The Secret Magic: 1: Complications

By Karigan Marie

Chapter 3: If at first you don't succeed…

A few weeks later:

Daine had stayed in the infirmary for a week. Although Numair had stayed by her side each night, giving her comfort, it was much more comfortable in her own room and in her own bed.

Daine lay in her bed, curled up on her side. She had been thinking about her unborn child and all the things that they had planned. She had had everything worked out; she had been so excited. Numair had been even more so. Now, everything was gone. She felt her throat catch and the tears try and break free again; she felt like crying. But, with an enormous amount of effort, she managed to force back the tears. She felt the bed shift as Numair crawled into bed. He put his arms around her, pulling her back up against his chest. With a soft kiss, he whispered, "I love you, Magelet."

"I know," was all she whispered back. She hadn't considered being a mother before she became pregnant. Her life was, for the most part, always so full and hurried, the thought had constantly been pushed back. Now however, she wanted a child with a ferocity that surprised even her. She wanted a child so much, it hurt. "Numair?"

"Hmm?" He questioned, half asleep.

"Do you think we could try to have another child? I mean," she explained softly, "…the first one was a surprise; we never planned it. Would you want to try again, if we could?" She had rolled over and was looking at him earnestly.

Numair lips tugged into a smile. "It certainly would be fun to try." She shoved his shoulder and shifted to roll back over, but he caught her and turned her back. "Yes, Daine, I want to try again."

Daine's eyes lit up. "Really?" He nodded. She looked down and said softly, "I didn't know how much I wanted a baby until I got pregnant. I still want one. I want one so much, it hurts."

Numair gathered her up in his arms and kissed her tenderly. "Then we shall try again, sweet."

Trying was quite easy, as trying tends to be. Numair and Daine made love so often that they were getting little to no sleep. Which, to be honest, was not all that different from the first few months of their marriage. And so, when Daine got her moon cycle the first few times, she wasn't upset. They had been married for over a year before she had gotten pregnant the first time. And they hadn't been restrained in their activities at that point either.

On a bright sunny day in the middle of September, Daine was in the stables grooming spots when Onua walked in. "Well, well. If it isn't the mysterious Daine Salmalin." At Daine's blush, Onua continued with her teasing. "I hardly see you anymore. What on earth have you been up to?"

Feeling her blush spread down her neck, Daine cleared her throat before answering. "Numair and I have been busy lately."

Onua raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "I see." She laughed when Daine flushed furiously.

After a few moments of silence, Daine's embarrassment faded into indecision. She built up her courage finally and decided to confide in Onua, who was looking blankly at spots' coat. "Onua...?"

"Hmm?"

Daine swallowed. "I'm late."

Onua furrowed her brow in confusion. "Late for what?"

Daine sighed in exasperation. "Late...late, as in my monthly cycle, late."

Onua stopped scraping Clouds horseshoe and looked at Daine with wide eyes.

"Late? How late?"

Daine swallowed with some difficulty. "Two weeks."

Onua, suddenly dropping Cloud's leg, starred at Daine. "Two weeks! Have you gone to a healer yet?"

"No…"

"Well, why not?"

Daine sighed. "What if I'm not pregnant?"

"What if you are?"

"I guess I'm just a little scared."

Onua rolled her eyes as she grabbed Daine's arm, dragging her to the nearest healer.

Daine couldn't believe her ears when the healer, Milan, told her she was pregnant. Daine closed her eyes and started to cry with joy. She jumped up, hugged the laughing woman, and ran to her and Numair's suite. She pushed open the door with impatience, quickly making her way into Numair's study. She was instantly sorry for bursting in.

Numair looked up and the intruder and soon found it to be Daine. He threw up his arms and yelled, "Daine! Wait!" The delicate project Numair had been working on exploded with the gush of air that came into the room and threw Daine back through the door, to the floor in the middle of the living area. Black dust covered her face, chest and legs. She struggled for a few seconds to breathe in the air that was knocked out of her. She gave two small weak coughs that she would later swear produced two small clouds of smoke; she blinked in confusion. Numair ran into the main room and quickly knelt by her side. He cupped her face in his hands, with a frantic look on his face. "Oh, Gods! Are you all right, Magelet?"

Daine, still dazed nodded and gave a little smile. "Just surprised, is all."

She saw his frown give way to a small smile that then proceeded to turn into a chuckle. She began to laugh with him. He looked as bad as she did, with black dust all over him. Although, not as much of his face was coated in black like hers. She knew she looked ridiculous. Soon enough, they were both laughing hysterically. After a few minutes of intense laughing, they calmed down enough for Numair to produce his handkerchief, which he then preceded to use to wipe Daine's face reasonably clean.

He looked deep into her eyes, love pouring out of them. "I'm glad you're laughing, Daine. I haven't seen enough of your gorgeous smile lately." He kissed her then, softly at first, but when she responded with a lust, she felt him deepen the kiss passionately. Within seconds, she found her body responding to his, her hips rocking up against his, her breath turning into pants.

She pulled away with a small blush. Sighing, he stiffly got to his feet. Reaching down he helped her up as well. "Why did you come bursting in here like that? You know that my experiments are delicate. You could have been hurt."

Daine had almost forgotten her initial reason for coming in so quickly. She jumped up with a small yelp. "Oh, I almost forgot."

"What?" He asked curiously.

Daine smiled and turned to pace a little before letting herself say it.

"Daine? What?"

Finally, she turned to him with a huge smile on her face and proudly said, "I'm pregnant."

Numair's eyes widened, a smile spread across his face. "You are?"

She nodded vigorously. "Mmhmm."

Numair closed the gap between them in one large step, sweeping Daine off her feet into a tight embrace. He kissed her again. He kissed her with such passion; it made her body feel like jelly. He finally let her slide to the floor; but only for a second, he immediately became excited again and swept her up into his arms, twirling her around and around. She laughed at his antics and told him she was making her dizzy. He laid her on their bed and placed himself of top of her. Propped up on his elbows, he looked into her eyes. "I'm so happy Daine; you can never know how good you make me feel inside." She laughed slightly. He raised his eyebrows in mock annoyance and said, "You dare laugh at me lady?"

"And what, pray tell, are you, Master Salmalin going to do about it?" She giggled softly.

"This." He bent down and kissed the corner of her mouth, then her nose, her eyelids. He nibbled on her neck, sending deep tingling shivers down her body. He breathed warm breath against her ears and playfully suckled on them. Within moments, Daine was completely swamped with the heat of desire, and Numair was well aware of it. "How's that?" He asked with a deep heat in his voice.

"Eeee..." She said with nonchalance.

He opened his eyes wide in shock at her and then proceeded to attack her neck and shoulders. Daine erupted into fits of laughter.