Wing Kampf's Story

Wing considered it a moment. "If I were the one with child? I would want to keep the babe and raise it as my own, proudly." she confessed. "I'm not sure her consort is up to the public strain of being announced, but there must be a way to handle it. His mother in his form, perhaps." Wing wasn't sure.

"It isn't easy, I know. She's still our little girl." Wing confessed and placed her hand over his, squeezing it. "It feels so soon that she grew up." Too soon. Wing still fondly recalled give the little girl rides around the ballrooms on her back and Viki's squeals of delight as Josef walked next to them, to ensure his little girl didn't fall.

That was part of the problem, her consort's gentle nature. As much as Josef appreciated that Viktoria had someone who treated her well for who she was, there was some small issue with how he could handle publicly proving her consort. Viktoria would not doubt try to hide and shelter him. "I miss my little girl, Wing." He whispered quietly, sadly. It felt like it was but a moment and she was already an adult, a woman all of her own. Josef almost felt cheated.

"I miss our little Viky." Not that they had lost her at all.

The Emperor looked over to his wife and lay his head on her shoulder, not sure if he wished to wait to betray how he felt until after the talk with Viktoria was done, or if he would simply push for as quickly as he could. "I pray that she doesn't hold this against us." It was something that honestly frightened him, losing the love of his daughter.

The princess frowned from where she stood, hidden, before quietly opening the door, making sure not to make a sound behind them as she closed with the two. Viktoria wore a dress the showed off her consort's gift, but still retained her Imperial aura. She was, however, unsure whether she wished to hug the both of her parents from behind, or move in front of them.

Wing kissed his head. "We can have another, some time." She assured him. "Though a child younger than our grandchildren will be odd." She smiled as Viky came in and turned to greet her. "Viky! You are looking to be in good health." Wing said with a smile and held open her arms.

She treated Viky like the girl was her own daughter by flesh. A good daughter, though this pregnancy business was quite the hiccup. "How is Augustus doing?" Wing never saw the consort, so shy was he. He never seemed to want ot leave his puzzles in Viky's rooms.

"We can." He echoed, knowing that it would not be Viky though. He would still love them, perhaps all the more for being Wing's child as well. Such a delightful thing that would be, to start a true family with her. It would be odd to have children younger than grandchildren, but they were practically immortal after all. Josef was soon shocked out of his thought, however, by the arrival of his daughter, which he did not expect.

The princess moved into Wing's arms, happy to be there, nuzzling the other's shoulder and making sure to give ample room for her belly. "Thank you mother, he's doing very well." And he was, as always, being pampered and spoiled rotten at her hand. Of course, such treatment would soon pale in comparison to how she treated her own children.

Josef stood, moving to offer his arms as well, which his daughter eagerly settled into. "Daddy." She spoke, her face buried in his chest. The Emperor looked up to his wife at that, silently asking how he could dare oppose such a thing.

They didn't, couldn't, really. They were her parents, and surely such laxness would be excusable? Wing sighed and looked to the daughter of her heart. "Viky? We think it may be time to...announce your pregnancy. And with it, your consort." Augustus would have to hold up somehow. Perhaps he was stronger than he seemed.

"I don't think we can get away with not confirming the rumors for much longer. And...we thought you might want to raise the child as your own." Though so, at least. Wing almost hoped not, but hoped so at the same time. It was an odd dichotomy.

She ran her hand over Viky's hair. "But of course, it is your decision." And they could not force this strong willed woman into anything.

She sighed, the woman finding herself between the two that had raised her, meant the world to her for so much of her life. The thought of announcing her pregnancy was an easy one, and pointing to the father would be even simpler. She was so very proud of her Augustus, but it was what would come with it that would be hard, and would hurt him, in some way. "Twins." She added, softly. "I'm having twins." And she couldn't wait. They would be such lovely, beautiful children.

Even though she knew that they couldn't, if they were girls, how Viky wanted them to look like Wing.

The princess pulled her mother and father back to their seats, wanting to sit between them. "... my August is... well. Shy doesn't fit it. He's terrified of crowds, of noise." Josef sighed at that, simply taking on of Viktoria's hands and squeezing it. She would always be his girl.

"... if it's what you want, Viky, we'll have him here. Somehow." He'd hopefully shape up, and not force Viktoria to keep him hidden all the time.

