A.N.: Dear readers, I thank you for taking this journey with Markus, my Dragonborn, and Aela the Huntress as they began their lives together. I have one more chapter planned for this story, and then it will conclude. It has been fun writing this story, and I appreciate all of you for reading and reviewing.

Thank you for being a part of this, and I hope you enjoy my other stories as they are written :)


Markus took note as the months seems to pass them by, though work was still being done to help repair Jorrvaskr, and the Companions were still being outfitted with new arms and armor. He was just filling out another round of paperwork to pass to Balgruuf when there was a soft knock on the door to Kodlak's old room. He lifted his head and came eye-to-eye with his she-wolf; a smile spread across his face as he stood to greet her. She moved to him and embraced him in her arms.

"I have something to tell you." She whispered, looking up into his eyes.

"What's wrong my love? Are you hurt? Ill?" He asked, pulling back to look his love over.

"No, no. Nothing like that. It's much better." She replied with a chuckle. "Though, you may want to sit down." And he obliged.

"What is it my love?" Markus asked, still holding her hands in his; she was shaking, and he didn't know if it was nerves or joy. He just held her hands tighter.

"I've visited with the healers, and there's nothing wrong. But, I did find out that we are expecting a pup." She explained as she looked into his eyes.

"A pup? We are?" He asked, surprise lining his voice.

"Yes, my love." Aela breathed, worried about his lack of enthusiasm.

Markus stared at her, still processing her words in his mind, trying to focus on what she had just said. His heart pounded in his chest, so he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled before opening his eyes once again. His mind finally slowed down long enough for the words to process properly, and a huge smile spread across his face. He jumped to his feet and wrapped Aela in his arms, placing tender kisses on her lips; joy and love spilling forth like a waterfall. Aela only laughed as Markus pulled away. He placed his palm against her stomach, eyes sparkling with joy, and Aela placed hers over his.

"Our pup..." Markus whispered, his smile still pulling at his lips.

"Yes, my love. Our pup." Aela echoed as she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"How far along?" Markus questioned, turning his head slightly to look at her.

"Danica guessed that I was about three months along, and I already knew when I became pregnant. Do you remember our wedding night?" She asked with a chuckle.

"How could I forget? All of the guards were on double duty the next morning to find the werewolves they heard." He replied with a laugh, full and warm, as he held her to his body.

"Don't tell Vilkas that he was right. He told me the following week that he knew I was pregnant from that night." Aela sighed, making to move to the chair in the room.

"Are you all right, she-wolf? Do you want to lie down?" Markus asked, watching her stagger for a moment before settling down into the chair.

"No, love, I'll be fine here." She replied, leaning into the back of the chair.

"If you change your mind, let me know. I don't want you to overexert yourself." Markus replied as he joined her at the table, gathering his paperwork together again.

"I won't my dear." Aela mumbled, sleep beginning to take her over.

Markus sighed softly, waiting for a few minutes for Aela to fall asleep. He stood from his chair, moved to her side, and gathered her in his arms. Turning on his heel, he carried her into the adjoining bedroom and laid her down onto the bed, covering her with the soft quilt that was spread across it. When he was sure that she was comfortable, he made his way back out and completed his paperwork.

When he finished his final round of paperwork two hours later, Markus stood from the chair and stretched out his back, stifling the yawn that had been pushing its way through his body. He turned towards the bedroom, and found that Aela was still sleeping soundly; the poor woman must have been exhausted to still be sleeping. Markus walked into the room and gently gathered her into his arms before heading upstairs to leave. Vilkas stopped him for only a moment, questioning what was wrong, but Markus dismissed him by saying they would talk later. Vilkas nodded and opened the door for the couple before retreating back to the table to join his brother. Making his way through Whiterun, Markus quickly opened the door to Breezehome, taking great care not to disturb his sleeping wife, and made his way upstairs to their bedroom. Placing her onto the furs, he gently climbs in next to her, wraps his arm around her waist, and pulls his body as close to hers as he can. He inhaled her scent: forest saplings and temple candles, and exhaled the tension that wrestled in his veins.

With a final, gentle kiss on her cheek, he fell asleep.


A few hours later, Aela stirred and woke from her sleep, slowly shifting her arm to wipe the sleep from her eyes. Attempting to move, she found herself restricted, and slowly looked down to find Markus' arm draped around her waist, holding her close to him. She smiled, touching his arm with her fingers, before she gently lifted his arm in order to stand and stretch. Stomach grumbling from hunger, she made her way downstairs and began to boil some stew, when a still groggy Markus made his way down the stairwell.

"Look who's awake." She chuckled, scooping the broth into a bowl and handing it to him.

"I could say the same for you, my love." Markus replied with a yawn as he accepted the proffered bowl, placing a kiss upon her cheek.

The couple sat at the fire, eating and laughing together, going over baby names and finally coming to agree upon Dengen for a boy, and Eruki for a girl. Bowls emptied of their broth, the couple set them onto the table to be cleaned in the morning, and made their way back upstairs. The moons were high in the sky by now, and all they wanted was to get back into their bed; holding each other close and dreaming of the day their little one would join them.