what did I tell you guys? DX I'm slightly late updating this because of a meeting last night and that's what my mind was on and i happened to look today and freaked out because this should have been up twelve hours ago!


Kismet

Chpater Twenty-Nine: Letters, Lukas, and Potions


Lovino was happy to be at the beach again, but haunting memories kept him from truly enjoying himself and his new life as a newlywed. He did go visit the leather master to tell him his good news, to which he also paid off the rest of the choker. He told the confused man it was for giving him hope and starting a spark in his and Antonio's relationship.

After three or four days of fun on the beach, Antonio and Lovino returned home. Lovino quickly grew used to his royal duties and going to meetings with Antonio and the court and soon two months had passed.

The queen leaned back in his chair and bit his lip. He'd just received a reply from Lukas. Lately, he'd taken to sending letters back and forth, trying to breach a certain subject he'd been wondering about for two months.

He dipped his quill and bit his lip. Here goes, he thought.

Lukas,

At my reception you mentioned Tino, a male, was pregnant. You said it was one of your potions. Does it work on humans?

Lovino

He sealed it and handed it to Ariana. She took to the air and left for her trip to the north. It would take her about two days to go there and come back with the reply, so he turned his attention to the rest of the messages that needed to be sorted through. One caught his attention and he picked it up. It was addressed to both him and Antonio. It was from Francis.

Lovino raised his brow and popped it open and read it's contents. His heart fell and even he began to feel bad for Francis. He slipped from his office and headed to Antonio's, quickly entering.

"Lovi~? What brings you … here …? Is every thing okay?" Lovino shook his head, "Jeanne gave birth to a baby girl-"

"That's wonderful news!"

"-but she didn't make it. Jeanne died giving birth to the child. The baby is named for her late mother." he handed the message to Antonio who read it over. He sighed and set it off to the side.

"I see … I'll reply to him, okay? Are you going to be okay?"

Lovino nodded, "Yeah. Jeanne was a nice person, a little crazy, but nice."

The next few days were spent in mourning for Fayldyr and the loss of their queen. Lovino received a reply and looked down at the package Ariana dropped on his desk. The letter was tied carefully to the top, so he pulled it off and read it.

Lovino,

I don't know. Tino gave birth to twin boys yesterday. He and the boys are doing fine. You should try it and let me know if it works.

Lukas

Lovino raised his brow and opened the package to find a stained wooden box. Inside was six blue vials and one green. A small note explained to take one blue a month until conception and after the baby is born, take the green one.

He stared at the potions. On one hand, this could be the answer to his problem. He would be able to give Antonio kids and an heir. On the other, it worked on Tino, an elf, but there's no way to tell if it would work for him, a human. It could kill him. It could turn him purple. He sighed.

The queen tucked the box away in his dresser and wrote a quick reply, thanking him for the potion and he would let him know if and when he used it.

Lovino looked at his schedule and saw that just after lunch, he had a private meeting with the court. Antonio didn't like the private meetings when Lovino went alone. He was afraid of them twisting his words or worse.

He made his was to the meeting room, after a worried meal with Antonio and opened the door, his guard close behind. Lovino sat down in his chair at the front of the room, "You wanted to see me?"

One of the court members stood up, "We have a special task to ask of you."

That doesn't sound good, damn it, Lovino thought.

Another stood, "We need a true blood heir to the throne. King Antonio will not listen to reason and we hope you will be able to talk him into making the right decision."

Lovino glared. He knew that would mean Antonio sleeping with some woman until she conceived a child. Then she would be around until the child was born. Lovino would be required to like the child because it was Antonio's child, but he would never truly connect since it wouldn't be his own.

"No. The king has made his choice and I will not change it."

"Listen to reason, your majesty!"

"No, you listen, damn it!" Lovino stood, "He has an heir already."

The former queen rose, "You're not thinking of the kingdom."

"And you're not thinking of your son. He has chosen his nephew to take the throne and I stick by his choice. Ferdinand will be a fine heir, even more fit than anyone else I know. I'm done here, bastards …" he growled, leaving the room and instead of going back to Antonio in the throne room, he went straight to his room and ripped open the drawer, grabbing the box and a blue potion. He popped the cork and downed it instantly, anger clouding his previous judgment. Lovino set the box back in the drawer and closed it all up.

He didn't feel any different. No odd colors on his skin and he was very much alive. The queen leaned against the dresser and contemplated what he'd just done and hoped it worked. Lovino sighed and walked back to the throne room to meet up with Antonio.

The king looked up at him, "So? How did it go?"

Lovino glared, "Horrid. They were hoping I would convince you to find a surrogate mother for an heir."

Antonio smiled, "I see. They were yelling at me the other day about that …" Lovino leaned over in his seat and clutched his stomach. His was twisting painfully. He silently cursed himself for not thinking before he downed the potion. It was probably melting his insides.

His husband looked at him, "Lovi~? Are you feeling okay?" his voice became dark, "Should I find the medic?"