Wing smiled and took the other hand, squeezing it as well. "We may use a body double Viky, if that's okay." She said quietly "You'd have to pretend he was Augustus, for the public. Could you, and Augustus handle that?" If not then Augustus would definitely need to shape up. They couldn't have him being so hidden!

It wouldn't do. "We can try and adjust parts of the palace for him, of course, but Viky...." Wing didn't know how to put it. Augustus was a very special boy....but he as trouble on so my levels. "He'll need to get used to daily life outside of your rooms." Not doubt he would hate that, but it could be done.

It had to be done. "Can we at least announce him?"

She supposed it was a necessity that he become more open. He needed to be, if he wanted to be her consort. Thus, after a few, intense moments of deliberation, the princess spoke, squeezing both hands as she did. "I... yes, let's announce him. I'd rather the story be by him than by any other." She would proudly claim his children, even if he couldn't come out in public all of the time. "I am fine with a double, if it's needed."

Josef patted her hand, knowing that it probably wasn't easy for his daughter to deal with this sort of situation. "We were thinking of Augustus' mother, someone you know and trust." Someone that Viktoria could be comfortable around, and someone who knew Augustus' little mannerisms and traits, to make it convincing.

"I can start teaching him, I promise mom."

Wing nodded. "I know you can. He can learn fast, when her chooses, and the...damage from his birth is almost completely healed." Wing said quietly. "His checkups reveal that much, at least." Definitely that much, at the least. Wing sighed and kissed her daughters head. "Hope will make a decent double, until he is ready for it."

She smiled to her daughter. "Shall we send for him now?" They had much to do and very very little time to do it in, after all, and Augustus would need to be made presentable. A sweet boy, if slow, they would likely try and keep the announcement brief, for his sake, and after the first dance, Hope could take her son's place, or another double if needed.

there would be times both she and Augustus were expected to be in attendance, after all.

"... I think I should send for him." She confessed quietly, knowing he preferred hearing her voice in almost any matter. Viktoria thought him, at the very least, certainly handsome enough for court life. The boy had genetics that anyone could be proud of, her mother especially, considering his Erutin blood. "C-can you wait here, while I see to it?" She asked her parents, hoping they wouldn't scare Augustus.

Josef nodded, providing a brief hug to his daughter before letting her go to see to whatever she needed done. In the princess' absence the Emperor scooted closer to Wing, taking her hand again and squeezing it tight, taking strength from the woman here, glad to have her in such a time as this.

"She'll need to be married." He spoke, figuring it to be the best course of action.

Wing nodded and held him close, giving him the strength he needed. "Then we'll plan a wedding. The boy's a noble. We can quietly bump House Khon up a little bit. They have a planet, though Hope will be...displeased letting that get out. She'll have to find a new hideyhole." Wing found that somewhat amusing.

She kissed him gently. "Viki will be happy, and if Augustus is man enough to have a child, despite what all believed, then he is man enough to wed your daughter. Our daughter." she said and smiled to him. "A wedding is going to be interesting." She admitted quietly.

She cuddled close to him. It wasn't overly long before Augustus came in, Viki with him, rather nervous. He was rarely in either of these two's presence. They kind of scared him. Still, he kept hi head up and held onto Viki's head.

"You wanted to see me, Emperor, Empress?"

Kampf sat there quiet with his wife as he pondered the matter, only reluctantly letting go at the sound of footfalls outside of the door, regaining a roughly imperial posture as he awaited the father of his grandchildren. Shortly enough they entered and Josef maintained a hand in Wing's, not wanting it to seem like this was some formal meeting. "We did, Augustus. Please, take a seat." Josef did his best to seem amiable.

Viktoria lead him by the hand to the accompanying loveseat, sitting beside him and stroking his hand all the while, wanting him to know that she was there for him, as always. The princess tried to maintain some degree of propriety, though it was already showing that she worried over the state of her consort.

"We were wanting to discuss your... marital state."

His marital state? He didn't quite understand but he nodded. "Of course." He said and looked to Viki in confusion, then back to the rulers of the empire. "Viki is pregnant. In the Hegemony and Empire, I know she isn't supposed to be, without being married, and...and I'm not a public consort because of..."

He trailed off, thinking of how best to put it. "Because of the side effects of complications at my birth." Bigger words and thoughts than he usually said, but he knew them, and knew how to use them. He squeezed her hand. "I...I suppose I can't hide longer?" Though he desperately wanted to stay with Viki and the puzzles.

