A/N: Another update, but why and how? Well, thanks to that nor'easter that we got over the weekend, I have no school because of power issues (and that means being without power and heat for 11 and half hours, and some people still don't have power). This also means that we only have 4 more snow days left before we have to start going to school on Saturdays and during vacation time. I don't know where any of you live, but I live in New England and we get snow in the winter, and we can easily get more than 4 snow days. It's going to be a long winter…Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate them. I think this story is coming to an end. I think there's going to be 2 more chapters left, but that could change. Oh, yeah I don't own the Iron Fey Series.
Previously inThe Union of Faery:
(Chapter 12):
He walked in to see Meghan sleeping peacefully, which brought a small smile to his face. He was stroking her small tummy, trying to feel any sign of life from the baby.
He noticed that Meghan grimaced a little in her sleep, but he thought nothing of it.
(Chapter 13):
…but if you still want to go to Tir Na Nog..."
Puck burst from her arms and jumped three feet in the air, "Alright, let's go! Ooh, my brain is just bursting with all the pranks I can pull on the unsuspecting Unseelie fey!"
A mischievous grin formed on his face.
"Come, Lady Briar, we have mischief to make."
And once again, the two were off to cause trouble; the Faery version of Bonnie and Clyde.
Tir Na Nog, the Unseelie Court:
Meghan awoke from her nightmarish sleep. The whole time she had been sleeping, her mind had been replaying Rowan's threats over and over again. She had come to the decision that she would not adhere to his demands, yet she will not tell Ash until the time is right. The time will be right when she can think of a "battle plan" to trick Rowan and reveal him as a traitor with a minimum amount of bloodshed.
The door opened and Ash walked in carrying a tray of light breakfast items.
"Meghan, you're up, are you hungry?"
She nodded her vigorously, realizing how hungry she was. He placed the tray gently on her lap and she pounced on it like a starved animal.
"Careful, love, you have to take it easy. The healer says you're still in a fragile state." And Ash took the bread roll from her hand, and broke it into small pieces for her.
Meghan looked at Ash closely. She noticed that his hair was more unruly than normal and that he had bags under his eyes. His clothes were crumpled like he had slept in them.
She looked around the room and saw one of the chairs had a blanket on it, meaning that he had been watching over her the whole night.
However, their little breakfast was interrupted when two servants, a man and a woman, walked into the room. They both bowed and the male servant addressed Ash, "Prince Ash, there is someone that would like to talk to you. He says that he has important information regarding the welfare of the Winter Court. He is waiting in the library and urges you to hurry."
Ash got up. He turned to look at Meghan, "I'll be back soon my love, please rest up."
And he left.
But the two servants remained. The man smiled, "Hello, princess, did ya miss me?
"Miss you—"
There was a big puff of smoke and its wake it left a mischievous looking Robin Goodfellow and Lady Briar Yewdancer.
Meghan sat up in bed, "Puck! What are you doing here? How did you sneak pass the guards?"
He just grinned, "Really, princess, do have such little faith in me? I'm Robin Goodfellow, nothing can keep me out! Anyway, me and Briar are here to cheer you up."
"You angered Oberon again, didn't you?"
"Nooo—"
"Titania?"
Puck let out a nervous laugh, "Yeah, but our main reason for being here is to keep you company cuz apparently some women get depressed while they're pregnant. So, come on, princess, let's go paint the town red!"
He stuck out his hand for her to take, but she didn't.
"I can't, I have to stay in bed and rest for the baby's sake."
Puck scoffed, "Heh, you know I never would have taken ice boy to be one of those new fathers who are paranoid about everything."
"I'm not in bed under Ash's orders, but the healer's. I almost miscarried, so he has ordered bed rest until he thinks the baby has recovered."
Puck's grin fell and Briar came to sit by Meghan on the bed.
"Geez, princess, I'm sorry I didn't know. My sources didn't inform of that last bit." He glared at Briar, who shot him a look that said "Don't look at me, I didn't know".
"Well, my sources didn't inform me that a certain coward was in Tir Na Nog."
Everyone turned to the door, and there was Ash with his sword drawn and pointed at Puck.
"What are you doing here, Goodfellow? Aren't you supposed to be causing trouble elsewhere?"
