-Alvery's Point of View-

I didn't have the slightest clue on what Clopin was so worked up over but he was relaxing slowly as I let him hold onto me. Camille had left to give us privacy and we sat there in silence. We were both content in sitting there on the ground while we finally took a breath. Him from his mother and me from the thought of my pregnancy. After several more minutes he kissed the top of my head and pulled away.

He didn't show any interest in eating surprisingly which I was fine with since most food was making me feel sick. He closed the tent and got ready for bed. I was curious on why we were going to bed so early but I had not objections to it. I knew we were both tired and perhaps going to bed this early was just what we needed.

I turned from him as I changed and I could feel his eyes on my back. I was hoping to just throw a light dressing gown over myself though we usually slept naked. I didn't want him to notice my baby bump though and I figured I wouldn't raise suspicions by doing something out of the ordinary. I quickly made my way toward our bed and lied down beside him. He looked at me a little in worry but I just smiled at him and gave him a quick peck on his lips before resting my head on the pillow and drifting to sleep.

Clopin had left for the morning without waking me since he probably assumed I was sick but I just felt tired due to the pregnancy. I left my tent to go talk to my friends as they all had met in front of Simza's tent again. I sat down beside them and they filled me in on the latest gossip from who's courting who to casual things such as weather or work. No one mentioned my pregnancy, unsure if I had told Clopin yet and they seemed to take my silence on the matter as a no.

Margot pulled me into a hug as I yawned, feeling fatigued already. "A baby will do that to ya," she whispered into my ear. The rest continued on a conversation as Margot asked me questions quietly about the baby. A smile fell on my lips as I answered her questions varying from when I've been sleeping, in what position I've been sleeping, what I've been craving, what makes me sick, and then she asked the one question I had no clue on. "How are you going to tell Clopin?"

I sighed. "I'm not sure yet," I muttered, thinking about it a little.

"Well, he's sure to find out when you go into labor," she kidded with a giggle. I just smiled and began to think of how I should tell him ranging from just plain out telling him or planning something romantic to tell him. "I'm sure you'll figure out a way," she added before addressing me on other topics.

-Clopin's Point of View-

I picked up a loaf of bread on the way home, Camille walking beside me as we chatted away at random. We walked through the catacombs in silence as we listened anxiously in case there was a sound of footsteps following us. There wasn't luckily and we entered the Court, both of us heading towards the group with Alvery in it. She was leaning on Margot's shoulder and she was nudged by her to get up. She sat up, yawning cutely and rubbing her eyes to look over at me. I smiled at her and knelt down, kissing her softly and passionately. "Good morning, sleepy head," I murmured with a grin. She smiled back and pulled herself to her feet, saying goodbye to her friends. "So, how was your day?"

She shrugged. "Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose. Gossip going around as usual but about two I never heard brought up before," she stated, glancing back at the group and around a little. I raised an eyebrow to this and she pulled me a bit closer. "Mihai and Camille," she muttered.

I grinned. "They've been talked of before but I suppose more so now since you and I came into topics and thus Camille would be dragged right along." She nodded thoughtfully as we walked into our tent for dinner. After dinner, she sat on the bed and I sat down in my chair. We looked at each other then around the tent as neither of us could find anything fun to do with ourselves.

I glanced up towards the shelf of liquor. "Do you want a drink?"

She furrowed her brow then looked over at the shelf, knowing it contained alcohol, mostly strong alcohol. She swallowed. "No thanks," she muttered.

I chuckled. "Come on, Alvery, you used to love drinking games. Why don't we play one?" I asked excitedly, enthusiastic about finding something to do.

She shook her head. "I don't want to, Clopin."

I still held my ground with a playful smile. "Alv-"

She glared at me, her mood seeming to have changed with the blink of an eye. "I said no, Clopin."

I shrunk back slightly. She had never actually gotten mad at me like this since before our marriage and all over some game? "All right, all right, calm down, cherie," I murmured. She stood, pacing a little which I found very odd behavior for her. She never showed so much anger at me during our marriage and it was such a silly thing to get angry over. "Why are you getting so worked up over this, cherie?

We can think of something else to do," I said, getting out of my chair to sit her down.

She turned to glare at me again and I stood where I was. "Clopin, you don't understand! I wish I could play drinking games with you but I can't and I sure wish I could. Ever since we kept sleeping with each other night after night, it turns out I became pregnant so now I've had to endure hell on my body the past few months. I've had to do this by myself and I wish I could drink to take away some of the stress but I can't because I know that would hurt this baby," she growled at me, tears streaming down her face as the rant went form her sounding like she wanted to rip me limb from limb to sobbing.

She sat on the bed sobbing as I stood dumbstruck at the information she spilled to me all at once. After shaking off the initial shock, I ran to sit by her side immediately and pulled her to me. "Alv, why didn't you tell me? I could have helped and made everything so much easier," I whispered, stroking back her hair as it continually wanted to fall over her beautiful blues.

"I-... I thought you'd be angry because we don't have that much money," she admitted, dipping her head though it was still against my chest.

I sighed then chuckled lightly causing her to look at me in confusion. "We have enough money, my dear, I assure you. Besides, even if we didn't, I wouldn't be angry at you for it." She nodded, tears falling again. I reached into my costume and pulled a handkerchief from it. "No more tears. There's nothing to cry over now," I whispered, handing it to her. She wiped her tears and sniffled a bit as I pulled her back into a hug.