He hesitated a moment. "I don't think I could handle the large crowds, but I can try."

Wing watched a moment. "We have a solution for that. A body double, likely your mother, for situations like that. But you seem to have figured it mostly out." She squeezed her husband's hand, watching the pair.

Josef nodded at that, squeezing Wing's hand in reply to her own pressure. "We want you to wed our daughter, Augustus." There, a simple and straightforward matter, or at least he felt so. "For the most part you would be with her, in her quarters, and rarely make public appearances. Dances, at the very most." Because it was simply not proper for a lady to dance with one who was not her husband.

At least not in his eyes.

Viktoria leaned against her Augustus at that, smiling, eyes shut tight from pleasure. Oh, it sounded so wonderful! Augustus, Prince-Consort. He'd have to take her name, of course, but that meant everything was even better. Augustus Kampf. It sounded very proper in her eyes. "... thank you, father." She managed, holding back the squees of happiness she knew would come if she let down her guard.

Augustus Kampf. That wasn't too bad, he supposed. The young man nodded at that, and hearing the joy in his lover's voice made him smile to her, pleased. It was clear it made her so very happy. "Then I will gladly wed her." He said simply. "When should we do it? Will it be very public?" He would manage it. He could fo this. The young man squeezed her hand, pleased.

"...does mother know?" That could be tricky.

Wing raised an eyebrow at the last question, then smiled gently. "Oh no. I'll tell her myself shortly. You two can celebrate." Where they couldn't hear Hope's reaction and all could pretend the woman was thrilled. No doubt thrilled about a grandchild, and about her son getting married, but less thrilled about what came with that.

Such as showing up in public, properly clad, and in her Leoni form, admitting to have a few planets that were private, and being made to industrialize her planets.

This was going to be fun.

Josef simply shook his head in accordance with Wing, moving the woman's hand into his lap as he did, glad that such a matter was solved so very simply. He had, of course, been worried, but all of that seemed to be a moot point by now, and something that he was very much relieved over. Augustus was a smart one, despite his natural hindrances. "You two have much to plan, I imagine. I can tailor the wedding to whatever standards you see fit. Let me know as soon as you have the details hammered out."

Viktoria simply smiled, pressing a kiss to Augustus' cheek, restraining herself from further. "Soon, darling, we can be married soon." Oh, it would simply be so wonderful! Wed to each other, with two beautiful children on the way. No doubt they would do her name proud.

"Soon." He agreed and held her hand, ducking his hand at the kiss. "We'll work out what we ca tonight, sir. I know we need to hurry." Until, then supposed, they were formally engaged. It should be interesting. The young man kissed his Viki's cheek, shyly, in return. Wign watched them and smiled at the sight.

"You two go an plan. Josef and I have a few thigns we need to see to." She assured them and hastened the two lovebirds off to see to their desires. She smiled to Josed and squeezed his hand. "Is it to your pleasure, my Emperor? How it was handled? I know he is't the... most optimum of choices."

Viktoria quickly tugged on her August, wanting him away from the scene and into somewhere private where they could speak on the matter in greater detail, and in greater comfort for her love.

The Emperor, however, simply smiled and waited until they were gone as he leaned into Wing, arms moving to wrap themselves about her as he relaxed. "It was, darling." He spoke quietly, glad that the matter was settled so easily. "He is not, but, to be frank-" The Belkan hesitated, choosing his words. "I would rather have her with no one. Especially not these noble families. It's better she has someone for herself, to make her happy, than to get some political marriage."

One that he doubted would have the same spark as his own.

The Empress sighed as she said on the golden throne and the smiled, ignoring her blood-splattered gown. The deaths of those who had been so foolish as to allow harm to come to her husband were very necessary. She could see no way to allow them to live. For now, her Emperor was, simply, missing. Those who were meant to protect him had come back without him, uncertain where he had gone.

It must be kept quiet, the loss. But how could it? He was their God! But she…she was their goddess now. She had a duty to the Scatterrans she now ruled, along with her own people, and she would not fail. Of course, the fact that this was her second husband that had disappeared would cause suspicion. Wing sighed and sat back in the throne.

