Bash de Poitiers was pacing in the hall. His wife, Kenna, was in labor, and he could hear her screams. It killed him that he could hold her hand, encourage her, and see his child come into the world.
"That's a good girl, Kenna. You can do it, just one more push," he heard the midwife say to his wife.
"DAMN YOU BASH! DAMN YOU TO emHELL/em!" Kenna screamed and Bash couldn't help but chuckle.
…
"A few hours later, an exhausted midwife came out to Bash smiling. "Congratulations, papa. Come and meet your babies."
"Babies? As in more than one?"
"Yes, sir. It seems Lady Kenna was carrying twins, a boy and a girl."
"One of each?" Bash smiled and followed the midwife into the bedroom.
Kenna was lying on the bed, propped up by a bunch of pillows. She was sweaty, exhausted, and beautiful. She had one baby in each arm, one sporting a blue cap and another wearing a pink one.
"Hi love," he smiled and kissed her forehead. "You look beautiful."
"Liar," she smiled back at him. "Do you want to hold your son?"
"Please," he took the boy out of her arm. "He's so little, I feel like I'll break him."
Kenna giggled quietly. "I promise you love, you won't break him."
Bash kissed his son's little nose, which he had gotten from his mother. "You know, we still have to name them."
"We already had a boy and girl's name picked out. Now we just get to use them both. Welcome to the world, Cosette Diane and Michael James."
…
"Francis! Francis, come quick!" Queen Mary called out to her husband.
"What's wrong? What is it, Mary?" Francis ran in the room, looking panicked.
"Kenna has had the baby!"
"That's it?"
"What do you mean that's it? We've just had a niece and nephew!"
"Don't you mean niece or nephew?"
"No, dear. Kenna had been carrying twins, a boy and a girl."
"Bash and Kenna will have their hands full then," Francis smiled. "Let's go meet our niece and nephew."
The couple walked down to Kenna and Bash's chambers and Mary immediately picked up her niece and started cooing to her.
"What are their names?" Francis smiled while holding his nephew.
"Cosette Diane and Michael James," Bash smiled proudly.
"Well done, brother. They really are adorable."
Bash laughed. "Thank you."
…
"Those babies really are precious," Francis said to Mary while they were getting ready for bed.
"I agree. They're adorable."
"I can't wait until we have one of our own."
"Me either," Mary smiled fondly at her stomach and then at Francis.
Francis grinned widely. "Mary, are you…?"
"Yes, Francis. I'm pregnant!"