Taryn was planning on giving birth in Faerie, in one of the huge bathing rooms of her manor. She had imported a birth bathtub twice my size from the human world, and made very specific requests : only me, Sarah her human doula and Vivi were to be there during labor. The Ghost was only allowed to enter the room after the baby was born, and so was Cardan.

She had so many instructions it made my head spin just by thinking about it. Vivi and I were supposed to be wearing clean clothes that we didn't mind being stained, be there for her in a happy but not too emotional way, only interfere if need be, and the list could go on for hours. I insisted that she should give birth in a hospital in the human world, with an epidural and strong medical help if required, but she decided to go more new age and to follow faeries' tradition.

Taryn planned out every single detail, but even so, when I got a message from her in the middle of the day around the end of her last month, I could not have been more panicked. My twin sister was giving birth at nineteen years old, in a land where the strongest anesthetic was supposed to be foraged. Even though Taryn was firm and gave the process a lot of thoughts, I am still worried beyond imagination.

Still groggy, I send the messenger away while I get up and get dressed as quickly as I can. I feel a tail wrapping around my leg before I can see Cardan helping me to button my shirt. His hands are calm, and that's when I notice mine are shaking. He kisses me while I put on pants, and he helps me close my bag of clean clothes and whatever else Taryn asked me to bring.

My High King is weirdly quiet, but by one look at him, I can tell he is actually as stressed as me. He snaps his finger and is instantly glamoured fully dressed. We kiss softly before going to the stables, where I mount Plum, the beautiful purple stallion Cardan gifted me for my nineteen birthday. He mounts my old white mare, and then we ride at full speed to Taryn's estate. Vivi is already here when we arrive, and Heather came with her. They are waiting for us in the living room.

Heather is distracting the Ghost by explaining him in details how she gets her hair to this particular shade of blue. Vivi looks at her with tenderness, nervously twisting the small blue lock her girlfriend dyed for her, "so we're matching".

I stride towards my sister who whispers, relieved, "Thank god you're here. I did not dare to go in alone. Did you bring the bag ? Tell me you did bring the bag, please, or she'll kill both of us." Cardan squeezes my hand and kisses my head before leaving my side. Vivi laughs and makes a vomit sound, and Cardan flips her off in a jesting way. My sister and I start going up the stairs, and I can see him making jokes to the Ghost.

Vivi does not stop talking until we are in front of Taryn's bathroom doors. "Jude, please don't get knocked up before you're minimum twenty-five. I cannot handle another teen pregnancy." I don't even know what to answer that. I definitely do not plan to get pregnant, for this decade at least. I wonder what Cardan thinks about it.

But there is no time to wonder, so I push the door, and I'm greeted by Taryn's moaning. She sounds in a lot of pain. "Finally. I was starting you two wouldn't show u… uuuup !" Her voice is scarce.

She is laying down in the bathtub in her white large robes, her face sweaty. I try not to think too much about the troubled water and about what body fluids are currently mixing in there. I get closer and take her hand, while Vivi take the other. Doula Sarah is telling her to breathe calmly, and the four of us are silent for a while. Taryn continues to make weird loud pain noises from time to time.

Suddenly, she snaps. "Can someone please take my fucking hair out of my fucking face ?" I flinch at the language, I've never heard Taryn swear so much in such a small amount of time. Vivi looks at me with a pointed stare, and starts trying to put her hair up in a loose ponytail. Taryn's hair is wet from sweat and the water from the bath, and the length of her new haircut is not ideal, so she struggles.

Taryn screeches in frustration and takes her hand off mine. "That's it. Stop, I'll do it." She tries, but fails as miserably as Vivi. Her anger intensify and she loses patience. "Did anyone bring fucking hairpins ?"

I know I didn't. I look at Vivi, who seems ready to bite Taryn's head off, and deducts she didn't either. I get up as fast as I can, get out and run down the staircase. "Does anyone have hairpins ?" The Ghost, paler than usual, is sitting on the couch. Heather is helping Cardan to make what seems to be cosmopolitans.

