It was council day—a tradition Arthuria had implemented years ago, ensuring that every citizen had the right to speak before the king and queen and voice their concerns.
The halls of Babylonia bustled with the voices of its people.
Seated upon their thrones, Gilgamesh and Arthuria listened patiently as an elderly woman stepped forward, her small granddaughter clutching her hand.
"Your Majesty," the woman said, bowing deeply, voice weathered with age and wisdom. "The roads near the eastern farmlands need repairs before the next rainy season."
Gilgamesh nodded thoughtfully, about to respond when—
BOOM.
A flurry of tiny feet thundered through the grand doors, the sound of giggling filling the air.
Three small figures came rushing toward them, determined looks on their faces.
The royal grandchildren.
They skidded to a halt in front of their grandparents, their expressions overly serious as they bowed in unison.
But, of course—
They had to turn it into a game.
"I can bow the lowest!" Lizzie declared, bending so far down that her nose nearly touched the floor.
"No, I can!" Callisto challenged, dropping down even lower.
"I'm winning," Seraphina added, her wings flaring dramatically as she tried to go even lower.
And then—
THUD.
Callisto lost his balance and toppled over, landing in a heap of golden hair and flailing limbs.
The King roared with laughter.
"Apologies, Father," Arthur called from the doorway, clearly out of breath, while Rhyssand stood beside him with his arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold.
He waved a hand dismissively, still chuckling.
"No need," he said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "It was the most entertaining I've had all morning."
Meanwhile, Lizzie—ever the little diplomat—turned her attention to the child standing next to the elderly woman.
She blinked, then reached up, plucking a delicate flower from her hair and tucking it gently into the little girl's hands.
"For you," she said with a bright smile, before turning and bolting back toward Arthur.
Arthur barely had a moment to react before she jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Piggyback, Daddy!"
Arthur sighed in mock defeat but hoisted her up anyway. "You're getting too big for this, you know."
"No, I'm not!" she giggled, resting her chin on his shoulder.
Rhyssand, watching them, smirked at Gilgamesh, giving a lazy two-fingered salute.
"Later, old man."
Before the king could grumble a response, Callisto and Seraphina shot up into the air, their wings spreading as they raced toward the doors.
"I'm gonna win!" Callisto shouted.
"No way!" Seraphina countered.
Rhyssand sighed dramatically, watching his children fly ahead.
"Want to switch?"
Arthur laughed, Lizzie still happily clinging to his back.
"I'm good with my 4-limbled child, thank you very much," he muttered under his breath.
Rhyssand swatted at Arthur's head as the two of them left the throne room, the sound of laughter and children's wings fluttering in their wake.
Artizea, Elaine, and Cesealia lay comfortably on their loungers, wrapped in plush robes, with their feet soaking in warm, fragrant water.
"So." Elaine smirked, her sapphire eyes twinkling mischievously, "you think they have grey hairs yet?"
Artizea snorted. "Callisto alone has probably aged Rhyssand ten years."
Cesealia, ever the instigator, grinned. "Arthur has lost his mind. You should've seen his face when Elizabeth brought a pet duck from the pond."
"A what?" Elaine choked on her tea.
"A duck," she sighed, shaking her head. "And she named it Pea, no less."
The three of them burst into laughter, their voices echoing through the quiet spa.
And then—
Another laugh.
A very familiar one.
They turned, eyes wide as they spotted Eugene, reclining in a chair with cucumber slices over his eyes, looking the most at peace he had ever been.
He paused.
They paused.
He slowly lifted one cucumber slice, peeking at it.
Silence.
Then he shrugged. "So what? I like the spa."
There was a beat of silence before the three women burst into laughter again, Eugene rolling his eyes as he sank back into relaxation.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the kingdom…
Arthur and Rhyssand were, surprisingly, completely stress-free.
The children were off playing, currently occupied in the woods, searching for bugs and creatures that would no doubt be brought home and terrorize the palace.
With their kids distracted, the two fathers sat near the edge of the river, boots off, shirts untucked, goblets in hand, trading stories.
"He didn't even call me Dad until he was one and a half," Rhyssand muttered, swirling his drink lazily. "Do you know how humiliating that was? He called me Rhys."
Arthur nearly spat out his wine from laughing. "Oh, that's nothing. I got a story for you."
Rhyssand smirked. "Oh?"
Arthur grinned wickedly, leaning in.
"What happens to a man who gets kicked out of his bedroom on a ship? Where does he sleep then?"
Rhyssand raised a brow. "Arthur. No. She wouldn't—"
Arthur nodded, far too pleased."I slept on the lookout post."
Rhyssand choked on his drink."The lookout post?!"
Arthur clapped him on the back, dying of laughter. "And I was the captain!"
Rhyssand wheezed, shaking his head. "Your wife is ruthless."
"About that —."
Rhyssand sat up straighter, his usual smirk long gone. This wasn't the Arthur he had left behind. The reckless, bold, and irritatingly self-assured prince was hesitant, uncertain.
That wasn't like him.
"Arthur," Rhyssand started carefully, "your father is going to kill you."
Arthur let out a dry laugh. "I know."
Rhyssand pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, what's stopping you?"
Arthur sighed, tossing a rock into the river beside them. The kids were playing just ahead, their laughter filling the silence between the two men.
"She doesn't want to," Arthur admitted, his voice heavy.
