Simple Explanations [Finished]

[Tigeress]

For a while now she'd been pacing back and forth in her room, probably wearing down the flooring right next to the door. Earlier this morning she'd been very busy indeed, making a trip to the medical staff's end of the courts in order to ask a wee little favour. She'd had a question which required a simple explanation, and it had been just as she'd expected. The tenderness, illness, it was all too familiar, and that bloated look and feeling was only the beginning of something that would end up much bigger. She was pregnant, and there was no question as to who the father was.

At first she'd been crushed at the news, but that had lasted only long enough for her to realize she'd associated pregnancy with bad memories only because of what had happened the first time around. That bastard couldn't hurt her now, or these children, he didn't have the power to command her and he couldn't shape these beautiful babies into his twisted image. She watched her children in the courts with a heavy heart, knowing the mischief and darkness that lie in all of them. Except Tristian, he was a golden ray of sunshine. He was starting his own family now, and the thought made her smile as she put a hand to her stomach.

These were hers, and Shinrai's, and they were made from beautiful emotions. She wouldn't say love, no, she was not that easily won over, but there was still something undeniable inside of her that longed for the stallion in a very similar way. This is the way it should have been, the feeling of butterflies in her stomach, the excitement of starting a family that was hers, and one that would be caring and full of promise. Barely anything inside her and already she loved them, it was a strange protectiveness that she'd never experienced before.

Her hand was on the knob and pushing the door open before she could think any more on the matter. The laces were loosened in her dress so as to make it gape a little around her midsection. Just until she knew what Shinrai wanted of her, she didn't want anyone getting suspicious about her condition. Somehow she couldn't keep a smile off her face, though everything within her warned her that he could be very upset, and with good reason. This posed a big threat to their standing in the courts, she was now a definate link to Shinrai, a weakness, a target. And the fact that they didn't have a technical 'relationship' made things seem even worse. The Queen of Hearts siring bastard children? Oh the rumours would fly.

She knocked on the door, leaning her head against it as she took a big, smiling breath. The sound of her excitement was probably in her voice when she spoke. "Your Majesty? It's me, Sekhmet. I have... important news for you." She tried to control the tone she used on the last part, trying to hide her nervousness. She took one last chance to breathe in and out slowly, praying that she would not be, once again, forced to abandon all hope of creating a real family.

[seraaches]

It was early. It was always early in the Court of Hearts. The stallion sipped at his cup of coffee, contemplating the documents sitting on his desk before him. The tap at his door was a surprise, but when he heard it was Sekhmet he relaxed rather than tense further.

Sek in with news? That was interesting. Perhaps it had to do with. . . his eyes strayed briefly to his desk. "Come in," he called out lightly, watching as she entered the room.

If there was anything to ever be said of the woman, it was that she was gorgeous. He couldn't help but smile when she came in. "Good morning," he greeted her lightly, gesturing with a hand towards the pot sitting at the corner of his desk in easy reach. "Coffee's still warm." Though, if he knew why she was there, he certainly wouldn't let her have any.

"Did you find anything out about these two?" he gestured to the papers on his desk, assuming she was there with good news about the Lowlanders they were looking into.

[Tigeress]

She walked in, consciously trying to stand not as straight as she might normally have, though in reality acting differently would give something up much quicker than just acting normally and risking that Shinrai was as observant as ever. She glanced at the coffee, shaking her head a little too quickly. The idea of trying to keep anything else down was nauseating, besides...

"I can't." She started, still looking at the coffee, though interrupted momentarily by his questions about the Lowlanders. "Ah yes, but unfortunately you'll have to find someone else to go to the location I have written down." Again she left herself an opening, and when it seemed like he had no further questions, she couldn't help but take it. She didn't know why she was getting cold feet now, when all she'd wanted to do all morning was tell him. Well, no, that was a lie. All she'd wanted to do was to tell him, and have him be /happy/ about it.

"I was in to get myself checked out this morning, I haven't been feeling quite myself lately... Which would of course be because I'm pregnant." She laughed a bit at the end, putting a hand to her mouth nervously, trying to remember that this was potentially not the kind of situation Shinrai would be ecstatic about. She kept her gaze on him for a few moments before just feeling the need to talk. "You are the father, of course." Well, not that she really needed to say THAT, hopefully he didn't think her that much of a whore. Just because they'd agreed on keeping things simple for now (or so they thought), didn't mean she was going to go out and hunt down more prospects. She was rather... captured by the man.