Garrett gets up as soon as he sees me, and Cardan's head turns so fast I understand his whole act of being chill is just pretend. Heather scoffs at my question. "Of course !" And she takes off tree pink butterfly hairpins of her own hair. I've never loved her more.

"Thank you so much !"

I fly more than I run upstairs. When I get there, the doula looks worried. I throw the hairpins at Vivi, who is now hugging Taryn's shoulders from behind her. I know the scene will one day be comic, the way Vivi tries to support Taryn without touching the opaque water at all cost.

When after another exam, Doula Sarah declares to Taryn that her baby will probably take at least six hours to get out, I fear for my life. Taryn grabs my wrist so hard, I can't help to yelp. It's been months since I've felt this kind of pain. She screams with me, in pure frustration and pain. "I can't do it. I won't do it. Not like this. I need fucking pain medication RIGHT NOW."

And of course, the noise attract Garrett, Cardan and Heather. Cardan is the only one who dares pop his head by the door. "Sweet sisters, is everything okay ?"

Taryn loses it. "No, it's fucking NOT OKAY." She then bites her lip in pain and mumbles a follow-up of mortifying insults.

I step in. "Taryn, we should go to a human hospital." Vivi interferes. "Can she even travel like this ?"

A cry escape my twin sister, and she looks at Vivi like she'll kill her. "Viv, if you don't get me human pain medication NOW, I will rip off your cat eyes and feed them to my baby."

I can hear the Ghost hyperventilating on the other side of the door. Heather yells "Taryn you know I love you, but I won't let you do that to Vivi. Cardan, you better take them to the hospital."

Cardan's face is paler as he takes in the scene, carefully avoiding to look at the troubled pool, watching my sister's face distorted by pain and the stress in Vivi and I's eyes. I know he's panicking about seeing a face that looks so much like mine in such pain. I blink to him, and that gives him enough courage to arrange a plan.

"We should go using a carriage of flying horses, to avoid any difficulties for my dear sister-in-law". He snaps his finger and by the window I notice a carriage waiting for us in the courtyard. It is huge. Taryn seems okay with the plan, and she is more appeased now. The Ghost silently enters the room to help the doula and Vivi carry Taryn downstairs. I fear he may faint, but when he sees my twin, his face takes a strange look of resolution.

Cardan takes my hand and we lead the way with Heather, followed by the others carrying my crying sister. I hate to see her like this.

When we are all arranged in the carriage, Taryn laid out on a comfortable position, the horses start moving and before we know it, we're flying.

Taryn seems exhausted, but she still finds the energy to look at me. "Please, do not tell me 'I told you so.'"

Cardan steps in. "Don't be so vindictive with Jude. You know she would never say such a thing." Taryn's face soften. "You're right. Sorry." I smile tentatively and she returns it.

Vivi cannot stop herself to add, "But I would. We told you so." I raise an eyebrow. "I mean, she told you so. But I agreed with her." Heather kicks her with her elbow.

Another contraction sweeps in and the argument seems futile now, so we ride in silence until the carriage lands on the highway. Cars suddenly get out of our way. At my inquisitive stare, my boyfriend answers : "They think we're an amlubance."

Heather corrects "An ambulance" and the Ghost, who's holding Taryn protectively as she twists in pain, looks at her like he could not care less.

When we arrive at the hospital, Cardan and Vivi spins so many glamours I feel drunk on the magic that's surrounding us. We go through the ER without stopping, a nurse pushing Taryn on a stretcher. We take an elevator, in which all the faeries seem ready to faint. When it opens, we enter a luminous corridor that leads us to a beautiful white bedroom. Taryn doesn't even seem to notice the luxury of the place, as she throws herself at the catheter another nurse is filling up with epidural product.

Cardan, the Ghost and Heather leave the room silently, and I hear Cardan declaring "Well that went well. Where can I get a Kinder Bueno ?" through the door. Vivi laughs as she caresses Taryn's head, who is tapping on a button uncontrollably. Doula Sarah, who came with us, explains to me that it increases her anesthetic dose.