Rhyssand's brows furrowed. "Cesealia? I thought she loved you."
Arthur ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear in the tense lines of his shoulders. "She does. I know she does."
"Then why—"
"I've tried everything, Rhys. Since the beginning."
Slam
Gilgamesh didn't even look up. "Eldest Son."
Arthur paced back and forth in front of him, hands raking through his hair like he was debating pulling it out altogether. "I—just –lost my virginity," he burst, "to quite possibly the love of my life… and all she says is—'fun.'" He threw himself into a nearby chair, exasperated. "Fun, Dad."
His father slowly sat up, dragging a bottle of wine closer. "Seven Hells." He murmured, he poured a glass for himself… then another for his son, handing it over with a slight clink.
Parental Guidance Class B [ Difficulty – Medium Heat]
"Now…" he said, voice low and measured, "did you do what I told you to do?"
Arthur groaned, "Everything–" head in his hands. "The charm, the confidence, the 'touch her soul before you touch her skin' speech. All of it, even the—He paused, lowering his voice like it might lessen the shame— "Secret Move."
Gilgamesh squinted at him.
Parental Guidance Class B [ Difficulty – Fucked]
"That move," he said solemnly, "has been passed down… generation after generation… —designed to produce strong, intelligent heirs to the throne."
Arthur closed his eyes, mortified.
"So," Gilgamesh asked, genuinely confused now, "how did it not work?"
Arthur threw up his hands, exasperated. "I DON'T KNOOOOWWW!"
His father's brow furrowed. "You did step two, right?"
Arthur looked up slowly. "There's a step two?"
"You–" he sighed, "Clearly, you failed. And as a result? The woman thinks you're a—" He paused, searching for the word.
Arthur muttered bitterly, "A Fun Time Boy."
First it was a snort, then a chuckle, and finally—laughter. Nearly choked on his wine.
Arthur's head shot up. "Dad—this isn't funny! Help me."
Gilgamesh raised a hand, calming himself. Exhaling. "Son, it pains me to say this—but maybe…" he hesitated, "she's just not that into you…yet"
Arthur gawked, offended. "How could you even say that to me?! I was ranked the second most beautiful male in the kingdom. Right after you!"
His father smirked, already sipping again. "And I still had to chase your mother for years—ongoing–"
Arthur groaned and collapsed deeper into his chair, dragging his hands down his face. "Why can't beauty solve all our problems…"
Gilgamesh leaned back in his chair, wine swirling. "Nowadays," he said, with a shrug, " the ones worth a damn don't give a shit what you look like.
Back in my day—" He cut himself off sharply. He paused, gaze flicking around in case the Queen should hear–He cleared his throat. "Never mind."
Arthur sulked.
His father sighed deeply. Finally, fed up with his son. "Alright, alright—" he muttered, bringing two fingers together like he was about to reveal a royal secret. "Watch closely. "
Arthur leaned forward, eyes narrowed in focus.
His father slowly moved his fingers apart, then stopped halfway.
Arthur squinted. "…No."
He tried again, extending the fingers a little wider this time.
Arthur tilted his head. "Mm… no."
He did it again—slightly more flourish. Arthur winced and gave a shaky hand wiggle. "Ehhh…"
Gilgamesh paused. Looked him dead in the eye. Then shrugged. "I can't help you."
Arthur blinked. "What?!"
"You have my knowledge. You have the tools. I've passed on everything a father can. The rest is on you now, son. Shuuu"
Arthur flailed his arms. "?! What does that even mean?!"
Gilgamesh poured himself another drink, unbothered. "It means she didn't hate it. That's a win. —OR–Maybe just ask her what she likes, yeah? How bout that for advice? Now get out."
The memory faded as Arthur chuckled. Shaking his head. "She doesn't like court. She never wanted the title. Hell, I had to plead just to have Lizzie take the Pendragon name."
Rhyssand was quiet for a moment. Then, he said, "What happened on that ship?"
Arthur hesitated.
Rhyssand caught it immediately. "Arthur."
Arthur sighed deeply, looking over at his daughter, laughing as she tried to climb a tree with Callisto and Seraphina.
"A lot happened," Arthur admitted. "We grew apart, but we came back stronger. Then we had Liz. But… whenever I bring up marriage, she goes into this shell I can't reach. Like she's hiding from it."
Rhyssand studied him. "So, you just… stopped asking?"
Arthur shrugged, his jaw tight. "I love her, Rhys. I don't want to push her away."
Again.
Rhyssand exhaled, looking ahead at the children. "She's afraid," he finally said. "Of what, I don't know. But you need to talk to her. Talk to her."
Arthur glanced at him. "And if she says no again?"
He smirked slightly, nudging him. "Then you do what you do best—be annoyingly persistent, persistence is key."
Arthur scoffed. "That hasn't exactly worked so far."
He chuckled. "Then be patient. But don't give up, Pendragon. You're not that kind of man."
Arthur was quiet for a moment before nodding, but before he could respond, a loud yelp echoed through the clearing.
Both men snapped their heads up to see Callisto hanging upside-down from a tree branch.
Rhyssand sighed, getting up. "Of course, it's mine."
Arthur grinned. "You're alright, bud?"
Callisto laughed it off, "I'm okay, Uncle Arthur."
"This is nothing," Rhyssand grunted, trying to climb the damn tree.