Liam woke up slowly, confused and disoriented. He was warm, the bed was soft and something smelled wonderful. He opened his eyes and blinked as the sunlight hit his eyes. He felt the bed shift, and then Olivia's cool hand on his forehead, pushing back his hair.

"Hey you," she said.

Liam flipped over to face her and smiled. "Hey you. Good morning."

"Good afternoon," Olivia corrected. "You slept a long time, ohmi. It's almost time for dinner. I didn't want to wake you. I figured you needed the sleep. Did you dream?"

Liam propped himself up and shook his head. Olivia leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Good. Are you hungry?"

Liam nodded enthusiastically, making Olivia laugh out loud. "Alright, stay here and I'll bring you some food."

She came back with a tray piled high with food. Liam dug in with zest, impressed by the quality of her cooking. He tried to compliment her, but she just swatted him upside his head and told him not to talk with his mouth full. Once he'd gotten his fill, he put the tray aside and pulled Olivia to him.

"That was wonderful, love. Did you eat?"

"I rarely stop eating. Now, I have you rested and fed, next comes bathing."

"Is that really necessary?" Liam murmured, kissing her on the neck and tugging at her shirt.

"Yes, you reek," Olivia replied tartly. "Get up, ohmi. I heated up some water for you while you were eating."

She stood up and pulled the covers off him, poking and prodding him until he got up. "Nag. Nag. Nag," he muttered, but got up and let her lead him to the next room.

Once he'd slid into the large tub, he turned and scowled at her. "You filled this tub up with hot water twice. This water is clean, and you bathed today," Liam said sharply. "You shouldn't be doing things like that."

"Pregnant women all over Tortall do heavy labor while they've got a babe in their belly."

Olivia said stubbornly, kneeling down next to the tub. Before Liam could protest more, she added, "And I didn't. A girl from the village comes and helps me in the morning. She filled it for me, and after I bathed she emptied it and filled it again. I just heated it up with my Gift while you were eating."

"You actually let someone help you?" Liam asked, reaching for the washcloth and soap.

"Well, Sara is special. I grew fond of her. Her father is rather horrid, and her mother died when she was young, so I guess I felt for her. I wrote to you about her in my second letter. Didn't you get it?"

Liam shook his head. "I only got the first letter you sent."

"Oh, so that's why," Olivia trailed off.

"That's why what?" Liam asked.

Olivia shook her head. "I got letters from you, but they didn't say anything about what I'd written."

"What did you write to me about? Was it something important?" Liam asked, confused by the look on her face.

"I'll tell you later. Just get clean now, ohmi," Olivia said. "I'm going to go clean up the kitchen. There's a towel on that stool, and some clean clothes there."

"I have clean clothes?"

"I woke up early so I washed the clothes you had on when you came and the one's I found in your saddle bag. They've been hanging in the sun all day, so their dry now."

Liam smiled. "Well, don't you sound domestic, cooking and washing dishes and clothes."

Olivia splashed him lightly. "I like keeping busy. That's all. I'd prefer to do other things, but at least being domestic is something to do. Don't forget to wash behind your ears."

Liam laughed, watching as she carefully got back on to her feet. She put her hand on the back of her hip, supporting her extra weight. She wore a large tunic and breeches again, and her feet were bare. Her hair was pinned back in a simple bun, with a pieces curling slightly around her face. Once she'd left Liam began scrubbing all over. He winced while rubbing his arm and glanced over at his bicep. He'd scrubbed off a part of the scab on his arm accidentally. He ran his finger over his scab absentmindedly. Pila had done a good job on the stitches. His scar would be small, smaller then the scars on the people he'd left.

Alanna said Sandra would be okay. He hoped that would help Pila. She'd lost so much. All her friends and family, except Sandra. She'd made new ones among the survivors and the soldiers, but then lost most of them too. He'd have to talk to his father about letting women into the regular army. That's what Pila wanted, and she certainly deserved it. Still, he wasn't sure it would be safe. The Riders had always had both men and women, so men who didn't like female fighters didn't tend to join, and there were enough women there to watch each other's backs. He wasn't sure the enlisted men would take too kindly to having women in the army. Perhaps the Own. If Kel was to be Knight Commander, they should start letting women join anyways, and he knew Raoul wouldn't object. Pila didn't like horses though. Liam sighed and rubbed his forehead.

He wondered where they were, the men he had left. Maybe he shouldn't of left them. They'd been through a lot too. It was selfish of him to run off and abandon them. He should of at least stayed while they buried the dead. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Olivia had slipped into the room until he felt her hand on his cheek.