Half an hour later, the situation seems way more safe. Vivi and I take turns on a comfortable chair. Taryn is pushing semi regularly, and she doesn't seem in so much pain anymore. Her heart and the baby's are monitored and the repetitive beeps keep my anxiety under control. Beep, your sister is alive. Beep, her child is fine. Beep, everything is going to be okay… Beep…

I'm awoken by Vivi. She's shaking me so hard I bit my tongue. "Jude ! Jude, wake up, the baby's coming !" I go from sleepy to perfectly awake in a matter of seconds. I'm about to become an aunt.

I walk closer to the bed and sit next to my twin. Taryn takes my hand and with a silent sigh, she pushes a few last times. A butterfly hairpin is falling from her head when Doula Sarah exclaims "It's a girl !" as she pulls out a crying little demon covered in blood from behind my sister's legs.

All I hear is Vivi calling my name before everything goes black.

I wake up in the corridor, on a comfy bench, my head on Cardan's knees, a concerned nurse watching over me carefully. "Jude. Are you okay ?" he asks, immediately aware that I'm awake.

"I guess. What happened ? Did I faint ?" He smiles. "Yes honey Jude, you fainted like the damsel in distress I always knew you were." The nurse offers me an empathetic laugh.

"It's okay. Births can be really impressive, you know ? Please lay down for a few more minutes before trying to sit up, and call me if you need anything" she says nicely, before her steps resonate in the corridor.

Cardan's hand is stroking my hair softly. "Who could have known ? My High Queen can kill a giant serpent, but not handle the sight of a newborn baby ?" I frown. "It was a very bloody baby." He laughs against my mouth as he kisses me.

After Cardan made sure my blood sugar levels are restored with a few Kinder Buenos, I feel ready to go in the room.

When I step in, I notice how Garrett is holding Taryn's shoulders, with pride and love, as she looks at her baby in awe. A few tears are going down Vivi's cheeks, and Heather holds her tightly, sited on her knees in the chair. Everyone looks at me when they hear us. Taryn laughs warmly. "My sister can overthrow a whole regime, but not deal with a newborn ?"

I roll my eyes so hard I'm afraid they might fall out. "Enough already. How is my niece ?"

"Beautiful." the Ghost answers. "So cute." says Vivi. "Adorable" declares Cardan. I am incredulous. "Did you meet this baby before me ?" He pretends to look uncomfortable. "Well sweet Jude, you were unconscious for five whole minutes…"

I slowly walk towards the bed, with all my swiftness, as if to not awake a monster. But against Taryn's breast is the tiniest human I have ever seen. "Her hands are so tiny…" my voice gets rough as I hold in tears of emotions.

"Her name is Liriope Duarte."

I don't have enough time to question this name choice that baby Liriope starts crying. The Ghost looks at Taryn with intensity as she takes Liriope in her arms and lulls her. Cardan's hands around my waist sturdy me enough that when my twin ask me if I want to hold her, I don't fall head over heels.

Me, Jude, the spy, the killer, the queen, holding such a fragile being ? Cardan pushes me towards the bed. Like a robot, I hold out my arms and Taryn slowly puts her daughter between my hands. I did not even put her against my chest that the Ghost is already standing up beside me, giving me advice on how to hold her head to not hurt her. I can tell he's going to be a mother hen.

But then everyone and everything else fade, except for this tiny human between my arms. Liriope is half asleep, eyes fluttering, and through her eyelashes I can distinguish brown eyes, like pure melted chocolate. Taryn's eyes. My eyes. The tears I was holding back start rolling on my cheeks, and Cardan's fingers catch them before they fall on the baby.

"Hi, Liri baby." Cardan's arms hold me straight, and I'm sure if he didn't my wobbly legs would not allow me to stand.

Taryn is surveilling me with a new fierceness in her eyes. I slowly hand her daughter to Garrett, and all I manage to say is "She's perfect."

