The sun beat down on Aeris as the familiar weight of a training staff rested against her exposed shoulders.

"Get a move on, Ladies!," Her voice echoed across the already bustling training yard as she watched a group of young teens run laps along the otherwise empty archery range. "I could run faster than that, and I'm packing a whole other person!"

The girl's groaned and upped their pace. Gone was the glowing kind gentle Aeris, replaced by a visage that Kulori would be proud of. Across the yard, she caught a glimpse of Ganondorf, who was working with a group of older girls on their hand-to-hand skills while Link watched with a determined expression.

The boy hadn't quite plucked up the courage to jump into one of the training sessions, but the invitation remained open to him.

She offered the Hylian a small wave and a smile as the sheer fabric that was opened around her swollen abdomen fluttered in a gentle breeze. "Alright, that's enough," The girls she had been monitoring stumbled to a halt at her feet, exhausted. "Go get some water, and we'll pick up here tomorrow,"

A few of them let out relieved sighs as the others simply turned and trudged away on jellied legs. Aeris chuckled softly as she watched them leave and then made her way across the yard toward where Link was sitting, ignoring the fact that she was essentially waddling at this point.

She ran her fingers across Ganondorf's shoulders as she passed and placed a quick kiss to one. He caught her hand just as she did and placed his lips against the top of it. They said nothing as they parted, but the twin smiles spoke for them.

Aeris settled next to Link with some difficulty and resigned herself to the fact that she would need help up. "Learn anything yet?"

Link nodded enthusiastically and jumped to his feet, mimicking the stance Ganondorf had been teaching the girls. He made a motion with his hands, and Aeris smiled as he moved through every step that Ganondorf had taught while he watched. "Very good,"

Link beamed as he sat next to Aeris again, and she ruffled his hair. They sat in silence for the rest of Ganondorf's lesson, Aeris leaned heavily on her staff as Link mirrored the movements of the girls beside her.

"Very good!" Ganondorf's voice broke Aeris away from her thoughts. It seemed he had broken the girls into pairs to spar. "On that note, go and eat and be back here at first light tomorrow,"

Aeris smiled and began the tedious task of rising to her feet. It began as always with a gentle rocking motion, followed by the desperate hope that someone would notice her struggle and help her.

"Hmm," She chuckled softly as Link attempted to help push her to her feet from behind.

"Here," Aeris squeaked as she was suddenly lifted to her feet. "Let me help,"

"A little warning next time please," She wobbled on her feet as the blood rushed back to help and tried not to laugh as Link tumbled forward into the dirt.

"Sorry dear," She hummed happily as she leaned against Ganondorf's side, the events of the day catching up with her. He was softer than she remembered, a thin layer of padding laid between her and the usually hard lines of his side.

He had been putting on weight recently, sympathy weight, Amearu had called it. His body was unknowingly reacting to her own. When she looked at him, he no longer had the lean wiry frame he had boasted in his youth, the angle from his shoulders to his hips had diminished as his hips and chest broadened into thick ropes of dense muscle and fat.

Not that she was complaining.

She found the changes endearing, a sign that she wasn't the only one changing as of late.

Link bounced back to his feet, crimson staining the tips of his ears. "Why don't you run and see what Urora and Nabooru have whipped up for lunch, hm?"

He blinked up at her with wide blue eyes, before slowly reaching up and gently poking just below her belly button. A question with no words.

"Don't worry about me, run along while I go find a place to prop up my feet," She gave his shoulder a soft pat and pushed him in the direction of Urora's home.

Link smiled broadly before turning on his heel and bolting across the training yard toward the promise of food. "You're not hungry," Ganondorf's arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. "That's a new one,"

Aeris gasped and spun. "Ass!" She slapped his chest and pinched the flesh just above his hips. "Like you have any room to talk,"

He laughed, a full, deep belly laugh as he swept her up into his arms. "I thought we agreed not to talk about that?"

She brushed her nose against his as she carded her fingers through his beard. "And I thought you were the one that brought it up?"

He gave her an indignant look. "There was once a time that I would have thrown you over my shoulder for that,"

"Are you saying I'm too heavy for you now?" She challenged his glare with her own mocking one.

"Are you teasing me?"

"Maybe," She turned her nose up and crossed her arms, daring him.

"Big words for someone who can't run away," Her eyes widened as he surged forward and hoisted her up against his chest, cradled in his arms like a child.

"Ganon!" Her stomach rolled, as the baby let out a flurry of kicks, startled by the sudden movement.

"Yes, dear one?" His tone was mocking, but still full of love as he turned toward their home.

"I'll get you for that," She huffed. "Just as soon as I can see my toes again,"

He laughed again. This one echoed across the limestone walls as they moved through the corridors. "I'm sure you will, little Hylian,"

Crimson burst across her ears at the reappearance of his childhood nickname for her. "I thought we talked about that,"

"And I thought that we came to the conclusion that you are in fact small and a Hylian," She tried her best to hold in her own laughter. "Or has my bride been a large Goron this entire time, and I simply failed to notice?"

"I feel like a large Goron, or maybe a large cow would be more apt," She crossed her arms over her stomach and looked away from her swollen ankles.

"Hush," A soft kiss was placed against her forehead. "You're radiant,"

If her eyes had rolled any harder, she would have gone blind. "Whatever you say,"

"Hey," She turned her face toward him, and was struck by the pure admiration that met her. "You have always been gorgeous, ever since we were little," His features were soft as he lifted her higher to kiss her. "My radiant little fairy,"

Her fingers lingered in his beard as they parted. "If my King says, so it must be,"

He growled against her lips, and she smiled, knowing exactly what her words had done to him. "Tease,"

Her teeth grazed against the shell of his ear as she whispered, "Take me to bed, my love. Show me just how beautiful you think I am,"

"Gladly,"

- - ༒ - -

Aeris woke in the early hours of dawn with a pleasant warmth in her limbs. Idle fingers were tracing mindless designs on her stomach as Ganondorf murmured against her skin just low enough that she couldn't make out the words.

She smiled softly as she shifted to relieve some of the pressure from her hips and brought a hand up to rest against his hair. He turned and smiled at her, a lazy little grin that made her heart flutter.

"Good morning," He lifted himself to kiss her, his hand never leaving her belly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Amazingly," She sighed as they parted. "Did I interrupt you two?"

"No, I was just explaining to her that she needed to let her mother sleep,"

Aeris laughed. "And did she respond?"

"Obviously, you both settled down rather nicely as soon as I started speaking," The baby rolled happily inside of her as she always did when Ganondorf was near.

"We thank you for giving her a talking to on my behalf," She yawned as she rose to a sitting position. "I needed that nap more than I thought I did,"

"Is it still considered a nap if you slept all night?" Aeris snorted, but her reply morphed into a moan as he took one of her poor swollen feet into his hands and rolled his thumbs over the sole of her foot.

"Mmmhhhh," She fell back against the pillows and sighed. "I'll love you forever if you keep doing that,"

"I thought we had already agreed on that?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"We did, but still,"

He chuckled as her eyes drifted closed and moved his hands down to her toes, or what had once been her toes.

Now they rather resembled little sausages.

Not that he cared.

He switched feet and continued his task until the first cuckoo crowed. Their usual signal to rise for the day, but Aeris simply took a deep breath and mumbled in her sleep. He could have sworn she'd said something about dancing carrots, but he was content to let her dream.

The day could wait, for now he'd watch her breathe.