Five Months into Pregnancy:

Nnnnh! Byleth don't stop! You feel so, so good, Byleth! Byleth! Byleth!

"Byleth?" The empress's eyes pop wide open and she jerks up, rustling the sheets. Her eyes can't even adjust to the pitch blackness of their bedroom right now.

"What's wrong, El?"

"Your tossing and turning woke me up for the third time tonight," Edelgard complains, and Byleth can imagine the pout on her lips. Instead of saying sorry, Byleth flips onto her side and cuddles into Edelgard's back, careful not to squeeze the now noticeable bump of her stomach. Though just hugging her wife isn't enough after a minute of silence. The wet sounds of her lips pressing kiss after kiss to Edelgard's nape is intoxicating. And sooner rather than later, Byleth unintentionally rubs her hips into Edelgard's backside suggestively. "Tch. After you keep me up half the night, you expect me to just want to make love to you, now?"

"Not particularly," Byleth says, playing along. She rubs into Edelgard again, daringly reaching up to squeeze one of her sensitive breasts that are growing slightly with their production of milk. Of course, even if Edelgard tries to act tough, her voice gives herself away.

"Ah. Byleth, careful. That hurts a little bit."

"Can't help it," the empress hotly whispers, licking teasingly at Edelgard's neck and earning a nice whimper in reply. "I kept dreaming about you. You were crying out for me as I licked between your th-"

"-Byleth, don't tease me like this," she whines, spinning around in Byleth's hold so she can face her. "I know my body is less appealing now as it is."

"No it's not," Byleth says, voice grovely with sleep. "I put that kid in you. I love your body even more for that reason alone." Edelgard can feel her face get pink, so she thanks the sky for being dark right now.

"If you say so."

"I do say so," Byleth chuckles, dragging a hand down from Edelgard's shoulder, over her breast, and down her hip. "Are you tired?"

"Exhausted," Edelgard replies, dropping her head into the pillow.

"Ah. Ok."

"You really wanted sex?"

"It's ok," Byleth says instead. Edelgard, yawning all the while, lazily rubs her hand against Byleth's breast, and the empress groans needily. Edelgard tries to blink herself awake, but her eyes keep drifting closed.

"I'm sorry. Tomorrow. I swear."

"No it's alright," Byleth repeats. "Get your rest for the kid, El."

"Mm. 'Night, my love."

"Sleep well." When she can hear Edelgard's breathing even out, she knows her wife is out for good, and she chastises herself over and over in her head, don't you dare touch yourself. After twenty minutes of this mantra, ignoring her twitching hips, Byleth finally falls asleep, spooning Edelgard again.

Five Minutes Past Dinner:

Edelgard's grumpily stomping around the palace, looking for Caspar. He's supposed to be working on paperwork for a minor scuffle down near Garreg Mach, but he's nowhere to be seen; And neither is Byleth. Edelgard halts and puts both hands on her hips, huffing in the middle of the narrow hallway. I swear Byleth. If you took him fishing too, I am going to just-

She feels a sudden kick low in her stomach and her eyes widen. Immediately her hands go to her stomach and she doesn't even breathe, trying to see if it happens again. She hadn't felt the baby kick before. Come on sweetheart. Do it again for me. Seconds go by… but nothing. Edelgard's face drops in disappointment. Then the baby kicks again. Hard.

"Wow," Edelgard states in total awe. Suddenly, the fact that she's actually carrying a child somewhere deep inside her finally seems real. Her entire body feels light, like a feather in wind, but she's then weighed down by anxiety. She might not be a good mom. She might totally fail. Her child might hate her. Byleth and her may be split apart for whatever reason, and leave their child in a broken home… there are so many unfounded doubts. Though she has Byleth to tell these worries to. Well, she should have Byleth. Her amazement falls to the back of her mind as she sets forth, rushing through the palace for a different reason this time. She checks nearly every single room in this massive palace and finds no trace of her wife. She sighs dramatically and rubs the bridge of her nose once she shuts the last palace door. Ok then. Time to summon you as I did for Hubert.

