In a mere two months, the twins had made Winhill their home.

Not just 'home' in the sense of having somewhere to live, but 'home' in the communal sense - most of the town knew who they were, waved when they passed, or spoke to them when they had free time to do so. The girls were indeed hard workers, and could always be found doing something useful - at the Silver Lining, in the now-much-expanded herb gardens behind it, or riding around on Ellone's chocobo.

In two short months, the people of Winhill had grown so used to the girls and their sunshine ways that they were considered residents - quite an honor for the insular town to bestow.

The people were growing more adept at telling the girls apart, as well. Cariad was so shy as to seem mute; Chwaer was bolder. Cariad could be seen singing in the herb gardens or cleaning around the bar or house, while Chwaer preferred to go chasing chocobos or cook the meals. Chwaer intended to build a chocobo ranch, it seemed - the Winhilli didn't have much objection to the idea, at least, but were surprised that Chwaer felt it to be economical.

Then Cariad showed that she could grow gyshal greens, and suddenly everyone was quite behind the girls having the only chocobo ranch in the world. Most of the wild chocobos that ran through Winhill died, to monsters or to malnutrition if they stayed too long away from the chocobo forests.

It was Chwaer, though, who first put the pieces together. How Ellone was getting up later in the day, looking pale and sickly, and how she never ate breakfast any more but only a few slices of fruit as a sort of brunch. The way she practically glowed as she walked, and seemed more prone to staring off into space.

Ellone was not a daydreamer. She'd gotten the whole knight-on-a-white-charger dream out of her system at the ripe old age of eight, and had seen the reality beneath (my gods they're going to kill me) before turning twenty one. She'd lived a lifetime before she could legally drink in some countries, and had learned to appreciate the rarity of peace and quiet very quickly.

Cariad never confronted people unless they were making music, standing in her flower beds, or hurt. So it was Chwaer who came to the conclusion that the changes needed to be discussed. After all, she and her sister were staying above the Silver Lining, and if Ellone was going to need the space for a child then the twins needed to know as soon as possible.

Ellone was unusually sedate today, taking her ease on a bench under a spreading elm tree, and listening to Cariad's singing as she worked her way through the gardens. Nor was she alone in her listening; Cariad had a beautiful, lilting voice and many windows of nearby homes were now usually open to catch her singing as she worked. She was, however, alone under the tree - so Chwaer felt it was safe enough to approach her.

"Ellone?" asked Chwaer hesitantly. "May I speak with you?"

Ellone startled briefly, roused from her thinking. She blinked at the girl, and smiled. "Of course, Chwaer. What do you want to talk about?"

"You, if that's all right," replied Chwaer hesitantly.

"Me?"

Chwaer looked at the ground, wishing she could think of something polite to say, or at least a polite way of saying what she wanted to. "Ellone - will you and your husband be wanting us to move out soon?"

Ellone looked startled. "Why would we want that? You two have been a godsend, the way you've taken care of the house and the gardens, and you haven't been difficult houseguests at all."

Chwaer's lips twitched in a halfhearted smile. "That's as may be, ma'am, but," and she waved a slender-fingered hand vaguely in the direction of Ellone's waist, "it seems that you're expecting? Wouldn't you and Chris need the rooms?"

Ellone's hand flew to her mouth and she laughed. "Hyne bless, child, no. We have a whole house as it is, and you know we just used those rooms for storage before you two came along. When did you notice? We were going to make a formal announcement in a few days."

Chwaer shrugged. "I notice things, sometimes," she said. "Why are you reluctant to tell people?"

At that, Ellone's expression shifted to one of surprise. "How did you - no, I suppose since you knew, you already knew that I wasn't ready to say didn't you?" She shook her head and sighed. "Chwaer, there hasn't been a lot of luck in my family, with children. Winhill folk have long memories - they remember Laguna, and Raine, and my brother...and I'm the only one still alive. Raine died of childbirth, Laguna of a bullet, my brother of a monster's claw - I'm the last, and I'm getting older." She smiled a little, ruefully. "I'll admit I took my time settling down, but Chris is a good man and worth the wait. I didn't want to wait for children, though - not any more. Not when I'm the last."