I don't have enough words to speak what I feel, as every betrayal is forgotten and I go sit on the bed. Vivi comes on the other side of the bed, and we do a sisters' hug so tight I'm afraid of hurting Taryn. She laughs it off. "I'm so high right now. Don't worry about me."

When we break the hug off, the Ghost is still holding Liriope. Cardan is looking at the baby like she's an alien, and Heather is slowly stroking her small hands with the tip of her fingers.

When we come back from the maternity around midnight, I'm exhausted, but I couldn't be happier. Baby Liri is the cutest thing I've ever seen. She has the Duarte's soft brown eyes, semi-pointed ears and a few auburn hairs. She's a beauty. I spent the evening playing with her little hands, while laughing with Vivi and Taryn about the few good stories of our childhood.

Heather was great, and she went to the mall with a bag full of glamoured leaves to get Taryn all the luxury items she could dream of : expensive face masks, a ticket for a California massage and some shades of high-end nail polish. The Ghost did not left Taryn or Liriope out of sight for one second, alert and ready to fight any enemy that would come out of the pile of gifts Cardan summoned. Cardan also conjured a berry crown to congratulate Taryn and a small one for her daughter. I guess even after all this time, faerie's priotities still seems out of place to me.

We stumble to our room, and we sprawl on the sofa. For once, my beautiful husband is not more graceful than me. All the adrenaline from the day is starting to fall down. I look at his pointed ears and his perfect lips and his black and gold eyes, and I wonder which features our children may inherit from him.

I wonder if mixing his perfect genes with mine might create a monster.

"Honey Jude, what on Faerie are you thinking about ?"

"I was thinking about babies." He looks like he's about to fall off the couch. And maybe so do I. Mortified by my bluntness, I try to disappear by hiding behind a pillow.

"Our babies ?" His voice is a murmur. "Maybe." I reply, even quieter.

"You would want children with me ?" His tone contains so much emotions I can't decipher them all at once. Sometimes I regret that time I was holding a knife to his throat. Everything was so simple to read on his face, back then.

I answer his question by another question. "You would want children with me ?" He kicks me in the leg, his tail twitching impatiently. "Don't joke around." My playful boyfriend, asking me to be serious ? What even has become of my life ?

"If you want some, I guess I wouldn't mind the idea…" Coward, coward, coward. Tell the truth. I cough a little to gather my courage, and continue.

"That was a lie. I'm pretty sure I want children with you. In the future, of course. When we're both… Better. I feel like we could be good parents ?"

He isn't breathing anymore. "Dear wife, I would love nothing more than to have children with you." He stops a minute, and pursues, "But you know you don't have to, right ? We already have Oak as an official heir and…"

He stops himself. "I'm going to stop talking now, before I actually discourage you. Forget I ever said anything. Let's enjoy this thought : clever, beautiful, strong Jude wants to bear my children."

I laugh. "I love you, Cardan." His breath catches again.

"I was just wondering if mixing our genes would be a good idea. Given that you look like a beautiful god, and I'm just kind of cute by human standards" His tail lays on my mouth to make me silent. "A beautiful sex god, right ?" I smile and nod. "Of course" I say with sarcasm.

"Well then honey Jude, your beautiful sex god of a husband definitely wants to mix his genes with yours. In fact, it's all he ever thinks about, every hour of every day and night. And you know what ? Don't you want to mix our genes right now ?" The hunger that lingered in his eyes all day is back.

"If your proposition involve sex, then yes, god sex husband, whatever was it again ?" I laugh. "But let's not actually mix our genes right now. At least not until I'm twenty-five. Vivi said she would kick my ass if I get pregnant now."

He lets his head down on my shoulder. "Whatever you want, Jude. You want children with me. I will give you children whenever you want - he bites my shoulder - wherever you want."

"Ew, don't say it like that." I can't stop laughing now.

He smirks. "Then never stop laughing like that."

I kiss his black curls as he falls asleep on me on the couch, and I start daydreaming about kids with brown hair and black-and-gold eyes.