Before I get into it, I have to explain a couple things so bare with me. first: that title may change later on. Not super important, but I felt I should mention it. Second, this takes place in the future, about six or seven years, a while after Dash and Ella have been married. Serge and Jasper are living in the blue kingdom now, and I don't have a story or a valid reason or something to explain why, so please do not ask me about it. That is not the main focus of this story. Okay, here we go!
DISCLAIMER: all the characters who appear in the story belong to Megan Morrison, author of the Tyme Series. If you haven't read her books, you really should! If you want to, of course.
...
"Maybe we just let them figure it out for themselves? Jasper will probably be able to, if we ask him to guess."
"No, I want to tell them ourselves. But you made a good point," Dash said, suddenly sounding worried. "Do you think Jasper will find out before we get to tell them?"
"No," Ella said, laying a comforting hand on his arm. "He tries not to read people, if he can help it. He told me that a while ago, because he thought I might be upset that he could invade my privacy like that."
"Were you?"
"Course not," ella told him. "It's a wonderful skill to have, and I know that Jasper won't abuse it. And hey, he reads emotions, not minds. All he'd be able to tell his that we're both really happy."
"Okay, if you say so." Dash smiled at her in the way that Ella knew meant he wanted something. Like when he'd asked her to accompany him to a picnic in the palace garden, just the two of them, even though they had work to do. She had accepted, of course. Now she waited, watching him expectantly.
"I know this is more your news then mine…" he began. "But can I tell them? Please?"
"Of course you can." ella smiled as his face lit up. "After all, I have to tell my family, Kit, Chemise, and possibly the scriers, if they haven't figured it out for themselves. You're welcome to handle this one."
"Yes! Grats, ella!" Dash hugged her around the middle and spun her around.
"Careful," Ella cautioned him, a smile twitching on her face. "Imagine what your mother would say if she saw you do that."
"Sorry," Dash said, setting her down gently and kissing her forehead. "I'm just really excited. Can you call them here now?"
"I was just about to," Ella said, smiling up at him.
…
Serge, Serge, Serge
Serge sat up straight, turning to look at Jasper across the room.
"Did you-"
"Hear ella calling?" Jasper interrupted, getting to his feet as a smile spread across his face. "Yes, she called me too."
"Then let's go see what she wants," serge told him. He took out his bluebell bell and rang it. "After three minutes passes we can go," he said to Jasper.
"Isn't that only for when we go to her?"
"Yes, but it's good to be cautious. What if she's in the middle of something and didn't expect us to come right away?"
"I'm sure she did," Jasper said. "I can feel how happy she is- she's hoping we'll come quickly."
Serge smiled at him. "Then I guess we better hurry." he held his hand out, and Jasper laced his fingers through his own.
Serge snapped his fingers, bringing them to ella's room. The moment ella came into view, Jasper stumbled back a couple of steps and brought his hand to his head. Serge tightened his grip on his other hand, ready to support him if he fell.
"Are you alright?" Ella asked him, worry flitting through her voice.
"I'm okay," Jasper said, straightening. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Just the happiness in this room right now was like a big wave. It feels more normal now."
"Good," ella said, a smile lighting up her features. She nudged dash with her shoulder. "Dash has something to tell you. The reason why we're so happy."
Serge and Jasper turned their attention to the prince.
"Go on then," serge told him. "What has got you and ella so excited?"
"You're both going to be godfathers!" Dash blurted out, grinning widely. Then he turned red. "I- I mean, you're already godfathers, obviously. I mean, you're going to be godfathers to a different child."
Serge and Jasper looked at each other. Even without emotion reading powers, Serge could tell that Jasper was confused.
"Um," he said, looking back at Dash. "could you… be more specific? We're godfathers to a lot of children."
"What Dash means is," Ella said, taking his hand in hers. "Is that you're going to be the other kind of godfathers- the family kind- to a little girl or boy."
Jasper gasped, and his face broke into a huge smile. "Oh my goodness, you guys are having a baby!"
"Yes," ella said, leaning against Dash as he put his arm around her. "We just found out a couple days ago. We've been thinking about how to tell everyone, and who we should tell first. We decided on you both."
"We're honored," Jasper said. "Aren't we, Serge?"
"Of course," Serge said, a wave of different emotions coursing through him. Joy, of course, for ella and dash. Shock, that they considered himself and Jasper family and that they had been the first ones they told. And a little nervousness- though he'd been magical godfather for multiple children, he knew nothing about non-magical godfathering.
Jasper squeezed his hand, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"So," he said to Ella and Dash. "when's the baby due? Have you thought about any names? Can I help?"
"The physician (doctor?) said June, not yet, and of course you can!" Ella assured him. "If you think of any good baby names, you should definitely let us know. Either of you."
"We will," Jasper said grinning. "Congratulations to you both! I'm so happy for you!"
"Grats Jasper," Ella said, smiling. "Now I just need to tell everyone else."
"I'm sure that it will go just fine," Serge assured her. "Your family will be overjoyed."
"That's what I'm worried about," Ella said, rolling her eyes. "It'll take the rest of the day just to get out of there."
Jasper giggled, then quickly disguised it as a cough. "You'll get through it," he encouraged her. "And Dash will be right there with you."
"You're right," ella said, smiling at her husband. "Thank you both. Have a good day, alright?"
"You too," Jasper told her. "Try not to get to stressed! Stress is supposed to be bad for babies."
Serge snapped his fingers, bringing them back to their own home.
"Okay," Jasper said immediately. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Serge said, letting go of his hand as he turned away from him.
"You're an open book to me, remember? I already know what's wrong, but I was giving you the chance to tell me." he paused, waiting. When serge stayed silent, he continued. "You don't have to worry about being a good godfather to their child. You were great for all those kids i read about before I met you. Pierce, the girl on the glass hill, those kids who spun straw into gold. You were a great godfather to all of them."
"But that was being a magical godfather," serge protested. "This is different."
"No it's not," Jasper said. He took Serge's hand in his, and serge turned slightly to watch him. "we can be magical godfathers to their child too. It won't be any different then what we did for ella. We attended her wedding and came over to talk to her, or when she called us. We're not connected by a contract, we're connected by the bond we made between us. Like she said- we're all family now."
Serge was silent for a few moments. "You know," he said finally, turning to face Jasper entirely, a small smile on his face. "You are very good at pep talks."
"I know," Jasper said, smiling back. "And this isn't going to be the last I'll have to deliver, either. While we were talking to ella, I kept getting flickers of doubt coming from Dash. Like if he's going to be a good father or not."
"Well, when the time comes, I suppose you'll have to speak to him about it."
"We'll have to speak to him about it," Jasper corrected him. "We're a team."
"That we are, Jasper. That we are."