Lovino nodded and felt tears run down his cheeks from the pain. Antonio picked him up and took him to the medic's room. The queen looked up at Antonio, once he was lying down on the bed, "Get out!"

Antonio looked hurt, but kissed Lovino's forehead before leaving. Lovino immediately turned his attention to the medic, "Nothing leaves this room unless I say so. I will not hesitate to kill you if you say a word."

The medic raised his brow, "So I take it you know what's wrong with you?"

Lovino shook his head, "No," he cringed in pain, "but I know what caused it." he bit his lip as another wave of pain coursed through him, "I have a potion master for a friend and he gave me a potion to …" he blushed in embarrassment, "to allow me to conceive a child, despite me being a man. It was designed for elves, but he wanted to see if it would work on humans."

He stared in mild shock for a moment, "Remarkable! But, your majesty, did you ever stop to wonder what the potion does to allow a man to have children?"

Lovino shook his head, growling as another wave of pain ran through him.

"Do you know what allows women to have children?" he asked.

"No!"

He sighed, "Your majesty, besides obvious outer differences between man and woman, there are a few inner workings that are also different. Woman have a set of organs and what not called ovaries and a uterus. A man's seed settles inside and a baby is made. In order for you to have a baby, your body will have to grow its own uterus to house the child.

"The pain you're feeling is most likely just that. It may be uncomfortable until it's finished, so I suggest no sexual intercourse until the pain has completely subsided." he moved forward, "May I?" he held his hand over the queen's belly. Lovino nodded.

The medic pressed into his lower belly and gasped, "Your organs are shifting slightly … which means that potion may actually be working! Incredible!" he smiled, "To help with the discomfort, apply heat, like a hot bath or something. If anyone asks, since you're wanting to keep it secret, just tell them I said you ate some bad meat and will be fine soon."

Lovino nodded, feeling dizzy. He might be able to bear Antonio's child! He thanked the medic and left the room, where Antonio was leaned against the wall, "Lovi~? Are you okay? You're not dying, are you?"

"No, I just ate some bad food. He says I'm perfectly fine and should probably take it easy until the pain goes away." Lovino muttered. Antonio sighed in relief and hugged Lovino close, "Thank god. I was so worried!" Lovino nodded, barely able to contain his excitement.

A little while later, Lovino found himself relaxing in the hot water, thankful that it was helping with the pain. Savino brought him a snack to eat and he spent the rest of the evening writing about his new found ability.

Antonio came in after his dinner, and was immediately stuck to Lovino's side, getting him anything he needed to help him feel better, but since Lovino hadn't felt the pain in three hours, there was one thing he wanted. The king was confused but happily obliged his husband.

The next day he replied to Lukas telling him he took the potion and was quite angry that Lukas didn't warn him of the pain.

Lovino,

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to forget to mention it, but your body was changing to accommodate a baby. Tino went through the same thing. The blue potions keep your new parts working while the green will completely rid yourself of the part, which is why you take it after. There are a few other changes you'll come across, but time, and pregnancy, will bring those about. Don't worry. It's nothing too drastic.

Lukas.

Lukas,

Thank you. How will I know I'm pregnant? This fucking sucks and I'm sore from trying. How does this even work anyway?

Lovino.

Lovino,

Any simple solution your medic has should work. Go to him and he'll help you out. As for how it works, I'm not entirely sure, yet. I'm still doing studies on what all it changes in the body to allow this to happen.

Lukas.

Lovino sat off center in his chair in his office, feeding Ariana. She'd just delivered the last message and he was tired of sending her out all the time. He was beginning to miss her.

She made a noise and tucked her head under her wing to sleep. Lovino tapped his fingers on the desk and glared at the wall. It had only been two weeks since he'd taken the potion and he knew next to nothing about pregnancy, so finding out if he was was beginning to annoy him. He tucked the letter away in his drawer and stood to go find the medic.

He entered the man's room and frowned, "Hey, Lukas said I should come to you to find out if I'm pregnant, yet."

The medic looked up "Ah, yes of course. One second." he rose from his chair and crossed the room to a large cabinet. Inside was hundreds of vials of all sorts of colors, each labeled with different sicknesses. He grabbed a clear one and popped it open and looked at Lovino.

"All you need to do is take a drop of your blood and put it in. If it turns blue, you're pregnant. Yellow, you're not." he took a needled and grabbed Lovino's hand stabbing his finger.

"Ouch! Shit! Fuck! That hurt!" he hissed. The medic squeezed the finger until blood bubbled up to the surface and he wiped it into the vial. He re closed it and shook it gently.

Lovino popped his finger into his mouth and watched intently. The vial sat of the desk, a light pink. His heart began racing. It immediately fell when he saw the liquid turn yellow.

"Damn it!" he growled, picking up the vial. He glared at the liquid and set it back down, "I'll just have to fucking keep trying."

The medic stopped him, "I'm not sure if it works the same, but relax as much as possible and get plenty to eat and drink. Oh and no alcohol!"

Lovino nodded, "Thanks." he sighed softly and made his way back to his room.


TBC


~Lady Pyrien