She took a seat without it being offered, not that she felt the need to get his approval about such silly things anymore. He knew she respected him, and thus she granted herself certain things that might seem rude in a normal setting involving one's Queen. Normally she still asked out of staying in the habit of being polite, but today she was not exactly... focussed. She looked down at her hands and tried to bite back a smile as they danced and fidgeted just below the slight swell of her stomach under the loose fabric. Hopefully they would be every bit as attractive as their father. The thought made her look up and blush despite herself, he certainly had quite an effect on her.

[seraaches]

When she first denied him, the smile slipped off of his face because he would not stand for a King denying his requests without very good cause indeed. Probably the only exception to that was Ira, but that had far less to do with Rai's allowances and far more with Ira's idiosyncrasies.

By the time she reached her announcement, Rai was a bit confused and, as such, his face slid instinctively into the cool mask he used for most Court situations. Her clarification on the father of her new development, however, struck him hard. He leaned back in his chair, lips pursing in thought.

He didn't have reason to doubt her, really, but he felt it exceedingly prudent to be absolutely certain on one point. "Please don't take offense," he said quietly, steepling his fingers absently, the bone tips pressing lightly into the fingerpads of his right hand. "But you are absolutely certain that I'm the father?" His voice was low and soft, giving no hint of how he might be feeling about the announcement.

[Tigeress]

Sekhmet's mouth open wide and closed, a rather indignant look crossing her features before she closed her eyes and started to laugh slightly. Perhaps it was hormones making her a bit loopy today. When she looked back up at him her features were soft, did he really not understand what their time together meant to her? How he doubted himself in terms of the way others saw him had always bewildered her, and it only grew more and more as time went on. Perhaps one day he'd learn what she tried so much to show him.

"Yes, Shinrai. There is no way humanly possible that I am wrong." Her smile widened just a touch, though she still tried to remain careful with how much of her personal joy she demonstrated around him. No use getting her hopes up when it might very well turn out he wanted nothing to do with them. Even then, in that case, she would still love them just as much and raise them on her own. Nobody was taking this away from her this time.

"But, as that is the case, it is of course in your hands as to what is done about this. If you would like to keep it quiet I will make myself scarce for the next while. However I have full intentions of keeping and raising these children no matter what." Her expression went carefully blank at the last, knowing full well that if he disagreed with her choices, she had just made it clear that he would have to expell her from the courts, as she had tied her fate in with their own. Today was turning out to be a rather... up and down day.

[seraaches]

At the last bout of confirmation his eyes slipped closed and it almost appeared he was centering or even meditating right there in his study. She kept talking but, really, he didn't even hear it.

He was going to be a father again. Again. He felt as though he should be trembling but a glance at his fingers from beneath hooded lids proved he was not. A father again. His mind whirled over his current seven children with their wide-range of eccentricities and he wondered if he could handle another batch like those. They tested his patience to no end, and yet. . .

He was going to be a father again.

The stallion suddenly gave a whoop, leaping up and around his desk to grab Sek in a hug, which ended up in her being twirled around in a circle before he realized what exactly he was doing.

"#*$%!" he carefully slowed down to set her feet back on the floor. "Did I hurt you? Them?" He next realized he had cussed. "#*-- -- BLAST." He was going to have to clean up his language and fast.

[Tigeress]

She stiffened when he came towards her, a rather puzzled expression on her face at the sudden exclamation that came from the man. Not that she thought he'd do her harm or anything, but his mood had shifted so violently in the last tend seconds that her head was left spinning and she thought He might have been the pregnant one. When his arms wrapped around her however, she made a small exclamation of glee herself and wrapped her arms about him.

He squeezed her a bit tight, but nothing too tight, however when he set her down it seemed his playful roughness had not gone unnoticed. Chuckling, she put her hand on his chest and the other motioning to his lips to calm down. "I am fine, and I'm sure they are as well." She began laughing harden upon realizing that he was trying to watch his tongue. Leaning in, she kissed him warmly before pulling back and shaking her head. "I will have to clean up that dirty mouth of yours, won't I?" Her eyes sparkled for a moment before she took a deep breath and managed to calm down a bit.

"I am so happy you want this. I was worried you wouldn't, and I was so excited ever since I first found out." She leaned her head on his chest and between fluttering eyelids, examined the throw rug that decorated the otherwise bland floor. She felt exhausted suddenly, but content. Actually, she felt a little ill. But that was nothing new, unfortunately.

[seraaches]

Rai was pleased, but worry struck him as he caught sight of the weariness and air of illness that seemed to plague the woman. Without really thinking about it, his right hand went to gently rest on her cheek and his bone hand to her lightly swelling stomach. "You look tired," he pointed out gently. "Why don't you go lay down for awhile and then check back in with the doctor to find out wot we need to be doing for you." It wasn't really a question, but not quite a direct order.

