The manor was in a flurry of activity, which in and off itself wasn't unusual. Repairs were still being made as students and teachers packed their things and took it to the wagon for the trip to Zefiel City for the naming ceremony. All of the students were coming as well, especially as they were to be honored for their heroics during the attack, so the energy level pulsing through the manor had kicked up a level in their excitement and they seemed three times as loud as usual as their voices reverberated up the hallway and even into the nursery. And if that wasn't enough, they would be traveling together in a massive group that included infants, toddlers and a child or two of one of the wet nurses. Lina was used to traveling with able bodied adults, and truth be told, traveling with so many young and defenseless children was leaving her a bit on edge.

"Are you sure we've packed enough?" Lina asked Moe as he closed the suitcase.

"Positive. When they're this young it's not as if they need much. And there will be a fully stocked nursery at the palace."

"But what if they don't have socks?" Zelgadis asked as Amelia stood beside him and nodded solemnly as she held Justina.

"Huh?" Moe asked.

"Justina's feet get really cold, and what if they don't have socks at the palace?"

"Well they have stores in Zefiel City that sell socks, don't they?" Moe asked as he scratched his head.

"Oh yeah." Zelgadis said, and Lina shook her head and marveled at how parenthood made idiots out of the smartest of people.

"It still seems like we're leaving so much behind." Lina said as she looked at the twins sleeping in their crib. Part of her wanted to take the crib. The other part realized it would be a pain to transport and there would be cribs at the palace. But what if the twins didn't like that crib? And besides, even though she was financially set for life, Lina still had a hard time shaking her upbringing where there would be hell to pay if she wasted a single copper coin. Going out to buy items they already had just seemed so wasteful.

"It will be fine!" Moe said.

"Anymore bags up here?" Ace asked as she and several other students walked in after already having carried several bags downstairs.

"Send them on down." Moe said as he handed the bags over, and then he looked at the two sets of concerned parents and said, "That's all the bags we have! We can't pack anymore."

"Well, that's that I guess." Lina said as she did her best to ignore her anxiety and focus on the next thing, and then she looked at Marlena and picked up a large cloth. "How do I wrap this thing again?"

"Here," Marlena said as she grabbed it and showed Lina how to wrap Aurelia to her chest. "That will keep you warm and snug through the trip."

"Thanks," Lina said as she patted the bulge where the baby was. Of course, they could have all ridden in the carriage, but Lina felt as though a carriage ride with an infant would be a special hell. Baby wearing and walking seemed like the best way to go. Fortunately the weather, while cold, was clear and amenable.

"But will they stay warm enough?" Zelgadis asked as Amelia walked up to Marlena for her turn to be wrapped to Justina.

"It's great for keeping them warm. Body heat and all."

"Yeah," Leia said as she walked in. "Han and I would wrap the girls and take them for walks in the woods back in the day. Occasionally we'd even go to another town if the wanderlust hit. They were always snug and comfy."

"Thank goodness. Carriages rides are uncomfortable enough as is, and holding a baby the entire time would suck." Lina said as her nose started to wrinkle, and to her horror she realized she had to sneeze!

Her mouth dropped open as she tried to suppress it, and Amelia cried, "Oh no!" and ran forward and put her finger over Lina's upper lip, halting the sneeze. Lina relaxed, "Thank you."

"Achoo!" Amelia roared, and then she blushed, "I, um, will be right back."

"Wow, no good deed really does go unpunished." Lina said.

"Huh?" Gourry asked.

"I'll explain when you're older." Lina said.

"But Lina…"

"Can it!" Lina snapped.

"It does get better the more time that passes." Leia said. "And then you go and ruin it by having a second one."

"I'm still confused." Gourry said.

"After a woman has a baby, every time she sneezes she pees." Naga said as she came out from wherever she was hiding.

"Have you no shame!?" Lina yelled.

Naga laughed, but by now the babies must have been getting used to it. Aurelia stiffened against her, but once Lina patted her back she settled back down.

"Ready for Midas?" Leia asked as she handed him to Gourry along with a wrap.

"Yeah!" Gourry said as he smiled and held his arms out as the wet nurses started to bundle their children up.

Ace walked in and announced, "The wagon driver wants to take off. So I'm making sure we got everything first."

"Good thinking." Zelgadis said, "Especially with all these kids. Kids are so forgetful."

"I think we're good." Moe said.

"Ask all of your classmates to double check though." Zel cautioned, "We're not turning around and coming back to get anything."

"Right, Duke!" she said, and then she ran back out.

Lina looked over at Gourry, who now had Midas bundled to his chest, and smiled as she walked up and patted the baby on the back. "Well you look like two peas in a pod."

"I can see how this would be a good thing. My hands are free, I can even defend us a bit if we're attacked. Though it does leave him so vulnerable." Gourry said. "At the same time an enemy wouldn't be able to separate us easily."

"Well, we were never attacked while we were out with the girls." Leia said, "Hopefully we won't have to test any of that."

"Anyway, we better head down, before those kids get so restless that they tear apart all of the repair work that's been completed." Zelgadis said as the noise downstairs swelled.