"Byleth?! Byleth von Hresvelg!" A few maids pop their heads out from different rooms with looks of mild concern. Why in the world is the emperor screaming down the halls? Edelgard doesn't even have an answer. Her wife just requires very odd ways of calling for her presence. And within the minute, Byleth and Caspar appear, shuffling down the hall with dirty boots and slightly scuffed cheeks. Edelgard slaps a hand over her face.

"Were you two truly brawling in the stables again? It's snowing today. You could have slipped on ice. And you were supposed to be filling out paperwork, Caspar!"

"Uh well I uh-"

"-He didn't know the definition of a word," Byleth explains lamely, sheepishly rubbing her neck that looks red from the winter winds.

"Yep! I just needed empress Byleth's help. Just like the good old days. Heh." Edelgard stares at the two from the cracks between her fingers and sighs loudly.

"Sure. Whatever. Both of you, give me your hands. Quick, quick!" Byleth and Caspar share confused looks before obediently putting out a hand each.

"Are we about to get our hands slapped?" Caspar whispers with a bead of sweat forming above his brow. Byleth murmurs something under her breath but is cut off when Edelgard gently places their palms low on her stomach. The two are stunned into silence when they feel the baby kick. "W-woah! That's so cool! Professor, your baby's gonna have an awesome kick just like you!" Byleth doesn't even answer, too busy blinking the silly tears away from her eyelids. Edelgard and Caspar smile at each other, silently acknowledging Byleth's moment without breaking her from it. Well that logic lasts for a minute before Caspar roughly slaps his hand against Byleth's back in congratulations. "You look proud. And I'm proud of you too! You're gonna be the best mom. And you too, Edelgard."

"Thank you," Edelgard says, looking at her wife still.

"Alright. I'll have the paperwork done by eight. See you guys!" Caspar happily skips away, clinking his heavy boots against the floor with every movement.

"Are you happy?" Edelgard asks, putting her hand over Byleth's that's stayed on her stomach.

"I can't express it. But yes. I am." Edelgard squeezes the hand under hers, and the baby kicks one more time. The way Byleth's eyes light up like a child who caught a bug in her bare hands for the first time, fills Edelgard up with pure joy that's sweet enough to taste on the tip of her tongue. "El we're really having a baby." Edelgard smiles up at her and nods. When Byleth's lips part next, nothing comes out but a strained syllable and then the start of a tearful hiccup.

"Come here," Edelgard says, already reaching for the back of Byleth's neck and pulling her in when Byleth starts to sniff back harder tears. "I know, my light. It's overwhelming, isn't it?"

"Hick! How are you not freaking out?" Byleth asks, stuffing her face between Edelgard's breasts even though it breaks her spine to do so.

"Because I have you with me. I know you'll set me straight if need be."

Month Six:

"Fuck I just want to eat," Edelgard barks, slamming a fist down and toppling over a bottle of ink on her desk. "Dammit!" She tries to get up quickly, but the weight of her stomach has her failing to save a sheet of paper from the staining black mess pooling on the oak wood. "Dammit! Again. Urgh." She shouts again, having nothing to shield the rest of the papers away from but her left hand. "Ughhhh, come on." Then her door swings open.

"Everything alri-Oh sheesh," Ferdinand goes, rushing forward and undoing the rather expensive looking tie around his neck to catch some of the ink with.

"No need to waste such a pretty thing on a stupid mistake," Edelgard mumbles, thankful nonetheless.

"It's not a bother, emperor. Though I can't imagine what you'd do without me if I wasn't walking by your door." Edelgard rolls her eyes but says nothing. I was handling it, she defends internally. Ferdinand does make up for his silly remark, cleaning up the ink like a champ before handing her a handkerchief out of his back pocket. She takes it with a nod of her head.

"Why did you not just use this instead of your tie?"

"You required immediate attention," he answers honestly. It's… sweet. "Now I require your immediate attention." Edelgard tries to not sigh. She's so hungry that her stomach is knotting even though she literally ate a full lunch not even an hour ago. Curse my stomach for two. I'm going to weigh far too much by the end of the ninth month. Though… sherbert and cream sounds delicious right now.

"What is it?"