"I was, but I thought that the Unseelie Court could use some of my pranks. So, I thought I would stop by and offer you my congratulations on becoming new parents. But if the child is anything like Meghan was as a baby, then you two are going to have your hands full!" Puck laughed, took out his daggers, and got in a ready position.
Briar, unsure of what to do, stood in front of Meghan to protect her from any stray blows.
Meghan not wanting the two boys duel, spoke up, "Ash, Puck, please don't fight; I won't be able to handle it right now if one of you was injured or died!"
The two boys sheathed their weapons, but still glared at each other. Meghan now addressed Puck and Briar, "How long are you two planning on staying in Tir Na Nog?"
Ash, switching his attention from Puck to Meghan, "What do you mean, how long? They can't stay here."
"Of course they can, they are my guests, and since there is no more animosity between the two courts, why should they not be able to stay here?"
Ash closed his mouth in defeat. Puck saw this as an opportunity to further vex the young prince.
"Well, your highness, I think we'll be staying until the child is born. You know since it will be an important birth, there should be representatives from the Seelie Court."
"But that's another six months from now!" Ash said.
"Yup, I guess princeling you're just gonna have to get used to us being around."
He walked over to Ash and patted him on the shoulder. Ash mumbled something underneath his breath that sounding like "mucking bass hole", but Meghan wasn't sure if she heard him correctly.
Ash sighed went over to sit next to Meghan. He took her into his arms and buried his head in her. Meghan gently rubbed his backed and murmured comforting words in his ears.
Puck whispered to Briar, "I don't think the prince was mentally prepared for our visit, maybe we should have sent a message beforehand." Aloud he said, "So, who will take us to our rooms?"
Ash, having heard Puck's comments, shot him another death glare, and then quickly returned to his shelter in his wife's arms.
About Six Months Later…
Meghan no longer had to remain in bed. Healer Elfie had cleared her so she could walk about and do whatever she wanted. Except when you're nine months pregnant there's not much you can do, but rest.
The princess was glad that Puck and Briar had come. The two summer fey spent most of their time entertaining their princess. The other part, they spent playing pranks on the Unseelie courtiers.
Meghan didn't realize how much she missed her friends and Arcadia, even if she had to save them from being frozen every other day. She and Ash were supposed to have gone back to the Seelie Court when spring arrived, but they couldn't because of her condition.
Unsurprisingly, the only person to object to this was Rowan, but his complaints and protests fell on death ears. Well, not totally death because Mab threaten to freeze him if didn't cease his "annoying" tantrum.
That threat silenced him on the subject, but he was obviously still sulking about being told off. And when winter princes sulk, they tend to leave court in an angrily manner, and disappear for awhile.
Meghan didn't really care where he went, she was just glad that he was gone and away from her.
Having said that, ever since his departure, she has noticed that both Ash and Puck have been on edge. Of course, the two of them have been hiding it, but she could feel the tension in the air. Plus, she's been seeing them seek off together to the library where they would talk in whispers.
Some Time Later….
Today like every other day since the arrival of her friends, Meghan, Ash, Puck, and Briar were sitting in the garden. Well, Briar and Meghan would sit and talk, while Puck ran around making faces at the statues, and Ash stood disapprovingly in the distance.
Except today was different, today Meghan's water broke.
For a new mother, Meghan did not panic when she realized the baby was coming. Everyone else did. Puck and Briar excitedly jumped up and down, while screaming "the baby's coming, the baby's coming".
Ash, on the other hand, looked like he was having a nervous breakdown. Though he tried his best to stay strong, his strength left him when he brought Meghan to Healer Elfie. While Meghan was pacing around the room, Ash was slummed in a chair trying to calm his nerves.
Meghan eventually asked him to leave the room because his nervousness was making her feel uncomfortable. It was good thing that he left when he did because if he stayed for the actual birth, he would not have left with all his body parts.
On this day, Meghan and Ash became parents to a healthy, baby boy with silver hair and cobalt blue eyes.
On this day, Rowan returned to Tir Na Nog with a whole army of iron fey.
A/N: Hehe he's back…I've made Rowan into such a villain. It's seems like a lot of people don't like him. Maybe I should rename this story to Prince Rowan Must Die. lol