"Come back, ohmi," she said softly.

Liam smiled and turned his head, kissing her palm.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You've been in here forever, and when I came in you were just staring into space. You didn't even see me."

"I'm sorry. I was just wondering if I should have stayed and made sure the few survivors I had left were taken care of, seen to it that the bodies were buried."

"Come on, Liam. Get out of the bath. It's cold." She tugged at him and Liam obeyed, taking the towel she gave him and toweling off. "Now listen to me, Liam. You did your duty to your men. You saved as many as you could. You know they are safe now. When you get back to Corus, you'll see to it that the families of the dead are cared for as much as possible. I know what kind of man you are, Liam. Nothing could have made you leave if there was something duty bound you to do. Now, put your clothes on."

"Thank you," Liam said, taking the clothes she offered him and pulling them on. Once he was dressed, she hugged him, pulling him as close as her stomach would allow. Liam relaxed into her hold, wrapping his arms around her. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Come here. I have something for you." Olivia led Liam into the living room. She opened a draw in the oversized desk along one wall and pulled something out of it, then walked back over to Liam. "What I wrote in one of my letters is that I've decided something." She leaned against him, putting her head on his chest and opened her hand. Sitting in her hand was a modified cloddagh ring. In place of the traditional K'miri crown, was a Tortallan crown with two small swords through it. It was the Conte seal on a K'miri ring.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Will you marry me?" she asked.

Liam grinned and kissed her. "Of course I will. Of course. Of course," he said when he pulled back.

Olivia sighed with relief. "I was a little worried you would change your mind."

"Then you're a dolt. This pregnancy really has turned you upside down."

Olivia smacked him, and he grinned and kissed her again, pushing her back towards the bedroom. The pulled each other's clothes off quickly, laughing giddily. After they were finished, Liam reached onto the floor and picked up the ring. As he turned it over in his hand, Olivia kissed his shoulder and moved close to him.

"Our men wear them too, as wedding rings," she commented. "They don't usually wear them like women do, before they are wed, but after the often do."

"It's perfect," Liam replied. "It's a Conte cloddagh ring."

"I decided something else as well. I want our child to stay here with you. I'll stay a few months after she is born, but I'll have to go back to Saren, probably when she's about three months. I want her to stay with you. I'll miss her first words and her first steps either way in all likelihood. At least this way, you'll see them, and she'll be safely with you if I don't make it."

"You'll make it," Liam said, gripping her chin with his fingers. "You will survive, and I'll write you letters as soon as those things happen, and then you can come back and see everything else."

"Do you think she'll forgive me? For missing so much," Olivia asked, rubbing her stomach.

"I'm sure he will. You'll be there for the things he'll remember anyways."

Olivia laughed. "Whichever one of us is right will be unbearable for awhile while we gloat."

Liam kissed her temple. "Want to go get married today?"

"I was thinking tomorrow," Olivia replied evenly.

Liam looked down. "I was joking actually. You want to do this tomorrow?"

Olivia nodded. "I know the priestess in the village here. She's a good sort. She'll keep our secret. Unless, you wanted your family and friends around."

"No. The sooner the better. I've gone long enough with out having you as my wife. But we will need a witness. I'll bully Roald into saying he was our witness, and I know a Priestess in Corus that will say we were wed earlier. When would you like our wedding anniversary to officially be?"

"Our first day, or I suppose night together."

Liam frowned. "Are you sure? The same day as your mother's death?"

Olivia smiled. "It will remind me that some of the best things happened to me on that day as well as the worst. Perhaps it will help."

"Well if you are sure. We still need a witness for our actual wedding though."

"Sara can be our witness, and she's loyal to me. She won't tell a soul the truth. I want to bring her back with me to nanny our daughter."

"Can I meet her before we decide on this?" Liam asked. "Or have you already decided on everything?"

"Of course. If you don't like her enough to nanny, she can still be my personal maid."

"There he goes again with the kicking. Our boy."

"Girl."

"What are we going to name this child of ours?"

"I'd like to name her after my mother."

"You know I don't think you ever told me her name," Liam said.

"Leilah," Olivia replied.

"Princess Leilah. I like it. And if he's a boy, perhaps we should name him Jonathan in an attempt to appease my father."

"Sounds good. It won't be a boy though."

"You are impossible. Now what are we going to do now."