"I need your help," Ferdinand says, looking down at his feet somewhat bashfully. It's unusual for him, and Edelgard finds herself caring a lot more as she wipes between her fingers with his lavender scented cloth. "Seeing you and the empress being so happily married has made me want to marry Bernadetta even more so."

"What's stopping you?"

"Well… I have a lot of work to do here for the sake of the Empire and-"

"-Take a month off and plan your wedding, Ferdinand." He blinks, and a cheshire grin lights up his face.

"That easy?! Oh. You really are a softy somewhere deep down in there, Your Majesty!" Edelgard frowns at that.

"Not that deep down. I do nice things for you. Occasionally. When you don't annoy me."

"I never annoy you." Edelgard glares at him. "Ok ok. Not anymore. Or that often!"

"Fine. Yes. You're less of a nuisance now. Happy? Now go. I'm starving." Ferdinand chuckles as he leaves, taking off with one last comment.

"Don't gain too much weight, Your Highness." Edelgard says nothing and she whips a book right at his face. "Argh!"

Twenty Minutes Later:

"I'm so… hungry," Edelgard groans, trying to rub the frown off of her face. She's bustling about the halls, checking with different people she needs to do certain things before she can go get a snack. And just as she finishes the last thing on her checklist, a frantic mailbox comes running down the hall.

"H-hi Your Majesty," he goes, waving shakily from an odd amount of distance. "E-empress Byleth is being weird in the g-gardens. She keeps trying to fight with Bernadetta?"

"...Really, now?" Edelgard can feel a headache coming on. "Alright then. I will see to it. But please, get yourself a glass of water." The boy nods, finally showing how exhausted he is as he stumbles forward. His blunder doesn't last long though, because Edelgard scoops him up in her arms and has him lean against her shoulder.

"Um. Uh. Y-you don't have to do this Y-Your M-Majesty." Edelgard shushes him and walks him towards the kitchen without saying another word.

When Edelgard's sure the boy is fine, she heads for the gardens, making sure to be extra cautious with her health when she decides to put on a heavier coat. With a huff, she walks outside, and not even ten steps later, she can hear Bernadetta shouting near the front gates of the garden area.

"P-Professor I just don't get it! Why are you being so nice to me all over again?! You're supposed to treat me like everyone else! I-I'm not trying to be special."

"But you are special," Byleth insists. Edelgard's lip curls upward at that. She's currently resting her back on the opposite side of the garden wall, wondering if she even needs to intervene here. She figured as much earlier, that Byleth and Berandetta were just misunderstood by some of the staff as usual.

"I'm not," Bernadetta squeaks, sounding like she's shaking something. "Why can't you just do what you're supposed to do?! Only the emperor is supposed to be treated so nice by you. Not me or Ferdie or any of the other Eagles!" Edelgard finds herself frowning. When did she start thinking that?

"Why not, Bernie?"

"C-cuz you've always treated Edelgard as the special one! Ever since the beginning. It's-Everyone thought it was weird when you did nice things for us, especially when you'd do it just after giving Edelgard one of those b-bears."

"I'm sorry," Byleth says. Bernadetta sputters and then shuts her mouth with a whine. Edelgard can imagine the sincere look on Byleth's face now. "I never knew that was how you all felt."

"I… didn't mean that in a bad way though. Good going Bernie…."

"May I hug you?"

"What?! Um. I-Why would you want to?" Edelgard grins at her feet, pushing hair behind her ear.

"Because you're special to me, too." Edelgard literally has to touch her heart to stop it from flying out of her chest. Byleth's voice is just so sweet in moments like these… and Edelgard's always noticed she takes that tone when with Bernadetta in general. Byleth always said she was so cold back then, but she did things like this from as far back as when Edelgard first met her. Who else would nearly die for someone she just met? Byleth you are something all too good for this world.

"...I um. I guess that's fine. B-Bernie won't mess this up. Promise." Byleth hums and Edelgard can hear them connecting as their clothes shift about.

….

"This is kinda nice," Bernadetta mutters. "You feel safe-er um. Nevermind!" Edelgard chuckles slightly too loudly and loses her position. "Ah! A ghost?!" Byleth doesn't answer, swinging open the tall black painted gate and narrowly missing Edelgard who quickly tries to appear to have just stumbled upon the two.