Rai was going to find out the doctor's orders and follow them to a T. He sincerely hoped that Sekhmet was willing to follow as well because otherwise he just might have to bully her into it. Another grin lit up his face. "We're going to have some beautiful babies." He was very pleased.

[Tigeress]

His hand felt surprisingly cool on her face, and she leaned into it with a soft murmur. Just that one comforting touch and she felt she might fall asleep right then and there. Her nights had been getting more and more restless with the sudden pains and feeling of sickness that had kicked in, so sleep at this time of day was actually something she wasn't against at all. "That's probably a good idea, I feel very tired." Her hand gently gripped the top of his where it rested on the swell of her stomach. He would probably be glued to there once they started kicking from how he was reacting now. The thought made her smile, and she barely resisted the urge to kiss him again.

"I think so as well, especially if they take after you." She smirked playfully at him though it didn't have as much as a spunk as it normally would have. She wanted to linger and to share the bliss of being pregnant and with someone she wanted as the father who Also wanted to have kids. It was overwhelming, the sensation, and something she realized with a touch of sadness she never really expected to experience. Tears glittered in her eyes as she thought of how very much this meant to her suddenly and she went to say something about it to the handsome man but stopped herself. No need to go over the top, besides, she assumed their status was still the same as before, there was too much still for Shinrai to do before he could take on the responsibility of having a true, full family and maintaining a healthy relationship. He was going to be taxed as it was just trying to keep up with their soon-to-be-children. Wiping her moistened cheek inconspicuously on Shinrai's coat, she stepped back and took a breath.

"I had best go and seek out the doctor again before I fall asleep on you and you have to carry me there." A small laugh was given before she turned and walked to the door, pausing as she opened it and stepped outside. "See you in not too long." And with that she was gone.

------

Shinrai had been, at times, a bit overbearingly protective, but it never ceased to make her laugh. Okay, there were a few touchy occasions where she was unable to contain her moodyness, but for the most part it was very endearing. Having lived most of her adult life taking the best care possible of herself in order to train for her role as King and the trials that would lead to it, she was used to being strict with what she did and did not consume, and how much she let her body rest and how far she pushed it. Being pregnant had been just like getting into shape all over again, except all of her hard work lead to her stomach Increasing in size, hilariously enough.

The day came quicker than she'd thought it would, though honestly there were several points where she thought it would never come with how impatient she'd been getting. Hormones were tricky and bothersome. She lie there on the bed, shaking a bit despite the blankets that were strategically placed for both warmth and lower access. The doctor seemed completely unphased when the contractions hit again and sent her into another screaming, writhing spasm. Her face was stained with tears in her bipedal form, which had been suggested to her because of how many children she was carrying and because barring very unusual circumstances they would all be birthed in animal form. She was grateful for it now, it seemed much more durable than her human form would have been.

"Is he coming?" She asked quietly, knowing the doctor would understand the meaning behind her choked-up words. Swallowing hard to ease the pain in her throat from the grunting and yelling, she almost started crying again when the man nodded. "He's on his way." She hadn't known, to be honest, whether he'd want to be here for it or not. But it had meant a lot when he'd agreed to be there to see them come out and greet their family-to-be. However, her body was telling her he'd best be there rather soon.

Another contraction hit her just as the doctor started giving instructions and situating himself to prepare for the first child who apparently didn't like waiting. Hopefully his father would be understanding because Sek wasn't pleased with the decision at all and made sure to be quite vocal about it. Shinrai would have no trouble finding her location, that was for sure.

[seraaches]

They'd known it was coming; Rai had been prepared for months and anyone who talked to him could actually tell he was distracted. Not that he'd blown anyone off-- except the one goose who'd managed to come in last week during a false start for Sekhmet's labour-- but occasionally the stallion asked people to repeat what they had said. Ira found this all greatly amusing and had played a great number of pranks on his Mommy dearest throughout his distraction.

So when the teal stallion trotted up to his lovely Mother as the Queen was working at his desk, he announced quietly, "She's started."

"Started wot?" Rai asked in response, frowning slightly as he stared down at the trade agreement on his desk. "Did you check the numbers on this one? It looks off."

Ira complacently moved so he could look over his Mommy's shoulder. "They had a pre-existing agreement, so the numbers reflect the evening out of that previous contract."

Rai nodded, making a note on the side of the page before initialing the changes. "Who's started, Ira?"

The younger stallion smiled as he replied, "Sekhmet, Mommy dearest. She's begun labour."

It was two full seconds before that particular bit of news sunk in. The older stallion exploded from his desk and was shooting down the hallway in a flash of green legs as he switched to animal form and galloped down the halls. Ira tidied up the now scattered papers, smiling to himself. This was a great deal of fun, that was certainly true.