Chwaer took Ellone's hand gently in hers. "You're afraid," she said calmly. "You're afraid that they are right - that you are too old to have children, that this baby will kill you."

"It won't," said Ellone firmly. "I'll be careful - I'll follow every recommendation to the letter. I won't leave Chris to care for our baby alone."

Chwaer's lips twisted up into a quiet smile. "You won't die of this little girl, Ellone," she said. "You and she should have many years together."

Ellone looked stunned. "She? How do you -?"

Chwaer let her silver eyes glow red, just for a moment. "We just know things, sometimes," she said. "She is growing well, and she is strong the way you are strong. Chris will adore her, when she is born."

"You can see the future?" Ellone was wary now - that was close to her own power of seeing the past.

"No." Chwaer was firm on that. "She is a she, right now. She knows this, because she knows that she is like you."

"Your power?" Ellone asked. "Is this part of your power?"

"Our power," corrected Chwaer. "Sisterly love, Ellone. Family love. Where it is, there we are too."

Ellone had to smile. "I'd heard that the Brothers' power was called 'brotherly love'," she said. "I just didn't think it would mean knowing something like this."

"We'll help you as we can, if you want us to," said Chwaer. "We aren't healers - but surely every little bit helps?"

"Yes, indeed it does," replied Ellone with a smile. "But it isn't often you have so much free time to come and talk with me - and really, I should be getting inside myself."

"Of course," agreed Chwaer, then looked over to where her twin was still working, some yards away. "Is there anything you need? I could tell Cari, at least, on my way back."

"No, no, that's all right," Ellone demurred with a smile. "Though I'm sure Chris will want your good strong arms to give him a hand setting up a nursery, now we don't have to worry about spoiling the surprise."

"That's more my style than Cari's," Chwaer grinned. "I'll help him, then, and Cari can take our places watching over you? You know that you won't be allowed to go anywhere alone, of course. Poor Chris would worry himself to death. And Cari won't give you the china-doll treatment."

Ellone sighed. "I suppose Cariad will be better company than the midwife, who was Chris' first choice. But I really must be getting back inside now. I'll see you soon." With that, Ellone got to her feet and began walking back to her house.

Chwaer immediately made a beeline for her twin, though she took care not to step on any of the young plants Cariad was growing. "I have to talk to you."

Cariad stood up and brushed soil off of her hands - she never used tools, as her bare hands were enough for any work that was required. "Yes?" she asked, smiling.

"Ellone is expecting," Chwaer began.

Cariad laughed. "Yes," she agreed. "I believe I was the one to tell you - true?"

"True," nodded Chwaer. "But now I know why, and you need to know too."

"Why?" Cariad blinked. "She is married to Chris, and I thought they both wanted children? Isn't that 'why' enough?"

"She believes she is the last member of our family," said Chwaer quietly. "Grandfather is dead. She believes Father dead too. She wants this baby so that our family doesn't die out."

Cariad lost her smile, her expression turning distant and sad. "You have gotten your wish, sister," she said. "For us to tell her who we are, now - when she is risking her health for what she believes is the good of our family - it would reft her of reason, leave her open to fear." She shook her head. "Though, in a way, she is right. Her name is Loire; only she has that name."

"It isn't only for Grandfather that she is doing this," reminded Chwaer. "I thought you should know."

"I agree," said Cariad sadly. "But what do we do, then? We can't let her take such a risk when it's not necessary for the purpose she would achieve. Father and Grandfather would never forgive us."

"I will work with Chris, and help them build a nursery room," said Chwaer. "With my help the work should go much faster than Chris could do alone. Do you think you could watch over Ellone without revealing too much? Anything that keeps Chris from becoming too distracted would be a help."

Cariad laughed. "Of course I can watch Ellone - though I'm sure she'd rather be up and about...perhaps I will go walking with her, so she won't feel caged." She looked down at her seedlings, considering. "Teas...I'll have to go looking for the right plants for teas, to calm her fears. I shouldn't be too long."

Chwaer nodded. "Do you want my company? I could hold the basket for you, at least."

"Ah, no," Cariad declined. "It will go faster if I go alone - and if we both disappear, Ellone and Chris will worry; isn't that so?"

Chwaer put a hand to her sister's shoulder. "Take care, then, and I will see you tonight."