"Why didn't you just say you were here?" Byleth asks incredulously. Edelgard drops her head down.

"I never can get past you, my love."

"Ok well I'm g-gonna go now! Bye Professor. Bye emperor Edelgard."

"Be well, Bernadetta." When it's just the two of them again, Byleth holds a hand out to her wife who takes it gracefully. "One of the mailboys said you were arguing with her."

"Oh," Byleth chuckles. "I just startled her and she started saying I was trying to kill her again."

"That's reasonable," Edelgard dryly jokes.

"El. I miss Hubert." Edelgard raises both brows at that. "What? He's nice to me sometimes."

"Sure sure."

"Do you not think so?" Byleth laughs, bringing Edelgard's hand up to her lip to kiss the knuckles.

"Mm. He behaves for you," Edelgard claims, shrugging playfully.

"That sounds about right. Hey you look a little pale, though. Are you ok?" Edelgard finally lets out a long held breath and idly rubs her baby bump.

"I'm starving." Instead of laughing or poking fun, Byleth just nods and starts pulling Edelgard towards the Palace's side doors.

"I'll make you something." Edelgard's eyes light up like bulbs.

"Oooh! Something sweet, then!"

"You name it, my heart."

Month Seven:

For once it's Byleth who's chained to a desk doing paperwork when Edelgard bursts through the door.

"Byleth~," she whines, shuffling towards Byleth's chair that's surrounded by a couple stacks of books. Her blue hair looks more orange in the light of the multiple lanterns up on the desk and hanging on the walls. It must be close to twelve at night now. "Why are you not in bed yet? I can't sleep without you," Edelgard complains, crossing her arms.

"Sorry El, I'm just really looking forward to our plans for tomorrow and I don't want this to be in the back of my mind the whole time we're out." Edelgard can understand that, but still,

"If you don't sleep soon you'll be exhausted instead of preoccupied." Byleth's lip downturns on one side.

"Come along then," Edelgard insists, moving a pile of books out of the way for Byleth to walk past. On the tip of Byleth's tongue is a complaint. She doesn't want Edelgard to be bending down like that but… she knows better after the last time she said something similar (because Edelgard just about shouted at her in front of twelve different maids who were on their break). Obediently Byleth follows after her wife, changing out of her heavy clothes the second they step inside the room. She tips her head to the side once she notices that instead of getting cozy under the sheets, Edelgard's on the edge of the bed watching her.

"Byleth," Edelgard purrs, leaning back slightly with a hand supporting her on the bed. Ah. Byleth gets it now. So she just wanted me to come to bed so we can have sex. Hm. Can't argue with that.

"You've been turned on pretty often lately," Byleth comments, not bothering to put on her pajamas before hopping onto the mattress and pulling Edelgard with her so they flop down on their sides. Edelgard's slightly surprised squeak is maybe the cutest thing Byleth's ever heard though, and she chuckles lightly as she presses her pointy nose into Edelgard's. "Not that I mind, of course."

"Oh of course," Edelgard scoffs, pinching Byleth's waist before patting it in apology. "You're being adorable, my light. I don't think I'm quite in the mood for anything sensual just yet. Let me kiss you." Byleth nods and closes her eyes, letting Edelgard set the pace for as long as she wants. It's a great feeling for Edelgard, feeling Byleth run her hands along her sides and up her stomach to knead her breasts just like she did prior to Edelgard's baby bump showing. It feels so obvious that Byleth thinks nothing of the change in her body. She had heard so many horror stories from some of the kitchen staff, talking of how their husband's wouldn't make love to them while they were pregnant all because of the inconvenience. She didn't understand the inconvenience part really, because Byleth went out of her way to always find positions for them to make love in that didn't put an ounce of strain on Edelgard. It was something, seeing Byleth so caring even with something so minute. It just goes to show how every aspect of their relationship means the world to Byleth. She wants me to feel alright no matter the happenstance. My light always looks out for me, even when I don't find out about it until days or weeks later. You're just so unbearably good to me, Byleth.

"You seem distracted," Byleth blurts, moving to kiss Edelgard's jaw just below her ear (it's the emperor's weak spot).

