#holding judith gentle like hamburger

[beantothemax]

When Claude dropped dead, the noise that led him to them wouldn't end. The baby still sobbed. He had left it on the floor by the broken throne.

Throné had gone to pick it up, but found she was no good with kids.

"Here, let me," Osvald whispered as he took it.

He held it so gently, stroking its cheek and shushing it. It fell silent in no time and he just managed to look up in time to see Throné remove her collar. She wept with relief.

"Let's go back to New Delsta, we all need to rest," Temenos said, "Osvald? Are you listening?"

"Huh? Yes, right. Let's go," he said, but he was still focused on the child in his arms.

How old was it? What was it's name? Gender? Who would take care of it?

Well, two questions were answered when he noticed embroidery on the hem of the blanket it was wrapped in.

"Judith" it said.

When they returned to New Delsta, he couldn't even celebrate Throné's freedom with the rest of the group. He found himself hurrying around the city, searching for everything one needed to care for a baby.

By the time he was done, the sun had set. He joined the others in the tavern, carefully sitting while making sure not to wake Judith.

"What are you gonna do with her?" Castti asked.

"You could send her to an orphanage, or some of the nuns in Flamechurch could take care of her," Temenos suggested.

"I... I don't think I want to do that. Orphanages aren't ideal for children and I'm not busy with anything else at the moment..." Osvald said.

"What about Elena?" Castti asked.

"She'd be thrilled to have a younger sister."

As they ate and Osvald had more time to think about it, he thought back to his own childhood. He never particularly liked his parents. What frustrated him the most, was how they distanced themselves from the rest of their family. He hardly saw his grandparents and scarcely knew he had cousins until one died. It was all so confusing growing up knowing so little of his family's past...

"Would you want to be a part of Judith's life, Throné?" he asked.

She hardly thought for a moment before saying, "Yes, of course."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, she's my sister! Why would I ever say no!?"

- Five years later -

Throné had been walking on air all week. After a particularly busy few days of train repairs and negotiating with obnoxious businessmen, she finally got a two week vacation. Well, Partitio practically had to kick her out of the factory. No one had ever expected her to like engineering when they first met, but she found all the screwing and tinkering was shockingly similar to lockpicking, only more fun because it was something she could be proud of, rather than stealing from random passerby.

She had a bright smile on her face as she walk from the newly built Sai trainstation to Osvald's home at the outskirts of the city. She had seen Temenos on her way from the station, but they managed to exchange only a few words.

"Woman going into labor two streets down, tell Osvald Castti and I will be late!" was all Temenos said before running off with his arms full of various pain numbing medicines Castti had at home.

She yelled "Goodluck!" at him before snickering to herself about how strange that interaction must have been to anyone nearby. In no time had she reached her home, and she hardly knocked on the door once before it swung open and a little girl ran into her arms.

"Nene's home! Nene's home!" Judith cheered as Throné picked her up.

She spun around and laughed with her sister as they both got dizzy.

"Oh! I gotta tell the others!" Judith said as she ran back inside.

Throné followed her and was greeted by Elena and Osvald.

Elena would have run to hug her as well, but her hands were dirtied with cooking oil and tomato sauce as she was preparing tapas. Osvald had been in the middle of teaching Judith math, but gave up and started putting away the textbooks the second she ran to greet Throné.

Elena, Judith, Throné and Osvald all talked and talked as they set the table for lunch.

"I learned how to do sub-trashon!" Judith boasted.

"Sub-trac-tion," Osvald corrected her, "But yes, she did. She's an incredibly fast learner."

"She has an excellent teacher," Throné laughed, setting plates down.

They all sat at the table and debated whether they should wait for their beloved healers to return.

"But the food will get cold!" Elena pouted.

"And Temenos said to expect them to be late. They won't mind," Throné added.

"Alright then," Osvald said, and he began serving them all.

Just before they started eating, though, the door swung open once more. Castti and Temenos entered. Both looked exhausted, but they were there.

"Sorry we're late," Castti sighed and sat.

"I really, really hope you washed your hands," Throné laughed.

"Bathed already," she smiled, "I'm taking a nap after this though."

As they talked and ate, Throné looked out at the group. Only one was related by blood, but she would walk to the ends of the earth for each and every one of them. They were family after all.

WAUGH!!!!!!!!!!!

FAMBTILY!!!!!!!

throné liking engineering work because it’s just like more involved lockpicking to her… I like that a lot!!!!!!!! good for her!!!!!

and the part about temenos just. yelling about some woman being in labor was amazing. something is incorrect with him

and obbval…. the os…. wegh,, EVERYONE AT THE FUCKIGN DINNER TABLE PIE I AM GOING TO BORE A HOLE INTO MY WALL