“How does one handle the loss of one’s husband and god? With dignity.” And perhaps he was not fully lost. The empress ignored as acolytes were called to remove the body of the fools who had severely complicated her life. Or was it Josef who deserved her ire? Really, men complicated things. She should have just remained his lover, rather than wed him. It would have made things significantly easier. The Empress steepled her hands as she sat on the golden throne and considered things.

“Abbess, I am informed that the private medical facilities for my husband and I were destroyed in a fire?”

“Yes, Empress.”

That was all too suspicious and spoke of possible rebellion. The facility held the secret to Josef’s lack of aging and the inability to kill him. There were others of course, other possibilities, but only if the other facilities had not been destroyed as well. News from them had yet to return to her. That alone made her rather suspicious.

“Very well. Call the head of the Landwachter to me. I would speak to him.” And after she spoke to him, she would speak to her people. But first, she needed heightened security where her husband’s clones were stored, in stasis, along with the material that should contain the majority of his memories. “And the head of my Seraphim. I would have the royal protection on my heirs doubled until whoever dared attack the crown in that way is caught.” She considered things carefully. Her people would need a scapegoat, someone to purge for the loss of their emperor. If he appeared later, then that only solidified his Godhood, but who knew when her Josef would appear once more.

“In the meantime, Director I need a house or a people to blame for the loss of the Emperor’s Earthly form. Of course, only his earthly form was destroyed, and I want that to be made clear. I will hold a press conference shortly to ensure that is well known.”

“Of course Empress.” The director, nondescript as ever, assured her. It would be done, evidence would be planted for the Landwachter to later find. The Director and his people never hesitated when it came to following the Empress’ orders. “I will come up with an appropriate enemy within a half hour. Would you like me to write the announcement as well, Empress?”

“Yes, yes. Now go. We’re both going to be rather busy. Someone inform my press secretary that she’s to gather the press for a conference in, say, three hours.” It would be done. The Empress’ will was always done. Years of war and conflict had hardened her heart and now, well, none would stand against her. She hesitated after a moment and then closed her eyes. “Abbess? See that the Seraphim bring my heirs and their children to the palace. I believe it is time for ranks to close in the imperial family, however briefly. And Abbess? That includes my heirs not in line.” They would not be left out, and whatever had taken her husband would not also take her children. She would not allow it. Now, the question of whether to change. Perhaps, but perhaps not. She’d decide after reading the statement her people put together for her. She had the bloodlust of two very different people to consider after all.

Hm? The Erutin Empress was about to hold a conference? Oh boy, Grin thought! Time to sneak away from Mommy and Daddy while they wrestled and find out more about who he really was! Hm...first thing he would need was a spaceship. Lots of important-looking people were boarding one...easy enough to blend in that way. Lots of them also had something around their necks. He'd have to grab a dropped one, those looked harder to fake. "Press pass," one of them said. While the flustered man tried to argue his way past the guard that he was a real reporter that had lost his pass, Grin just smiled to himself while taking careful notes about the dude he was impersonating. Once he got into the conference, it wouldn't matter if he got small details wrong. Access was the important thing.

"Oh, you're that Terracast reporter!" the woman next to him smiled and held out a hand for him to shake. Hm...she looked kind of like Mommy...what would Daddy do? Ah yes. "W-wait! What are you doing? I thought you Terrans had bathrooms for that! Go in there if you want to change!"

A few minutes later, Grin was holed up in the spaceship restroom, blushing and wondering what he did wrong. People were weird. Then the announcement came up that everyone was to report to their seats in preparation for takeoff. Time to come out and maybe not talk to that pretty lady ever again, lest he further damage his credibility. When the guard came to check their passes, Grin confidently whipped his out, but covered the name with his hand. "Grin Brown, Terracast." The guard nodded and went on with it, clearly at the end of a long shift.

Finally, the spaceship rocketed off, toward the Inner Empire. The paparazzi had arrived, eager to catch shots of the Empress in the latest fashions. Erutin fashion was rather unique in that it was rather baggy to accommodate minor to moderate changes in the wearer's physique to suit their whim, but it was also highly sought after by performance artists of all sorts who needed to change outfits quickly. Whether one was a cosplayer, a con man, or a street performer, they would want to know every detail of the gown. But Grin was here for something else as well...to have a rare opportunity to ask what an Erutin was. To ask questions that nobody else could answer. And maybe, just maybe, to discover something about himself. But first, the in-flight meal, which was predictably bland. Yecch. He held out hope that the banquet would offer better.