"Hhnn. That's good, my love. No I'm not distracted. I'm thinking about you and how patient you've been with me." She flashes back to the insane amount of times she's snapped at Byleth within the last week alone. Byleth don't touch that! No Byleth you can't fish right now! I need you to rub my shoulders. Urgh, Byleth! Can you just stop tapping your foot for THREE seconds?! "Ooof. I've been vile," Edelgard huffs. "I mean nothing by it, I swear."

"I understand. I haven't gotten upset once." Byleth's kind words are accompanied by a drag of her tongue and then a hard kiss to Edelgard's collarbone. "Your skin smells extra sweet. Did you bathe with those carnation petals I gave you?"

"Yes and they were lovely. Thank you again. It was a wonderful surprise to find on my bedside this morning." That reminds her, "Where did you run off to, though?" Byleth smirks and presses another kiss to Edelgard's chest.

"You'll find out tomorrow." Edelgard slips her fingers into Byleth's hair and gently pulls by the nape of her neck.

"Why won't you tell me now?"

"Cuz I said so," Byleth answers, tickling Edelgard's side. Edelgard's cheeks puff out as she holds in her laugh. "Now lay back. I'm going to give you head."

"So blunt," Edelgard states, lying back anyhow.

"I want what I want."

"And dominating, too? Hmm."

"Yeah be a good girl for me."

….

Both of them chuckle aloud, neither able to take that seriously. And it must be a talent of Byleth's to be able to send her high laughing and then fling her off into space when she pulls Edelgard's underwear down and starts sucking at her clitoris.

"Ungh. How much more can I fall in love with you?" Edelgard asks exasperatedly, grabbing for the sheets with her clenched fists. Byleth smugly laughs it off and gets back to work. The feeling is mutual.

The Next Day:

"Hubert!" Edelgard exclaims, waving like an excitable teenager as he approaches from across the street. He hurries towards her and Byleth, looking like a rain cloud on this early spring day. Of course once he gets close enough, he takes one of Edelgard's hands and bows his head.

"Surprise, Your Majesty." Edelgard smiles at Byelth, thanking her with her eyes before affectionately patting Hubert's shoulder. "You look ravishing. And pregnant. Both are lovely." Byleth rolls her eyes but apparently Edelgard's hormones are flattered, because she smiles and tugs his hand, putting it against her stomach. Byleth can tell Hubert must've felt the baby kick because his eyes widen. "Oh. That was… unexpected, I suppose. I wonder if it will look like you, Your Majesty."

"...I'm also the parent," Byleth mumbles, gesturing in the air. "It'll look like both of us obviously."

"Hmm." Him and Byleth glare at each other half seriously before Edelgard clears her throat and snaps her fingers.

"Be nice, Hubert. I take it Byleth is the reason you're even here." Hubert starts fixing his cuffs, shrugging it off.

"Yes. Well I'm always available for you, Lady Edelgard."

"Uh-huh," Byleth sighs, putting a hand on her hip.

"Be good, Byleth." Edelgard nudges Byleth's side before pointing at a shop nearby. "There is a store I must show you, Hubert. They have some of the finest silk gloves I've ever touched."

"I do need a new pair," he says, smiling faintly.

When it comes time for dinner, Byleth leads them to a small snack of a restaurant that Hubert tries arguing against immediately.

"Just… trust me," Byleth begs, holding the door open for Edelgard to step in first. Even though both Hubert and Edelgard stick out like sore thumbs in the middle of the quaint blonde wood and bright blue painted restaurant, the second they get their fried fish, they just about drool. "Good, right?"

"...Yes," Hubert reluctantly says, trying not to swallow the fish whole. Edelgard's too busy muttering how hungry she is as she chokes down bites of baked vegetables on the side. Hubert looks at Byleth worriedly, wondering if he's about to see the emperor start heaving, but Byleth just mouths no it's fine, and he shakes his head in humor. The three of them finish their plates in record time, and when Edelgard personally thanks the chef, Byleth has to literally catch the man before he falls over with hearts for eyes. Yes, everyone in Enbarr most definitely loves their beautiful and fearless emperor who's dug them out of near-poverty and made Enbarr bustle again. Then when the trio walk the streets, keeping their hoods up, Hubert clears his throat, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Your Majesty, do you think you will need more help for a while, once you deliver the baby? I only ask because I know labor is nothing less than a nightmare."