I kissed the top of her head gently then pulled back a little and placed my hand on her abdomen, a baby bump now very obvious to me. I had thought she only gained a bit of a belly which I hadn't minded at all but it was strange to me since I know she wasn't eating large amounts of foods let alone sweets. She froze as I touched her stomach then slowly put her hand over mine and leaned against me as she sat across my lap. I smiled a little at the moment and kissed the side of her face lightly and repeatedly. "I love you," I whispered between kisses.

She smiled a little. "I love you too," was whispered back and we remained like that until some of the fires began to be put out outside. "What ever happened to your mother," she asked curiously though I heard a hint of fear in her voice. I couldn't blame her for being frightened since she had seen my mother slap me, her own son, and probably feared for herself and our child.

I smiled at her calmly. "She's gone. She knew she wasn't wanted here and was quickly chased out of the Court. She will likely never return and I'm glad." She nodded in agreement, pulling herself from me as she went to undress. I did the same and climbed into bed after her. "Although, perhaps some of my other family members would be happy to come and visit through your pregnancy," I added with a grin.

We lied close to each other so we could see each others faces. She rolled her eyes at my statement with a playful smile. "I think you mean all of them would show up," she replied which I chuckled to in response. "At least Aishe might be able to help me plan and help me make clothes along with Nadya and maybe even Celeste. And, I'm sorry, but you might need to deal with your brothers," she giggled as I groaned jokingly. We bid each other good night and she fell right to sleep while I stayed awake a little longer to gaze at her a bit. She was now going to be the mother of my children and I couldn't have been happier as I held this woman in my arms.

-Alvery's Point of View-

The next month went by less stressful for the most part but much more uncomfortable. I was probably about five months along according to Tante Marie because of when I started showing signs of my pregnancy. She told me that she had helped with many births in the Court so I allowed her to help me with mine since I'd rather have her helping me with it than a stranger any day. Besides the greatness of my bladder shrinking immensely, not feeling comfortable at all so I could never sleep, finding out that "morning" sickness occurs at all hours of the day and night, and mood swings to top all of it off, the pregnancy wasn't that awful. I still got time to myself as well as no one glaring at me anymore.

Within the first week of my fifth month, I had grown about twice the size I was a few weeks ago and I had no clue why. Tante Marie just smiled at me, trying to get me to understand through my hormonal crankiness that I'm pregnant and have to get big or else the baby would be unhealthy. I began to accept this after my mind had cleared and decided to go back to my tent. I sulked a bit about the enormous weight gain in Clopin's chair when someone came up behind me and hugged me. I gave a squeal of surprise when it wasn't Clopin's gloved hands but a woman's instead. She giggled happily behind me and I realized it wasn't anyone's laugh I knew. I stood and turned to see Aishe smiling and nearly hopping with excitement.

I grinned and she pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheeks. "You look so beautiful, Alvery. You also look very healthy," she stated, looking down at my baby bump. "Have they moved yet?" I shook my head a little sadly. "Well, you're a starting mother but I doubt it will be much longer." We began to talk about many topics that brought us always back to the baby. "Oh! Speaking of clothes, Nadya and I made some baby clothes for you. I made a bunch of boy ones and she made girl ones since I'm sure you'll have one of the other in the future anyway," she said with a shrug.

I smiled, my hand drifting back to my swollen abdomen. "Let's take care of one at a time, okay?" She laughed and agreed with a grin as she went out and brought in some baby clothes in a partially filled trunk.

"We'll make more while we wait for the baby," she explained, motioning to the emptiness of the trunk. "Adrian's a good carpenter so he offered to make a crib for the baby and he decided to make an extra one just in case."My eyebrows shot up about that. I hadn't even thought of that. "Not that there definitely is but, well, twins run on our side of the family out of our dad's brothers so I'm just saying it's possible. I doubt your first born will end up being twins though, honey, so don't worry yourself over it." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I shouldn't have said anything. The last thing I want you is stressed."

"The last thing she needs in more stress from you," I heard my husband say as he, Adrian, and Nicu stepped inside.

I smiled at him from his chair. "Play nice, would you?"

He shrugged half-heartedly and sat on the bed, rubbing his eyes. "The lack of sleep catching up with you, Clopin?" his sister guessed with a grin. He seemed to be ready to snap back a remark but was interrupted by a yawn. She turned her attention back to me. "I hope you two didn't have anything planned for dinner. Nadya is cooking for us. I figured you guys haven't had a good meal in awhile since you're pregnant and Clopin is hopeless."

I laughed as Clopin gave his sister the evil eye. "That sounds lovely, Aishe. Thank you," I said, returning her focus to her.

She grinned and nodded. "No problem! We'll leave you two alone so maybe you can get some rest," she stated, standing up and dragging her brothers out of the tent. I laid down beside Clopin as he scooted over for me. He normally slept on the left side, closer to the door, but we found it easier for him to move out of bed by climbing over me than the other way around. Neither of us bothered to pull the blankets over ourselves as we caught a bit of sleep before dinner.

Author's Note: They sleep a lot but I'm sure they'll be lacking it later :D I hope you guys enjoyed this update and I hope you have a safe and Happy New Year. =)