A year had passed since Saffron returned to active duty.

I sat in a chair, reading a story to a baby. She had several devices hooked up to her. She was born premature and had inherited my illness to boot. There was a chance she might've never lived a normal life.

My baby cooed as I got to the part about the kitty. I had gotten her a plushie of one along with a couple of others. I found them at discount at the flea market. Since leaving the palace, I had to make do with what little money we had.

I smiled. She was so cute. Though, what would her father think of her? He was due to return soon. Would he reject her as my father had done to me?

I wouldn't be surprised if Saffron kicked us out. We had only spent one night together. And I had given him a sickly baby. He had grown in popularity since. He could've easily married a noblewoman with actual power if he wanted to.

I gripped my daughter's tiny hand. If that happened, what would I do? All of the extra money Saffron had sent went into paying for her machines. If he kicked us out, she would surely die.

I didn't want to lose her. Anis was the only good thing I produced.

Her smile brought a bit of sun to my life since leaving my big brother behind.

Anis gooed.

I wiped away the tears in my eyes. "Don't worry, Ani. Mommy's fine."

Anis shook my hand. She was stronger than I thought. Had she gotten it from her father?

I smiled. "Tomorrow your Papa's coming. Hopefully, you can make him smile. He is a rather stoic guy."

"Goo?" Anis said.

I laughed. "Yeah, unlike you!"

I closed my eyes and fell asleep beside my sweet angel.

I was jolted awake at the sound of a door opening. It was still dark out. Saffron wasn't due to return until the morning. So who could it have been?

I got up slowly to not wake up my baby.

Come on, Rose. You have to be strong for Anis...

I tipped toed to the living room of the stone house. I really wished I had taken the time to put on my slippers. The floor was as cold as ice.

I gasped as I was pulled off my feet.

"You're going to get-"

"Wahh! Let go of me, thief!" I yelled, slapping the one who had picked me up. I froze as I saw those violet eyes staring back at me. Oh, now I had done it...

Saffron pushed my hand away. "Have I been gone that long that you have forgotten my face?"

I looked down, blushing. "N-no..."

He shook his head.

"W-why did you pick me up so suddenly!" I snapped.

"Because, you have no shoes. Your brother said to make sure to watch your health."

Eh? Orlin told him that? Oh, right, back when we were leaving the ballroom.

"Wahh!" Anis cried.

"What's that?" Saffron said, turning his head toward the hallway. He dashed over to the living room and turned on the lights with one hand while using the other to keep me up.

He stared at the crying baby.

I jumped off of his arm. "You know our wedding night? Well, I sort of got pregnant." Ugh, what was with my phrasing? How could one get 'sort of' pregnant?!

He eyed the machines.

I lowered my head. "Sorry. I-I couldn't give you a healthier heir. I am such a failure that I couldn't carry her to full term."

"What's her name?" Saffron asked as he picked her up. He cradled our daughter in his arms.

"Anis," I said, staring in awe as my little angel stopped crying. In fact, she had returned to sleeping.

"Anis, huh?" he said, staring down at her. His lips curved in a slight smile. "That's a nice name."

I blinked. He wasn't mad at me? For not telling him?

"You aren't mad at me?" I asked.

He looked up and sighed. "Why would I be? You kept her alive this long." He kissed her forehead. "If anything, I should thank you. For giving me this bundle of joy."

I smiled. "You aren't mad she's frail?"

"No. I am sad, but certainly not mad. It isn't your fault she was born like this."

I gripped my shirt. "But, she got her frail body from her mother."

"That's nothing I didn't already expect going into this marriage. Your father explained you got a weird mutation from your mother."

"Yet you still decided to marry me?"

He scoffed. "Of course." He looked up at me. "Listen, I am not your father. I won't shame my child for being born like this. Nor would I look down on you."

I recalled his firm yet soft touch.

"W-why?" Tears streaked down my face. "Why are you so nice to me? I am nothing."

"Why do you think that way?" he asked, sighing.

"B-because all of my life, I have needed the help of others. Even with it, I can't do much. I am pathetic. If not for your sister's help, Anis might have died."

"Is depending on others that much of a bad thing?"

"It's not, but I let others down."

"Do you think you let me down?"

"I kept stuff from you."

"True, but I am sure you had a reason."

"I-I thought you would want to divorce me."

"Why would I do that?" he asked. His rough hand gently stroke my hair. "Rose. You need to forget what your father told you. You're more than a useless princess."

"How?"

"You're a kind and caring person."

I laughed bitterly. "How would you know that? We barely know each other."

"Because I have seen you. I saw you a couple of times on the street, giving bread to the poor kids while dressing up as a pauper."

I gasped. "How did you know?"

His eyes once again seemed to stare into my soul. "You might change your hair and dress, but your eyes remain the same. They're full of sadness, yet the kindness within them remains. Despite what your father made you go through, you never became completely bitter like he did."

I turned away. "But, I did try to take my life." He hugged me, just as he had done on the bridge.

"True, but that's why I dove into those frigid waters. A person such as you didn't deserve to die such a sad death."

I buried my head into his chest and continued to cry. He was the first person other than my cousins, brother, and Artermia to ever say that. And the first one besides Orlin and little Anis to make me feel needed.

Saffron patted my back as I continued to cry like a baby.

I opened my eyes which stung from all the crying. My face turned red as I realized I had slept on Saffron. Baby Anis continued to sleep soundly beside us.

I got up. I had to go make breakfast for Saffron and me.

I gasped as a hand grabbed me. "Can't we stay like this a little longer?" Saffron asked, staring at me with one eye open.

My face reddened. "No. Anis might wake up at any moment. I have to do my chores before that."

He got up and ruffled his hair. "In that case. I'll help you out."

I smiled. "How about you stay here and keep watch over Anis."

I picked up a notebook from the nightstand. "Oh, right. Here is a list of Anis's favorite stuff!"

"Wow, a list. How tidy. Are you sure you and (Seb's dad) are cousins?" he asked, smirking slightly.

My face reddened. I broke into laughter.

"Don't be so hard on him," I whispered.

He opened up the notebook. "I have to be, else he slacks off."

True. He liked skipping school as a kid. I had to convince him not to do that. Auntie would often drag him to class by the ear when he did. Think that helped more than my advice.

Anis yawned as she stretched her little hands.

"Oh, no. She woke up already!"

Saffron picked her up. "You go do what you were going to do. I'll watch our baby." He picked up the kitty and dragon plushies, waving them at her.

Anis giggled and reached out for them. I smiled. Anis wasn't crying. I was sure she would. Her father could be rather scary, like mine. Father. He might have married me off to get rid of me, but I was glad he did. While our situation wasn't perfect, at least it beat living in that gloomy palace.

As I walked to the kitchen, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Saffron's kindness and understanding. He had accepted me and our daughter despite her frailty and my past struggles. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was willing to work hard to make our family work. And with Saffron by my side, I felt like anything was possible.

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed this special/extra little series. This is the last episode I have planned, but who knows. Maybe one day I would revisit it and cover stuff before the one year time skip and stuff that happened after the events of this one. If you want to see more of Rosemary and Saffron, read my 'Gaiden of Darkness' book and 'Legend of the Five Knights' series (although, they admittingly appear more/have a larger role in the former).**