Olivia looked outside. "The sun is already down. Are you even going to be able to sleep when we are supposed since you slept so late?"

Liam yawned. "Honestly, I'm still exhausted. I do this, by the way. It's something you should probably know about me if we are going to be married. When I come back from some sort of battle or something, I often sleep for days. I can go for a long time with little sleep, but then when I do finally manage to sleep I just don't stop."

"So, basically you're too lazy to get out of bed or get dressed again," Olivia said with a grin.

Liam wrapped his arms and legs around her, pinning her to him. "That's right. And you aren't going anywhere either. I can stay awake for a bit longer though, since I'm guessing this is a little earlier then you usually go to sleep."

"Any ideas as to what we can do in bed that isn't that thing we do all the time."

"No. What do you usually do around now?"

Well, don't laugh," Olivia said sheepishly, "but I've taken to reading out loud, to the baby."

"You read to the baby? Does it even have ears yet?" Liam demanded, inspecting her stomach suspiciously.

"I don't know how it started. It just did, alright? And when she's kicking me when I want to sleep it does seem to sooth her. I'm in the middle of a biography of your great-grandfather, King Jasson actually. I thought it and I would do well to learn the family history. We can start something else though."

"No, no. Your terrifying grandmother insisted I was just like King Jasson, maybe this way I can tell her all the ways that makes me amazing when I see her again."

"I suspect your Nana was referring to all the mistresses King Jasson had, but he was a fairly good general, brutal in his way, but logical. I'm in the middle of his conquer of the Bazhir."

Liam kissed Olivia. "I can tell you absolutely that we will not have the mistress part in common. You are more than enough woman for any one man to handle."

"As if you could even begin to handle me," Olivia retorted.

Liam laughed. "True enough. Go ahead and read away."

Olivia sat up and re-arranged the pillows, manhandling Liam into the position she wanted him in. Finally, she leaned back against his chest, settling between his legs. She grumbled and partially bent his knees.

"What are you doing?" Liam demanded as she moved his legs.

She lay back down against his chest and settled her arms on his thighs. "Making armrests," she said brightly, opening the large book that had been sitting next to her bed.

"Did you just turn me into furniture?"

Olivia looked up at him and grinned. "Yes, don't you feel honored?"

Liam snorted. "You should be honored, oh pregnant one, that I allow you to rest yourself on my throne-like self."

"I think you're more like a slightly worn wooden chair then a throne," Olivia said thoughtfully. "You're familiar and comfortable in an odd, hard sort of way."

"You're lucky you're cute," Liam grumbled, before craning his neck to give Olivia a kiss.

She smiled in reply and began to read from the book. Liam quickly began drifting in and out of wakefulness as she read. By the time King Jasson had conquered the Bazhir, Liam was already fast asleep.

When he woke the next morning, he was still in the same position, though Olivia had turned on her side and burrowed into him in her sleep. She was shivering slightly, and Liam reached down and pulled the down-filled blanket up and tucked it around her. She stirred slightly and looked up at him. "Hey you," she whispered, giving him a lazy smile.

"Hey you," he replied, stroking her hair softly.

She slid upward and kissed him softly. "Come on let's get some breakfast. Sara's already here. I can smell the bacon cooking."

"Then we'll get married."

Olivia smiled again. "Yes, Liam. Then we'll get married."

She got up and tugged on some breeches and a shirt, tossing him black breeches and the nicest of the tunics he had with him.

"Are you going to wear that to get married in?" Liam asked as he got out of bed and pulled the clothes on.

"Of course not. This is my wedding day breakfasting outfit. Not my bridal outfit," Olivia said haughtily, sticking her nose in the air and doing a spot on imitation of her sister's intonation.

Liam laughed. "Goddess, I'm glad I didn't marry her. I really thought it wouldn't matter at all. I figured I'd spend my time fighting and only have to see her now and then. I had no idea what I would have been missing, or what I would have been forced to live with."

"Come meet Sara," Olivia said. "I'm hungry, and I want my breakfast."

Liam followed Olivia obediently into the kitchen, where a small young woman, muscled from years of farm labor, turned bacon on the stove. She curtsied low when she saw Liam, blushing slightly and smoothing her apron down.

"Liam, this is Sara. Sara, Liam."

"It's a pleasure to meet someone that Olivia was actually willing to accept help from, Sara," Liam said, curious to see if she looked up at him. "Thank you for helping her these past few months."

