Chapter 3

~.~

The night I come onto Drago's ship is one of the hardest of my life. Five unending hours of me trying and failing to not climax, with Drago releasing himself inside of me more than once every hour.

When he eventually falls asleep, I shakily go out on the deck of the ship, wondering what would have occurred had I not been rescued by Eret.

Two times I've been rescued by guys, and I almost drowned both times.

I really hope it doesn't become a habit of mine.

~.~

A few weeks later, I am hurling my breakfast, lunch and dinner over the side of Drago's ship late one night.

I collapse down on the inside of the ship, wondering what's going on with me.

I have never been that sick before. I think back over the last month.

I had flowered in the beginning of last month.

Maybe it was stress; being away from Eret could be taking its toll on me and my menstrual cycle.

I'd thrown up before my flowering only once since it started when I was 12 and it hasn't occurred since then.

Until now. My flowering has to be on its way soon.

~.~

Five months later from the day I was taken by Drago, in early September, my flowering hadn't come even once in any of those months and my stomach had extended in the past couple of months and I thought I had felt some movement of something...but like an idiot, I didn't think anything of it.

That's when it hits me.

I'm pregnant with Drago's baby. I don't know if that had been his goal, but it might have been. Drago was the one to take my virginity, and I haven't had sex with anyone besides him, although I didn't have a choice.

Drago is busy directing others but I feel like he needs to know. I don't know why; I have no feelings but hatred towards this man. Why would I care if he knew about the baby? I mean, I couldn't leave and go back to Eret, so what choice do I have?

That's just it. I don't.

I approach Drago cautiously.

"If you're here to tell me about the baby, I already know. I knew from the moment you started showing." Drago says.

I, for the first time, sigh in relief.

"You will not be returned next month to Eret. I don't want him knowing. After the baby is born, you will have one month after the birth to lose the weight. I will not hesitate to starve you if I need to."

I stare at Drago, but I don't say anything.

The next four months go on without conflict, and without Eret.

~.~

One day in early January, I wake up early, just before sunrise, feeling a twinge of pain. I'm in my ninth month, so this could be it.

I was born three months early, so I'm glad that this baby will be full term – no matter who the father is.

I walk around the ship, trying to keep myself occupied, but the contractions are 15 to 20 minutes apart, and they aren't too intense yet.

As the day goes on, contractions come and go.

Around midday, Drago announces that Eret's boat will be delivering dragons in about a day or so. All of a sudden, my water breaks and I grip the side of the ship. Drago walks over to me as I try to stand my ground.

"Go to my chambers. Stay hidden until Eret leaves." I nod as I slowly make my way to Drago's chambers.

"Drago, with all due respect, she shouldn't have to go through this alone." A man named Anthony says, suddenly at my side.

"Very well. Anthony, take her to my chambers. Make sure you both stay hidden until Eret leaves." He nods and he slowly helps me to Drago's chambers.

"Anthony, you didn't have to do that."

"Nonsense, m'lady. I may not be a woman, but I will try my best to help you in any way I can."

"Thank you, Anthony."

"You're welcome."

~.~

That night, Drago is too busy to sleep, so Anthony stays with me in Drago's chambers, getting/giving me anything I need.

"Keep your breathing nice and deep, m'lady", Anthony keeps telling me through each and every contraction, as if he's helped women through labor a hundred times.

The night is long, each contraction seeming longer, one after the other, although Anthony has assured me time and time again that the length of the contractions have stayed the same, increasing in length and strength every few hours.

I barely sleep, Anthony holding me in the bed, and all the while I'm wishing that it was Eret there with me instead, and that I was in the comforts of his own tiny ship instead of this monster of a vessel, knowing that outside the door of Eret's tiny room, friends waited for news, possibly pacing, instead of the threat to mankind's and dragonkind's existences being outside this room's door.

~.~

The next day, Eret arrives.

"Drago! I've got about twenty dragons underneath our small fleet, and I hope they're to your liking." I hear Eret say.

I try not to cry out as the next contraction seizes me. Anthony shushes me as I lean against him, quietly reminding me to breathe.

"I've given you as many dragons as I could find. Where's Becky?"

"She's occupied at the moment. She will be returned to you in a month."

"What have you done to her? She was supposed to be returned to me three months ago."

"That is not your concern. Go."

"May I get you anything, m'lady? Water? Perhaps something to eat?" Anthony asks me as the contraction finally ends.