"Mm. That's comforting," Edelgard sighs. Byleth of course shakes her head at Hubert and puts a hand on Edelgard's back for the rest of the way. "Anyway. I think Ferdinand and Caspar are doing well. Bernadetta has already told me she will be looking after me more personally, and of course I have Byleth."

"...Though none of those names are mine," Hubert mumbles. "Do you not need my help?" He almost sounds like he's whining, and both royalty have to try and make sure they heard that right.

"I only leave you out because you're the head of an entire academy, Hubert. I always think you must have your hands full. And knowing you, you've never hired an assistant."

"I've found someone," he answers vaguely. "She will do well. Seeing as she's Professor Manuela."

"You let her run an entire school?" Byleth asks, half-surprised.

"She's done well thus far. Though my time away today and tomorrow will let me know how well." Edelgard smiles and touches his shoulder.

"Hubert, it sounds like you want to be back here. There's no shame in missing home."

"It's not Enbarr I miss," he says, looking past her shoulder.

"That's sweet," Edelgard grins, "Though you chose to leave my side for something better."

"Yes but it doesn't feel quite right now that you or even… Byleth, of all people, is nowhere near me."

"I love to be an afterthought," Byleth mumbles, and neither of the other two hear her.

"Well. I have heard Ferdinand say he is interested in traveling back there. After all, the idea to have schools open to the public is his idea. He and Bernadetta have already opened another one here in Enbarr. Perhaps he would like to have a homebase in Garreg Mach once they marry."

"And then I would be able to stay by your side again in his place?"

"Well if you'd like that," Edelgard answers, frowning slightly. "I don't want you to feel bound to me forever, my friend. One day I will step down and there will be no reason for you to stay beside me."

"There is always a reason," Hubert insists, stuffing a hand into his pocket and narrowly missing the low hanging sign in front of a business door. "But I can understand the sentiment, Your Majesty." Byleth and Edelgard share a concerned look, wondering if Hubert is reverting back to his older and more obsessive self for no good reason. The wives have talked many times, mostly Edelgard, about how happy she is that he has chosen to free himself of the Empire for once in his life. Yet here he is now, begging to return. "Edelgard," he suddenly says, and she widens her eyes at the use of her name from his lips. "Please allow me to take back my old position." Edelgard sighs loudly and stops them all in their tracks so they can step into a quiet and vacant side street where the cobblestone sticks out of its place in the ground.

"Hubert what is the purpose."

"...I miss doing the nefarious things that came with working under the Empire."

"That's not… a good thing," Edelgard huffs.

"Running an entire school is so innocent in comparison. I long for the days of digging into places not meant for my eyes. I miss arguing with the empress! I miss shouting at Ferdinand in your stead! It feels as though I am someone else now, and it's maddening," he belts, shaking his hands in the air.

"...I guess 'nice' Hubert was a flash in the pan," Byleth states flatly. Edelgard tries not to laugh as she squeezes her wife's hand.

"Perhaps I should ask Dorothea to come back and build up the Middlefrank again… we can go through with our plan of making it a nest of spies," he says, skipping over Byleth's words entirely.

"Oh, Hubert," Edelgard groans, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "If you insist on returning, you may. You are of course a priceless asset to the Empire."

"Yes!" He suddenly cheers, weirding the wives out as he rattles his fist in the air. "I'll be back by the months end, in that case."

"That quickly?" Byleth asks, scratching her head. "But…"

"I already told Manuela I planned on returning here."

"Of course you did," Byleth chuckles.

"Yes. And now that I shall be the emperor's right hand… I don't mind being your left, empress Byleth."

"I'm good."

"Have it your way," he mumbles.

Eight Months Pregnant:

"Can you two stop having sex so loudly?" Hubert asks Byleth one evening. Byleth sucks in a breath and nearly spills the two glasses of water she's holding in her hand because Hubert just appeared out of thin air, maybe a foot in front of her.