"Right." Lina said, "Off to Zefiel City!"

"Wow, I don't ever remember walking being this much of an ab workout!" Lina said as she patted the bulge where Aurelia was as she walked beside Amelia. Aurelia and Midas had both drifted off to sleep shortly after they left the grounds, lulled by the gently sway of their parents' movements as they walked, and when Lina would check every so often Aurelia's skin was always warm and soft to the touch despite the cold. And for Lina it just felt great to be walking again! Sure, it wasn't as if Zefiel City was an exotic location, but it was a change of scenery! And it harkened back to a time when she was young and carefree. But what was even more wonderful was getting to share her love of traveling with her children. They'd never seen Zefiel City before, they'd never been outside of Maninstit! And already Lina was thinking of all of the places she wanted to show them.

The wagon had set off long before the rest of the group had managed to get it together and leave, and the kids had also gone on ahead, leaving Amelia and Lina to head the group with the adults with several of the other women while the men gathered in the middle and the wet nurses with their small children made up the rear of the group. For whatever reason, Luna stayed towards the back with the wet nurses, but that suited Lina fine.

"Yeah, it feels like I'm discovering muscles I never knew I had." Amelia agreed. "It's good though. I need to shed the baby weight. I'm tired of looking four months in! It's amazing how quickly you've shed it."

"She's nursing twins!" Leia interjected as she joined them. "Of course she's shedding them!"

Lina exhaled and shook her head as she thought about how soft and flabby she felt, "I'm still not feeling like my old self."

"Well, yeah." Leia said, "You spent the last nine months growing and birthing new life and pushing yourself to new limits. What did you expect?"

"When you put it like that." Lina said.

"Just focus on enjoying this time with your babies as much as possible. Everything else can wait." Leia said as Sylphiel walked up.

"Yeah," Amelia said, "That's good advice really. Especially in the bedroom."

Lina blushed, "Could we not have this conversation with my mom?"

"Don't tell me you've already…" Sylphiel said.

"We got a bit carried away after the attack, celebrating being alive and all." Amelia said as she shook her head, "It ended in tears."

"I don't want to know!" Lina yelled.

"Anyway, Sylphiel, you're still not really showing. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling good, actually. I only had a mild case of morning sickness and it cleared up quickly enough. And I've regained a lot of my energy in the last few weeks."

"The joys of the honeymoon trimester!" Amelia said, and then everyone cringed as Naga and Moe started laughing together. They all turned and glanced at them, and Amelia smiled, "Looks like it's not just protecting the babies that's keeping her in the nursery."

"Huh?" Lina said, and then her jaw dropped. Both Naga and Moe were a bit flushed. True, it wasn't unusual for men to be a bit flushed around Naga. Or in a full-fledged blush even. But Naga being flushed around someone!? "When did that happen?"

Amelia, Sylphiel and Leia looked at Lina incredulously. "Wow…you really have been overwhelmed by motherhood." Amelia commented.

"But…I traveled with Naga for years! I've never seen her look at a man twice!" Lina said as she cradled Aurelia to her. It had always confused Lina how someone so beautiful who walked around wearing practically nothing and could have had any man she wanted never got around to doing so. "Though they certainly ogle her."

"Well, before she was the oldest daughter of the Crowned Prince who had no sons. She couldn't just settle for anyone." Amelia said. "But now that Little Eldoran is here she has a bit more freedom in these matters."

"Naga's never exactly been a responsible princess." Lina pointed out.

"Well, that may be true." Amelia said as she scratched the back of her head, "But she enjoys her royal stipend and was aware that she couldn't push too hard against the rules."

"Wow." Lina said. "You Saillune princesses sure seem to have more freedom than many others, but at the end of the day…"

"We all have lines we don't cross." Amelia said.

"Right." Lina mumbled.

"It's selfish, but I keep thinking that if they do elope then it would be bad because we would lose the best nanny we could ask for." Amelia commented wistfully as she stroked Justina's head.

"Are you crazy!?" Lina exclaimed, "If they elope he'll be you're brother-in-law and Justina's adoring uncle! You'd get to ask for free babysitting!"

"Huh?" Amelia said.

"And since we're practically sisters I'd get free babysitting too!"

"I don't think it works like that…" Amelia said, but her voice trailed off as they heard several students up the trail ahead of them calling out to them.

"Dame Lina!" Ace said as she came into view with Ripley, their cheeks flushed from running, and Gourry came up from behind to stand beside her, followed by Zelgadis and Rick. "The wagon…it was attacked!"

"What?" Lina said as she and the others started picking up the pace.

Soon Lina could smell the nauseating scent of burned flesh and charred wood as they followed Ace and Ripley, and then the scene came into view. Several of the kids had formed a defensive perimeter around a burnt wagon. While the fire was gone, black smoke still rose from the rubble and red embers burned bright in warning. Kara knelt by the driver and shook her head as she said, "It's too late even for a Resurrection spell."

Lina's stomach sank as she looked behind her and saw the wet nurses talking quietly amongst themselves as they kept their arms tightly around their children, and she started to fear that once they reached Zefiel City she would receive three resignations and go back to spending her days nursing the twins around the clock.