"No, thank you." Drago suddenly comes into the room.

"How is she doing?"

"Contractions are about two minutes apart. It'll be soon."

"I'll have someone stand outside the door, so let them know when the child is about to be born. I'd prefer to be present when my child is born."

"Of course, Drago." Drago gives me an evil smirk and leaves.

"Anthony, I can't do this...I can't bring Drago's baby into the world. I know nothing about raising a child."

"M'lady, I know you can do this. You've survived Drago's wrath so far, and I will be right here beside you. I know I'm not Eret, but I will do everything I possibly can to help you."

"Thank you. If I don't make it..."

"You will make it, m'lady. I'll make sure of that."

"Anthony, if I don't make it, please tell Eret that I love him. Please, Anthony, promise me that."

Anthony sighs.

"I'll tell Eret, m'lady. You have my word."

"Thank you."

A man named Gustavo – also told by Drago to help me – comes in to check my progress.

The two words I thought I'd never hear – one, because I didn't think I'd ever have kids, and two, because labor was taking forever – grace my ears:

"It's time."

Gustavo goes to tell the guard outside, and Drago soon arrives. His evil smirk never stops looking at me, like he's enjoying my suffering. Can't say I'm surprised at that.

Gustavo is in charge of delivery, while Anthony is still by my side.

As I push, in the back of my mind, I am filled with regret – I'll never see Ruffnut and Tuffnut again. I mean, they already think I'm dead, but I'm sure those two have a sliver of hope that I'm still alive.

An hour passes before the head emerges without slipping back in.

"All right, m'lady. I'm going to need you to stop pushing and just breathe. Let the contractions push for you." Gustavo tells me. Anthony grips my shoulder to give me the strength to not push.

"Try to relax, m'lady. Focus on your breathing and try not to focus on the pain." Anthony whispers to me.

Soon, I can push again, but I feel too tired, too weak, to keep going.

"Keep going, m'lady. You're doing so well." Anthony tells me. I shake my head, feeling that I can't go on.

"M'lady, you have to push. You can go on. You can do this." I'm about to refuse again when I see it in my mind's eye: Eret's face.

I feel like he's motivating me to keep going. That he's waiting for me on his ship.

The way Eret cares for me motivates me to keep going. With Anthony – and Eret in my mind – supporting me, I push harder than I ever have in the last hour.

"Good. Good. Keep going, m'lady. Just like that."

I push again, and I don't stop, imagining Eret is there with me.

"One more big push, m'lady!"

I keep going until I hear the angelic wails of my new baby.

"You've done it, Becky! He's so beautiful, m'lady! It's a healthy baby –" Before Anthony can finish his sentence, and, before I can even steal a close glance at my son, I see Drago's infamous bull hook metal piercing through my baby's skin repeatedly, and all becomes quiet.

I shake against Anthony, in complete shock.

The afterbirth is soon delivered and Drago leaves, a bag in hand, probably carrying my son's remains. The state of shock I am in leaves me speechless and helpless, too weak to do anything to help my son. If there was ever a chance, anyway.

"Oh, m'lady. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry." Anthony says.

Suddenly, Drago comes back in, a sword piercing through Anthony's skin, leaving him dying from his wounds on the floor. I cry out in protest, but Drago just leaves again, with no sign of coming back anytime soon.

Helpless and still too weak for me to even move from the bed, he grasps my hand.

"M'lady, now's the time I make you promise me something. Promise me you'll keep on fighting."

I shakily nod, acknowledging that I'll keep the promise.

Anthony's grip loosens on my hand, and I break down, not caring about the consequences from Drago. Anthony was my only friend on Drago's ship, the only one to help me through labor, and he was taken from me.

A couple of Drago's guards soon dispose of the body, leaving me alone in Drago's chambers.

Drago soon comes in, and I fear the worst, but all he does is remind me that I will have one month subsequent to the birth to lose the baby weight so Eret would not suspect anything when I am returned to him after that month is up. Drago would starve me if he has to. He leaves, but I was determined to start to lose the baby weight as soon as I was strong enough to get up and do so.

Over the next few days, the shock of losing my son and my only companion on this godsforsaken ship hits me, and I refuse to eat.

I don't know whether it's the grief making me not eat, or the fact that maybe – just maybe – if I lose the baby weight quick enough, Drago would let me go and I could go back to Eret earlier than planned. Or maybe it's both.