To his surprise, she did look up and meet his eyes squarely. "It's been an honor to serve her, your highness," she said stiffly. "If you wish to sit at the table, I will bring breakfast to you in a moment."

Liam and Olivia both sat, chatting amiably as Sara finished up cooking and brought them their food.

"Sara, sit down and have some breakfast. You've been eating with me for weeks," Olivia said, when Sara moved to take her plate outside.

"But mistress, it would not be proper for me to eat with royalty. And I now who you are, your highness. I saw you when you went with your father on his tour of Tortall a few years past." Sara frowned slightly as she spoke, hovering next to Olivia and looking rather annoyed at Liam's presence.

"Sara, you've been eating with royalty for the last few weeks," Olivia said impatiently.

As Sara gawked at her, Liam said, "Actually, love, you are technically not a princess. You've been disowned."

"Well, fine, Sara you've been eating with a former Princess of Saren and a future Princess of Tortall, which is almost the same thing.

"You mean to marry then?" Sara asked eagerly.

"We are to be wed today," Liam replied. "Olivia was hoping you'd be our witness."

"Well, that's quite lovely isn't it," Sara said, her voice warm as she brought her own plate over and sat down with them.

Liam laughed. "You weren't refusing to sit with us because I'm a prince. You were refusing to sit with us because you thought I was taking advantage of her, weren't you?"

Sara blushed slightly as Olivia giggled.

Liam glared at Olivia. "Why is it that people always assume I'm the one taking advantage?" He turned to Sara and said, "I'll have you know that I wanted to marry her long ago, and she kept refusing me, even after she got pregnant. If anything, she took advantage of me."

"It was a great blight on your virginal honor, I'm sure," Olivia said mildly, causing Sara to giggle into her napkin.

"When are you going to the temple?" Sara asked.

Olivia shrugged. "Soon, I suppose. We can go down after breakfast. I'll change first, and then we can go down."

"You can't go down together," Sara said, scandalized. "Why that will ruin the whole thing! It's terrible luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress."

Liam was about to protest, but Olivia waved him off. "She's right. We should do this right. You can go to the temple first and arrange things with the priestess, and Sara can help me get ready. We'll come meet you at the temple. It should take but a bell's time."

"Alright," he said. He quickly ate the last of his food, then stood, getting directions to the temple in town before he left. He decided to walk to town, knowing he'd be antsy if he had to wait too long for her. Before he left, he stopped to rifle through his saddlebags, pulling out the cloddagh ring he'd bought for Olivia all those months ago. He honestly hadn't believed that she would marry him, at least not before she left for Saren. Now, today, he was getting a family. A wife and a child. Their daughter. In truth, he though Olivia was right. Alanna said most women with a healing gift instinctually knew the gender of their baby. He liked to tease her, but whenever he pictured the child, he always held a little girl. She had a big smile and a loud, happy laugh. Now, thanks to Olivia, he'd have her. A beautiful little girl.

He made arrangements with the Priestess quickly. She was a stern sort, but Liam thought Olivia was right, she'd keep their secret for them. Liam sat by the Goddess' alter, tapping his fingers on his knees as he waited.

At last the doors open, and Sara came through. Liam stood as Sara moved to stand near the alter. Then, she walked in, and Liam nearly lost his breath. She wore an elongated K'miri style dress, much like the one she'd worn the day she'd been presented at court, though it was white and extra fabric draped across her stomach. Pearls lined below her bust and provided decoration for the simple white slippers she wore on her feet. A string of pearls across her neck and one in each ear completed the look, and her hair fell in waves down her back and a wreath of flowers crowned her head. She smiled as she walked up to the alter and took his hand. The ceremony was short and simple, with none of the grandiose of a typical royal wedding. They slipped their rings on each other's fingers at the end, and Liam gave her chaste kiss, and it was done. They were wed. Sara stayed behind as the two walked out of the temple.

"My wife," Liam whispered, kissing her hair.

"That's right, ohmi. There's no getting rid of me now."

"As if I'd ever want to."

They never saw the attack coming. Liam hadn't even brought his sword. Six armed men had little trouble with the two of them, and before Liam had even completely taken stock of the situation, two of them held him and a third had Olivia down on her knees, his knife out and aimed to plunge straight into her belly.

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Longest one I've done in awhile, but I couldn't really see a good place to break it. Hope you liked it.....and you aren't too mad about the cliffy. Sadly, I'm going on vacation laptop free for a week, but as soon as I come bak I'll try to write the next chapter as quick as possible so you won't have to wait too long. Review!