Kierrai sat up in the darkness, out of breath and afraid. She looked frantically for Sebastian, and relaxed slightly when she found him beside her. He opened his eyes and sat up as well.
"What happened, love?" he asked groggily. She shook her head.
"It was just the nightmare again." She whispered. No matter how many times she had the dream, she still woke up terrified. Sebastian's arms snaked around her and pulled her close to his chest.
"It'll be all right, love. He can't hurt you anymore." He crooned. She nodded slowly, wiping a tear from her eye.
"I know." She murmured. She sat in her husband's embrace for a long time before realization dawned on her. "Maker's breath, I fell asleep didn't I?" she exclaimed. Sebastian gave a low chuckle.
"Tha' you did. Before I even returned to ye." He answered. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Your accent is getting stronger." She pointed out. He blinked at her.
"Is it now?" he said, intentionally emphasizing his brogue. She grinned.
"I like it. Very sexy." She admitted. Sebastian kissed her deeply as she twined her fingers into his hair. He rolled her over onto her back, and she shivered as his hands moved along her body. His kisses moved from her mouth to her neck, and then down to her collarbone. She felt his rough hands glide along her thighs and she moaned softly. Sebastian grinned wickedly and returned to her mouth. They kissed for a while longer before Kierrai gasped and pushed him away. He stared at her in confusion.
"What's wrong?" he wondered. She stared at him and then at her belly in amazement. Gently, she took his hand and placed in on her stomach. As she saw his eyes change from confused to astounded, a wide smile crossed her face.
"Do you feel it?" she whispered. He nodded, slowly at first, and then more enthusiastically. He beamed at her, and she decided that she had never loved the man more than she did right now.
"Tha's our babe! He's movin'!" Sebastian said in an excited whisper. She raised an eyebrow at him.
"He?" she asked. He shrugged.
"Well we can't rightly call him 'it' all the time now can we?" he pointed out.
"Do you want a boy?" Kierrai questioned. He rolled his blue eyes.
"I want a healthy, happy bairn. I don't care if it's a boy, a girl, or a Mabari." He promised. Kierrai giggled cheerfully.
"I certainly hope it's not a Mabari." She retorted. Sebastian grinned and kissed her happily.
"I love you, Kierrai Vael." He said earnestly. She smiled warmly.
"And I love you, Sebastian." She replied. He kissed her forehead softly.
"We should get some sleep; there is a lot to do tomorrow." She nodded, tiredness already creeping over her. She cuddled up to him and fell asleep with a smile on her face.
"We should host some sort of event, it will make us seem social and likeable." Kierrai suggested. Corstine nodded in agreement.
"Wha' sort of even did ye have in mind, Kierrai?" Wil asked cautiously. She thought for a moment.
"Maybe a ball? It will give Sebastian and I a good chance to win over the other nobles to our cause." She decided. She chuckled at Wil's small groan. Corstine laughed as well.
"He hates dancing. Though I dinnae know why, you're quite good at it." His wife pointed out. He rolled his eyes at her.
"It's so…boring." He complained. Sebastian laughed at that.
"You'll get through it, Wil." He said with a grin. The tall man groaned again, to Kierrai's delight.
"Good, it's decided. We need to invite everyone." She said, determined. Sebastian looked at her with a question in his blue eyes.
"Even Goran?" he inquired. She stopped for a moment, considering her options.
"Even Goran. If we don't invite him, it may be taken as a slight, and some of the nobles might not show up because they don't want to risk his displeasure." She agreed. Sebastian nodded, understanding her logic.
"This is all well and grand, but I think you lassies have this under control. Seb, ye are going to come with me, an' we're going to see if ye have gotten any better with tha' bow of yours. Also, ye owe me two sovereigns." Wil said with a wink, standing and quickly grabbing Sebastian's arm as he fished in his pocket for the gold. Corstine raised an eyebrow and watched their husbands exit before rolling her stormy eyes.
"That man would try to get out of event planning if someone held a dagger to his throat." She said dryly. Kierrai laughed.
"I believe you. Why did Sebastian owe him two sovereigns?" She replied. Corstine shrugged and smiled at her.
"I have no idea, but I intend to find out. Kierrai, do you want to meet my babes?" she asked suddenly. Kierrai nodded eagerly.
"I would love that. You said you had four?" she wondered. The other woman nodded her grin widening.
"Three lasses and a wee lad, each one of them a royal pain most days, but I love them more than anything." She replied fondly. The taller woman took Kierrai's arm and led her through the keep. Aranys was the only one who followed them this time, silent as ever. Kierrai raised an eyebrow at the elven woman.
"Aranys, if you continue scowling like that, you'll scare the children." She joked. To her surprise, the normally chipper girl's scowl deepened.
"Apparently broodiness is the only valid behavior for a guard." She grumbled. Kierrai blinked at her friend.
"What happened, Aranys?" she asked, stopping their walk through the palace. Even Corstine looked concerned for the young guard. Aranys shook her head, blushing.
