Her pregnancy was not what Elena though it would be. When she had imagined some day getting married and having a family, in the very distant future she had imagined drs appointments, shopping, a baby shower, and decorating the nursery. She had not imagined being stuck a thousand years in the past, sick to her stomach.

"I wish you would let me help. I could hold your hair back at the very least."

Elena wiped at her mouth, and cursed the taste on her tongue. Morning sickness was a bitch, especially without indoor plumbing. She struggled to get to her knees, her belly was already rather large at just six months, and surprisingly she was still having morning sickness. She had complained about it to Ayana all of one time, and her surrogate mother had basically told her to woman up.

"There's nothing you can do."

"I could hold your hair."

She scoffed at that, and stepped out from behind the tree. She gazed at her husband with amusement in her eyes. Elijah had been a ball of nervous energy since she had told him about her pregnancy. This walk was supposed to have helped him calm down. It hadn't. In fact his entire family, with the exception of his mother, had become that way. She wasn't allowed to go anywhere on her own, or lift heavy things. Rebekah and Ayana often came over early in the morning to help her with housework, and it was Mikael, Klaus, and Kol who went hunting for their family's meal.

Of all people, it was Mikael who was the most overprotective of her, and it was he who encouraged Elijah to not let Elena out of his sight. He had been eating at their table more and more lately, and more than once she had listened as he called her child the Mikaelson legacy.

Elijah's arm quickly slipped around her waist, while his other hand went to her protruding belly. He gently rubbed it, and she couldn't help but smile; she knew what he was waiting for. When the kicking started he smiled brightly. The baby's movement seemed to reassure him. She settled one hand over the one he kept on her belly, while the other went to cradle his jaw, "I'm okay Elijah. Ayana said a bit of sickness here and there at this stage is normal."

He kissed her then, long and slow, holding her tight, as though he were afraid she would disappear. "Father assures me that it gets better with each pregnancy. That I won't worry about the pregnancy so much as the child when it happens again."

It kept everything Elena had to keep from blanching at that statement. She hadn't even delivered this baby and he was already talking about the next. To be fair his entire family was. It was a side effect of the times she thought. There was no birth control, and the more children a family had the more blessed they seemed. And Elijah, despite his anxiousness, was thrilled at the idea of being a father. He had talked more than once about the large family they would have. Elena just wanted to get through this one.

As they made their way through the village they were constantly stopped. She was the only pregnant woman right now, and their neighbors had such a fascination with the child in her womb. Like her husband they would rub her belly and coo at it to get some sort of movement. It made her more than a little uncomfortable, but Ayana had quickly explained that it was seen as a form of trust. Apparently refusing to let someone rub her belly meant she believed them to be an evil person or possessed by an evil spirit. All Elena wanted was to go for a walk without being stopped forty times.

She stopped by Ayana's on the way home, while Elijah met with a few men of the village. She was happy for a moment of respite. Her surrogate mother greeted her with a smile, and a hand
on her belly. "How are you feeling."

Elena didn't hold back, "Huge. A little nauseous. Tired. Annoyed."

Ayana went back to crushing herbs, as Elena took a seat. "The first three I expect. Annoyance?"

Elena shrugged, "They're already talking about the next baby. Personally, I'd like to get through this one."

Ayana's motions were practiced, and steadied, "Did you not expect a large family?"

This time it was Elena who cradled her bump, "In my time, things are different. Large families aren't the norm. Women can control how many children they have. I always wanted at least one. Maybe two? A few years spread apart? But now?"

She sighed and let the silence fall over them. After several moments Ayana put down her herbs and wiped her hands on her apron. She then went to Elena and held out her hand. Without a word Elena did as instructed, and a moment later she was laying down. "I think you need a little something to take your minds off things." she held up a ring on a string, "I thought we could find out what you're having."

Elena smiled, "Does that really work?"

"With a bit of magic."

Elena watched as Ayana threaded a string through her wedding ring and held it above Elena's belly. She listened as Ayana chanted softly. A moment later the ring began to move. Elena
watched in fasciation as it began to circle her belly.

Ayana's eyes opened and she smiled down at her, "It's a boy."

"A boy?"

Elena's eyes went to her husband who was standing in the doorway. She smiled at him as he came to her side. He was quick to help her sit up, and then hug her tightly to his chest. He kissed the crown of her head, as a hand wove fingers through her hair. She kissed his jaw and whispered, "You're going to have a son."

They stayed with Ayana for a few minutes more. When they left she had sworn herself to secrecy. They walked back slowly, and this time when they were stopped by people in the village, Elena was honestly too happy to care.

When they finally made it back to their home she started dinner. She had discovered the foods that made her nauseated rather early on in her pregnancy and had steadily avoided them since. Klaus liked to tease her about this, and called her spoiled. Ayanna had been the one to shut him down, the moment she had started talking about childbirth he had plugged his ears with his fingers and ran out of the room. Elijah had only been slightly better. He had stayed at her side, but had looked rather green at the few details her surrogate mother had given. Ayana had shared a wink and small smile with her afterwards.

Tonight was supposed to be just the two of them, but their home quickly filled up with Elijah's family. The only ones missing were Finn and Ester. "It was dangerous and stupid Elijah. She's in a delicate condition. The child she carries is our family's legacy and to take her out into the woods for a walk when enemies could just be around the corner is irresponsible."

Elena cautiously put a hand on Mikael's shoulder, "I was going a bit stir crazy Mikael. This is on me."

He waved her off, "All women go a bit crazy during pregnancy. It is their husband's job to keep them safe. Your mother was lucky if I let her leave our home. Especially after Freya."
Elena frowned at that, but said nothing as they all settled at the table. She felt Rebekah's eyes follow her as she set the food down on the table. When she finally settled at the table next to Elijah she did her best to reassure Mikael, "It won't happen again."

The man nodded once, "If you need air let the rest of us know and we will create a safety perimeter. We'll scope things out first."
Elijah took her hand under the table, and squeezed. Dinner took hours thanks to Mikael's lectures afterwards. By the time everyone went home Elena was exhausted, and Elijah was quick to get
her into bed. As with most nights during her pregnancy he pulled her close to his body and cradled her to him.

With his eyes closed, and on the verge of sleep his fingers traced small patterns onto her belly; runes with meanings she didn't kissed her right behind her ears and whispered, "We're having a son."

Elena smiled and covered his hand with her own. Tilting her head back she kissed her husband, and with a reassuring kick from the son growing within her, she fell fast asleep.