"You and Kendra seem to be getting along well," Jon commented along the ride to the Swoop.

Liam grimaced. "I'm doing my best. She's still a little prickly, but I'm winning her over again. I promised I'd write the three weeks we were gone."

"They actually seem almost ready to resume negotiations. They were threatening to crack down on K'miri rights again, but I think they were bluffing. Now that they think Olivia's gone for good, they've agreed to reevaluate while we are gone, and then we can hopefully begin talks again when we get back. I'm hoping we can give Olivia the time she needs."

"Good," Liam said.

"What does Olivia want?"

Liam shrugged. "I don't think she even knows. It's complicated."

"Any marriage will have to be after they do whatever it is they're doing, won't it?"

Liam nodded.

"I can give you the time, if you wish. I'm putting this in your hands. You can decide."

"Thank you."

Liam spent the rest of the ride contemplating the best course of action. What he wanted was to marry before the baby was born and then the baby be allowed to stay in Corus while she went off to her rebellion. However, if the child were born the scandal would make it difficult for them to marry afterwards. He wanted that child. If anything were to happen to her, he wanted that reminder of who she was and what they'd had. But was it pure selfishness making him think that way? She could be gone for years, and he would constantly be away. The child would grow up barely knowing his parents. He knew how it felt to have parents whose duties often meant they were absent, but this would be magnified greatly for this child. What kind of life could he give him or her? Liam shook his head. It didn't matter. She would decide and all he would do was make sure that she knew he loved and supported for her. That was the best thing he could do.

He could hardly keep from squirming on his horse like a small boy as the towers of the Swoop came into view. They'd only been separated for six days, but he still strained his eyes to see if he could see her on the wall, his heart speeding up as he looked for her. At last, they entered the gates, and Liam looked around, but didn't see Olivia anywhere.

After greeting his wife, George turned to Liam and whispered, "She's in the same room she was in earlier. I think she'll want to see you, but if she's sleeping, let her. She's gotten very little sleep the past few days."

Liam nodded and gave his reins to a servant, discreetly making his way into the castle as everyone else greeted each other. He took the stairs two at a time and carefully opened the door to Olivia's room without knocking. The room was dark, the heavy curtains drawn tight across the windows to keep any light from coming in. He walked across the room to the bed and sat down on it, watching Olivia sleep. Her sleep was fitful. She mumbled and tossed and turned, frown lines furrowed deep in her face. He stroked her cheek, and she seemed to quiet slightly, but she continued to mutter. Liam eased his clothes off silently and slid into bed, pressing himself against her back and wrapping his arms around her. She turned in his hold and pressed her forehead against his neck.

"I love you," she whispered. "I don't think I've actually told you that, but I do love you."

"Thank you. Now sleep, love. Sleep," Liam whispered, kissing the top of her head. She relaxed in his arms and her breath quickly took the even, heavy rhythm of a deep, peaceful sleep. When it neared time for supper, Liam kissed Olivia gently on the lips. She smiled as she awoke, stretching slowly.

"It's time for dinner," Liam said.

"I just want to sleep," Olivia said. "My stomach is queasy, and I'm so tired."

"You need some food."

Rather than respond, Olivia buried her face in his chest and tugged the covers over her head. Liam chuckled slightly, stroking her back.

"Alright, alright," he whispered, letting her return to her peaceful sleep.

A little while later, a knock sounded at the door. Liam untangled himself from Olivia, who groggily stirred as the noise pulled her out of a deep slumber. A maid was on the other side, holding a plate of food, a baked apple and a note. Liam took the tray opened the note.

One of the only things Alanna would early on in both her pregnancies was baked apples. Maybe Olivia will eat them to. The rest of the food is for you.

George

"George knows?" Liam exclaimed, turning to look at Olivia.

Olivia opened her eyes again. "He guessed, but I refused to confirm."

"What did he say?"

"He said if I decided to keep it and needed someplace to have it quietly, he could arrange that, or I could stay here."

Liam nodded, at once relieved that an adult knew and vaguely ashamed that he still felt the need for the help of an "adult."

"He says Alanna would eat baked apples during the second month she was pregnant. Want to try some?"

"Baked apples!" Olivia exclaimed. "I love baked apples."

"George is officially a genius. That's much more energy then you've shown lately."

Liam settled down next to her on the bed, the tray in his lap. Olivia leaned against his chest, forcing him to put his arm around her and eat one handed.

"How were the last few days?"

"Awful. I spent a ton of time with Kendra convincing her you were a nasty seductress and I wanted naught to do with you, and the rest of the time unsuccessfully trying to get the House of Lords to train soldiers. I even came up with a plan where we'd only have them train them in four day bocks once a month and ask them to practice on their own other times. We'd have training camps all over Tortall that they could come to, and then work the land and such other times, so we would not have to pull them full wages."

"They refused to pay for it?" Olivia asked, swallowing a big bite of apple.

Liam nodded, his jaw tight. "They're going to get slaughtered if we go to war unexpectedly. They won't even train some of their own people because they fear rebellion."

Olivia kissed him on the cheek. "Some of them will surely?"

Liam sighed. "Yes, some, but not enough."

"There's only so much you can do, Liam. Only so much you can do." She stroked him along the jaw, rubbing the scruff of his two-day beard.

Liam turned and caught her lips with his own. She smiled and leaned in for more, putting the apple aside and pulling him to her.

"I thought you were tired," he whispered.

"I am, but not so tired that I can't let you pleasure me."

Liam grinned and put the food aside, moving on top of her. "I'm happy to oblige," he said. "But when we are done you're finishing that apple and eating at least one more."

"Yes, your highness." Her voice was husky as she pulled him closer, closing her eyes as Liam stroked his fingers along her inner-thigh.

-----

Sorry it took so long to update and that it wasn't a terribly eventful chapter after all this wait. The next one will be, but it may take me awhile. Life got really complicated out of no where. It will hopefully calm down again in the next few weeks, but in the meantime I'll probably be updating a lot slower than normal. Sorry. I like updating quickly, and I know you all prefer that to.