"Hubert. Please stop warping everywhere in the palace. You nearly knocked El over last week."

"Can you stop having sex so loudly, then?"

"...I dare you to ask El that. She's the one who's loud and hormonal." Hubert grits his teeth and puts a hand on his hip in thought.

"Well she'd likely hit me with something heavy. She's been oftly irritated."

"Mhm. Good luck." Byleth gently brushes into him and continues down the hall, trying to bring Edelgard the glass of water she asked for as well as an extra one for before bedtime.

"Empress Byleth. She's due next month?" Byleth nods and keeps walking, so Hubert just warps next to her again with a finger tapping his chin. "Perhaps I should get set on the room she'll deliver in."

"Sounds good Hubert. I'll help tomorrow."

"No need," he says. "Bernadetta is already sewing the dark sheets. You just… keep being the dutiful wife." Finally Byleth stops, having gotten to Edelgard's study door now.

"Hubert, I'm the general of the Empire's military. I'm not just a dutiful wife."

"Yes but Caspar is the head of military affairs. You just need to be around for when things go south. A blessing really."

"You have a nice way of saying something rude and then correcting it," Byleth sighs, putting one of the glasses under her arms so she can turn the knob. "I'll talk to you later."

"Oh… ok." Byleth purses her lips and turns back to him, barely having pushed the door open at all.

"Was there something else?" She asks. Hubert shifts his weight back and forth on his feet and stiffly looks to the side.

"I wanted to play chess sometime soon." Byleth smiles.

"When?"

"Now, if you could," he answers. Byleth snickers at that.

"Give me a minute." Once she opens the door fully she sees that Edelgard has already gotten up from her desk and slowly walked to her. "El! I'm bringing it to you, you don't have to get up."

"I'm fine," Edelgard lightly pants. It seems like within a month her stomach has somehow doubled in size, and with her body being fairly small, it's all the more of a struggle to get moving for her. "Thank you for the water, my light." Her fingers brush Byleth's and they're just about freezing.

"Are you cold?" Byleth asks, setting down the extra glass and cupping her hands over Edelgard's who has her water cup tipped to her lips. She shakes her head no as she swallows. "We're having a fairly cold late spring."

"Especially for Enbarr," Edelgard agrees, smiling as Byleth's hands continue to try and warm her as they drag up and down Edelgard's sides. "Did I hear you say you were going to play chess with Hubert?"

"Oh right. Yeah is that ok with you?"

"You don't need my permission, my light." Byleth breathes loudly out of her nose and rubs the back of her neck.

"I know but you only have a few weeks left before you go into labor. I want to make sure you're ok, El."

"Don't worry yourself so much. I'm quite alright. Just… be in our room before eleven?" Byleth nods and presses a soft kiss to Edelgard's forehead. "See you soon, my love."

Ten Forty-Seven P.M.:

Skkt!

"El! I made it. Sheesh. Hubert nearly won at the end there," Byleth pants, looking like she just ran from one end of the palace to the other. Edelgard groggily lifts her head from the pillow and does nothing but nod and pout at the ceiling. "...Did I wake you up?" Edelgard shakes her head no and drops down again. She's lying on her back and the sheets around her are all bunched up and damp looking. Byleth frowns to herself and kicks off her boots before dropping on her knees next to the bed. "Are you not able to sleep again?"

"I'm having awful contractions," Edelgard mumbles, sounding like just uttering a few syllables is work right now.

"Do you want me to knead your waist like last night?" Edelgard shakes her head no. "Should I stay quiet?" Edelgard nods yes. Ok then. Byleth blows out the candle on Edelgard's nightstand and starts taking her clothes off, throwing herself into her new pajamas Bernadetta gifted her. They're all black with a crimson trim down the sides of the pants. She sneaks her way past the one floorboard that always creaks extra loudly and gets under the sheets besides El, adjusting them back over the emperor's hip just to have small hands push her wrists away. Ok. She must be feeling too hot then. Byleth adjusts herself so she's faced the opposite way of Edelgard, and shuts her eyes for the night.

….

