur her name in response, she was speaking, and Ulric swore his ears betrayed him.


She was… expecting?


For a moment he could do nothing more than to stare long and hard, disbelief wrought in the angular edges of his profile. The image of Somnus’ final act towards the golden-haired warrior flashed in the back of his mind, a tender kiss shared between them before the Sovereign disappeared. Oh, he had taken notice of the amount of times they seemed to go off together, and deep down, Ulric wished for something more than simple friendship to become between them. After everything they had been through, Gods knew that they were both deserving of so much more than what they had.


”You’re-… you’re sure?” He asked only once the dumbfounded look had faded from his face, at least a little bit. Then, another question, softly spoken so as not to be overheard by those in passing. "... Does Somnus know?" An assumption, because if not with him, then who?

and all their words for glory

well they always sounded empty

The sharp edges of his face surely conveyed his disbelief of the situation. Oh, he knew that Eulalie would not lie to him, particularly not to this degree, but... It was just so unexpected and sudden that the Warden momentarily found himself at a loss of words, but that wasn’t to say he lacked that tickle of excitement deep within his breast.


It was all muted, however, as he took in the heaviness that seemed to cling to Eulalie’s every feature, every curve of forced composure on her delicate face, even the half-hearted laughter that escaped her. A soft frown pulled against his dark lips; these things weren’t befitting to the strong, passionate warrior that was Eulalie.


“Probably a wise decision,” he offered gently, even if the thought of Somnus being hurled into a completely dumbfounded and bumbling state would be comical in every other situation but this one. Right now the Sovereign needed to focus on the task at hand - figuring out why the Gods had called them forth - and only afterward could he learn of his impending fatherhood.


With her final statement, Ulric wasn’t sure whether he could feel his heart swelling or deflating. To go through this, or anything alone was something the warrior would see to never happening. Was she fearful Somnus would turn away from her once he heard the news and want nothing to do with her or their unexpected child? Frightened that, maybe, she would be left to rear it by herself?


Before he was completely aware of it, he was stepping closer to Eulalie, lifting his head with the intent to drape it gently over her neck. “And you won’t,” came what he hoped to be words of reassurance, and against her gilded skin he hoped she could feel him smile. “Me, Somnus, Po, everyone... We’re all gonna be there for you, though it all.” A promise made easily, for Ulric knew there was no way it could not be true.


There was so much he wanted to say, as he couldn’t begin to imagine how Eulalie must feel, but he feared that in this case, less might mean more. He craned his neck and held more tightly to her. “... Somnus won’t go anywhere. I can guarantee that. He loves you, Eulalie; I’ve seen it in both of your eyes.” A moment of silence was allowed to pass between them, and as his smile deepened, he added. “As for me? I can’t wait to meet my little niece or nephew.”