"Whoever did it is gone." Indiana said, "At least, we can't find any trace of their presence."

"Do you think it was bandits?" Dave asked.

Lina decided it was a good thing that Maeve, Adora and Adam were already at the palace as Betty said, "Dummy! The Eternal Queen does not permit bandits to operate here! Everyone knows that!"

"But what if some managed to sneak through? We have to consider every possibility."

Han came up and exclaimed, "Bandits!? Bah! Use your brains, boy! Look at that wreckage! Does this look like something bandits would do?"

Lina saw what he was talking about immediately, but she watched quietly as the kids surveyed the scene. And then Indiana said, "There are jewels in the wreckage. Bandits would have looted what was inside first before torching it."

"Finally, someone who knows how to use his brain!" Han said as he patted Indiana on the back.

"But if the motive wasn't robbery then why would someone attack a wagon?" Dave asked.

"Look at the wreckage. What clues do you see?" Han asked.

"Trudy?" Gourry said quietly to Lina as the kids started pointing things out to Han.

"It could be a demon attack." Lina said, but it didn't feel right as she did. Her gut was telling her Gourry was right. And if he was right, then Trudy had likely lost control and, for all they knew, was roaming the woods attacking innocent people. Or worse, she'd made it to the bounds of Zefiel City. "We have to get to the palace."

A child cried out, and Lina turned and saw Marlena take the scarf off a young boy who was likely her son, and then Lina's stomach dropped as she realized that he looked just like a younger version of Adam! And suddenly Lina realized why Marlena looked so familiar. She resembled Adora. This can't be good either…

"Oh my…" Amelia gasped as she put her hand to her mouth.

"You see it too?" Lina asked.

"I wish I could unsee it." Amelia said, "I never got a good look at him during the interview. He kept his face buried in her arm and I thought he was so shy."

"What?" Gourry asked, and Lina reflected that he was as confused as always.

"I think we just uncovered a royal scandal." Lina said.

"Huh?"

"Look at Marlena. Look at her son. Do they look familiar? Occasionally you hear stories about royals who can't have children stealing them from peasants. But you just sort of assume that they're stories." Lina said as Marlena hastily redid her son's scarf and then glanced over her shoulder anxiously. She must have seen them watching because she stared at the ground and went to the back of the group.

"You mean Adam and Adora!?" Gourry said.

"It could be a coincidence." Leia said.

"She's been way too skittish for it to be a coincidence." Lina said.

"What are we going to do?" Amelia said. "I mean, Adam and Adora would lose all of their privileges if they're exposed! But then, poor Marlena. I'd be devastated if someone took Justina."

"What if she doesn't want to expose them? What if she just wants to see that they're okay and to have a relationship with them?" Sylphiel asked. "But is willing to keep quiet?"

"Should we confront her?" Amelia asked.

"Well, we don't have much of a choice but to take her to the palace with us." Lina said, "If there's something this dangerous on the loose we can't let her walk back to Maninstit with an infant and a young child."

"What's going on?" Han asked as he came up.

"Lots. Any more clues on who attacked?" Lina asked.

"I hate to say it, but I think it was Trudy. It could have been a demon or other low ranking Mazoku, but Mara Jade found some hairs that had miasma clinging to them."

"Damn," Lina said, "This keeps getting worse and more complicated."

Lina then walked up to take a more central position as she raised her voice, "Alright, our goal now is to get to Zefiel City quickly and safely! For all we know they may be under attack and need our help. Let's move!"

"But what about our stuff?" Betty asked.

"Rule number one. Stuff can be replaced. People can't." Lina said. "Get going. We'll send some people back to go through everything and retrieve the driver's body once the situation is secure. Now get going! Move!"

The group started moving again, and Lina locked eyes with Amelia. Together they walked over to Marlena, whose eyes widened. "Princess Amelia. Dame Lina."

Lina and Amelia exchanged a look, and then Lina said, "We know who you are."

Marlena went white as Lina continued, "And we need to know that you won't cause a scene. We have enough problems right now."

"I just want to see them!" Marlena said. "I've spent years not knowing. I just need to see them."

What other choice did they really have? "Stay back then, don't draw attention to yourself. And don't make me regret this."

"Right, milady." Marlena said, "Thank you."

Lina exhaled, and then started walking and tried to form a plan for what to do when they got to the palace. She quickly found Zelgadis and fell into place beside him and said, "So, about using what you did to cure yourself to cure Trudy. Have you thought it through?"

"It's possible, I think. But first we'd have to render her unconscious."

Lina nodded, "And therein lies the problem. Because I don't think a swift uppercut or a sleep spell will work. Now then…"

AN: Some amazing fans are translating novel 17. Norst ya'll. Such a whiny man baby ala Kylo Ren. I'm going to have to write him in some how.

And watching She-Ra gives me ideas. Anyone else ready for season 4!? Anyone else feeling Entrapdak!? That was the surprise ship I did not see coming that bowled me over! And, um, yeah, damn you Catra! And don't worry, L/G is first in my heart forever!