Minutes later, Byleth can feel Edelgard tossing and turning, because Edelgard always seems to forget that at this point, she has no choice but to sleep on her back. Edelgard aggravatedly sighs and drops one of her fists on the bed tiredly. And being the loving wife she is, Byleth turns over and starts petting Edelgard's head.

"I'll stay up with you," Byleth says.

"Don't do that," Edelgard remarks, rubbing at her eyes. "I'm miserable getting this little sleep again. I thought I would have no issues with the contractions but they're just so distracting. As soon as I get close to shutting my eyes, my muscles spasm."

"Mm. Are you sure you don't want me to rub your waist?" Edelgard reluctantly tightens her lips, and Byleth already knows the answer. "It's not putting me out, El. I'll do anything for you."

"Thank you," Edelgard breathes, already feeling some of the tension in her hips being relieved as Byleth's hands run over her stomach and then press into her waist. "Ah! It's so sensitive."

"I'll be more gentle," Byleth promises, moving so she can sit with her legs criss-crossed next to Edelgard. It's so quiet in the room, in the palace. They can just hear each other's breathing and the sounds of skin against skin. It's peaceful. Byleth has time to sit and think, wondering what the baby's sex will be or what they'll look like, what hobbies they'll like. Edelgard is fretting over how much pain the actual delivery will bring her if just contractions hurt this much. "El? Do you think you'd want another kid?" Edelgard chuckles and rests a forearm over her eyes.

"Let us have this first one."

"Yeah…." Edelgard lowers her arm and peeks at her wife.

"You want another?" Byleth shrugs. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"A lot. But. There's one thing in particular I've been meaning to talk about with you." Edelgard nods, finally forgetting about the pain she's in for now. "Dorothea told me that when she and Petra have a kid, they've already promised each other that they come first. Like… like they'll put each other before their child in certain instances, I guess. And that doesn't sit right with me," Byleth says. "I just um. I love you. Of course I do. But just because I love you doesn't mean I wouldn't fight you if you tried to hurt our kid."

"I would never hurt them," Edelgard promises, sitting up slightly as this conversation shifts into a much more serious one that she expected.

"I know. But I-I'm not trying to beat a dead horse but sometimes you have uh… questionable… convictions, El." Edelgard slackens her jaw, but doesn't argue. "If I don't think you're doing the right thing, I'm taking our kid and going. Cuz that's… that's what my Dad did. He tried to do the right thing even though it was hard. He just didn't follow up in a good way. I hope I don't mess our kid up like him," Byleth utters, very sporadically rubbing Edelgard still. The emperor takes her wife's hands in hers and presses them against her own chest.

"I admire that you can be so serious about our child's life that you would do anything for them. I feel the same. And while Dorothea may have a point, I find I'm falling more in line with you. Our child should certainly come first."

"Good," Byleth breathes. "I didn't want you to take that the wrong way."

"I understand what you're saying well. I never felt like my Father did what was best for me, it was what was best for himself. I hated it. Our child will grow up knowing we do what we will for them, not anyone else." Byleth smiles at that, looking down at their conjoined hands. "The way you speak of our child gives me confidence, you know? I always knew you'd be a wonderful mother."

"I'm still scared," Byleth admits, leaning her face naturally closer to her wife's.

"I'm scared too. And it worries me, knowing how fragile Fodlan still is under my rule. Sometimes I feel like I'll wake up, and everything we worked for will fall away because some group of foul creatures like those who slither in the dark will rear their ugly heads. And then what will that mean for our child? How do we fight now that you and I both have lost our flames?" Byleth nods in understanding, bumping her nose into Edelgard's.

"It worries me that I'm not strong enough," Byleth whispers. "But that's what Hubert, or Ferdinand, Dorothea, Petra, all of them and all of our allies are for. We don't have to fight like we used to El. I think we should just enjoy the things that we have now. Yeah?" Edelgard laughs quietly, putting her hands in Byleth's hair so she can hold her wife's face closer. Their breaths brush against each other's lips, and their hearts beat at nearly the same time as they stare into one another's eyes.

"You have always put me at ease in the worst-case scenarios. Now is no different, my one true light." With a satisfied hum, Byleth wraps her arms around her wife's waist and slowly eases her onto her back as they share slow, chaste kisses.