~.~

February – the month after the birth – passes quicker than I thought it would, and my weight is back to being the way it was when I left Eret. And Drago noticed that I was thinner than I was before I left Eret.

A few hours pass before Eret comes to collect me one day in early March. Before I leave, however, Drago turns to me.

"If you tell anyone about what happened, it will be the last thing you say."

"Of course, Drago."

"Tell him you lost the weight to impress him." Drago says, referring to Eret.

"Yes, Drago."

When Eret comes onto the ship to get me, my heart melts when I see him. I don't move, however, as is the policy when I am being returned to Eret after spending "quality time" with Drago, as Drago puts it.

"You may go."

I leave, not stealing a glance back at Drago as I usually do, hoping this will be the last time for a while I don't have to spend "quality time" with Drago. I keep a straight face and keep quiet as Eret leads me back onto his ship, hoping to get as far away from Drago as possible. We soon set sail.

"You're probably tired. Go get some sleep. If you need anything, let me know." Eret says, rubbing my shoulder, noticing something is off about me, but not knowing what it is.

(Eret's POV)

There's something going on with Becky, but I don't know what it is. She looks thinner than she did when she was taken by Drago, but, of course, I don't say anything, as I don't want to upset her; I really hope he didn't starve her.

Being away from Becky for almost a year took its toll on the both of us, me barely sleeping because I was so worried about her, her...I don't know.

Gods, I missed Becky. But my poor angel should sleep; there'll be plenty of time to talk later.

(Becky's POV)

I nod at Eret's statement, staying silent. Being alone means I can cry my heart out as much as I feel the need to, and I don't have to fear Drago accusing me of being "over-emotional".

"Welcome back, m'lady." I flinch at Teeny's words. I'm grateful for the greeting, but did he have to call me "m'lady"? It just reminds me of a painful time when my only companion on Drago's ship, who had helped me through one of the most difficult times in my life, not even an hour after my baby was born, was murdered right in front of me.

I nod at him and then go alone to my room onboard and I sit against the wall on the far side, where no one can see me, and I break down, overwhelmed with everything that had occurred within the past ten months.

I soon hear voices outside the door and scramble into the bed, facing the wall.

"I'm going to see if she wants to eat something." I hear Eret say. He knocks on the door, but, despite not hearing an answer, comes in, thinking I'm asleep.

"Hey, Becky. Are you awake?" I don't reply, keeping my eyes closed.

"Well, if you can hear me, I just wanted to let you know if you want to eat something, we've got beef stew tonight as a celebration of your return. We'll keep it warm for you, darling." Eret brings the blanket up to my shoulder then starts to rub my shoulder lovingly. I grip the pillow to keep from breaking down.

"Welcome home, my love." Eret kisses my head then leaves.

I want to turn around and have Eret hold me while I recall what I went through to him, but I know I can't.

My life depends on it.

I cry myself to sleep.

(Eret's POV)

I close the door to the captain's quarters of our small ship, letting my Becky sleep.

I turn to my crew and we eat dinner, but I'm occasionally glancing back at the door.

Later that night, we set sail, seeing if there are any dragons roaming around for the taking. We had just captured and secured a few dragons when we hear a scream coming from the captain's quarters. I draw my sword, charging into the room, fearing the worst, only to find Becky screaming in her sleep, which quiet down to whimpers and I can just make out what she's saying as I cautiously go to her.

"Drago...please...don't...please...kill me instead...KILL ME INSTEAD."

I immediately throw down my sword and start shaking her so she'll wake up.

"Becky? Darling, it's me. Wake up. Darling, wake up!"

She shoots up in bed, wide-eyed and terrified.

Becky looks at me, her lip quivering, and she bursts into tears. I don't hesitate to hold her close.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay. I'm here, my love. I'm right here. I'm here. Shhhh. Shhhh. It's alright, baby. You're safe, honey. You're safe. I've got you. I've got you."

I don't say anything else as I hold her, gently rocking her, trying to get her to go back to sleep.

I nod at Teeny who nods back at me, closing the door.

I slowly lay back, my Becky in my arms, not knowing what she went through with Drago, but knowing that she needs me to be there for her, to comfort her and to support her.

I barely sleep the rest of the night, not wanting to be asleep, should Becky have another night terror. If she gives even the smallest whimper, I comfort her the best I can.

Becky needs me, and I need her. We complete each other, and I'm determined to show her how much I care for her.