"I don't want to…" she began. She paused when she saw the look on Kierrai's face. "Fenris." She muttered.
"Are you sweet on him?" Kierrai asked, not meaning to tease. Aranys' skin blushed an even deeper shade of crimson as she ran her fingers through her blonde hair in frustration.
"No. I would never- No!" she protested, her dark blue eyes widening indignantly. Kierrai stifled a laugh as she nodded in agreement.
"Of course. Shall we go on then?" she asked, not wanting to embarrass her friend further. Aranys nodded, still flustered. They arrived at the nursery, where Kierrai could hear the sound of children's chatter through the door. Corstine walked through first, fists on her hips at the sight. Two young girls stood menacingly over a small young boy, seemingly interrogating him for some unknown reason. Kierrai gasped when she noticed that the little boy appeared to be tied to the chair that he sat on. The third daughter was nowhere to be found.
"Iona! Ronalda! Wha' are ye doin' ta wee Flynn? And where in the Maker's name is Falyn?" Corstine exclaimed. The first girl turned around in surprise.
"Mama! We're only playin' a game." She said, her big green eyes widening innocently. Corstine frowned at her.
"Iona, playing does not usually entail tying up young lads." She said sternly. Iona frowned sadly.
"But mama, we're playin' assassin, and we caught 'im when 'e tried ta take us out!" the other girl, Ronalda cried.
"Ronnie, such games aren't for young ladies ta play." She replied. Ronnie blushed ashamedly, stammering an apology.
"Mama, who is that pretty lady?" Flynn asked from his position on the chair. Kierrai smiled warmly at the boy, who looked uncannily like Wilnan, but for his stormy grey eyes. Corstine smiled as she untied her son.
"I'll tell you when all of you are here. Where is Falyn?" she asked again.
"I'm up here, Mama!" a voice called. Kierrai glanced up to see a small young girl perched atop one of the bookshelves. Her dark red hair was pulled into a long braid, held back by a thin band of leather. Her bright green eyes seemed to take in everything at once, a surprising trait in one so young. Corstine groaned.
"Falyn Kerr, get down here immediately." She ordered. Falyn deftly clambered down the bookcase and went to stand beside her siblings. She shot everyone a cheeky grin before quietly folding her arms behind her back. Kierrai stifled a grin; the girl reminded her of herself when she was younger.
"I'm here, mama." She said innocently. Corstine sighed.
"Children, this is Lady Kierrai Theirin-Vael. She is the wife of the true Prince of Starkhaven, and she and her husband will be staying with us for a bit. Introduce yourselves." She said. Iona stepped forward first. She was a pretty young girl with long, wavy brown hair and deep green eyes.
"Hello, my lady. My name is Iona Kerr, and I am ten years old." She said, giving Kierrai a deep curtsy.
"My name is Ronnie! Err, Ronalda, my lady. I'm ten too! We're twins ye see." Ronalda said, mimicking her sister's curtsy. For twins, they were surprisingly different in looks. Where Iona's hair was dark, Ronnie had hair like spun gold. Her eyes were a light hazel with flecks of green. They did however have the same face, once you got past the difference in coloring. Kierrai smiled at them both, when she noticed Flynn wriggling out of his mother's arms. The boy sprinted over to her and crushed her legs into a tight embrace.
"I'm Flynn, an' I'm five!" he said excitedly. She smiled down at him. Falyn eyed her speculatively before saying a word. The girl was clearly quite smart, and she wasn't about to take Kierrai at face value.
"Falyn." Corstine encouraged. The girl grinned at her mother.
"My name is Falyn, and I am seven years old. Do you know how to shoot a bow?" she asked, somehow making it sound like a quiz. Kierrai raised an eyebrow.
"I do, though I prefer to use a pair of daggers." She answered carefully. She thought she noticed a glimmer of excitement flash through Falyn's eyes, but it was gone before she could be certain.
"Daggers, eh? Do ye know how to use them well enough?" the girl prodded. Kierrai glanced at Corstine, who looked slightly embarrassed. She bent down to Falyn's height so that she could look her in the eye.
"Pick a time, and I will show you exactly what I can do." She challenged. The redhead raised an eyebrow at her.
"Courtyard in an hour. I want ta see if ye can best guards of my choice." Falyn told her defiantly. Kierrai put her hand out for the girl. She took it brazenly and gave it a hard shake.
"You're on." Kierrai said, grinning eagerly. Corstine was shaking her head.
"Falyn, the lady is pregnant!" she admonished. Kierrai raised her hand.
"It's all right, Cor. I've had daggers in my hands longer than I can remember, and being pregnant hasn't slowed me down. I accept the challenge." She clarified. Corstine nodded in understanding.
"If you think you're able, Kierrai. I cannot control ye." She agreed. Kierrai smiled.
"I am definitely able." She assured her, wishing to win the young girl over in the best way she knew how. She turned and left the room to prepare herself for her upcoming scrimmage.