As the last trimester dragged on, the concerns the doctors had with Altezza's size and carrying twins became more apparent. Forget being great with child, Altezza was mountainous with them. While twins were often born early, these two little buttons were going to stay in there until they were done. If Altezza had to explode in the process, then so be it.

And about to explode was how Altezza felt. She was so heavy and her center of mass was so off that she needed to use a wheelchair much of the time.

The day her water finally broke, Altezza's ears were 70 centimeters long, if not a hair longer. They headed to the hospital, and Altezza was more than ready for this to end.

The doctors said it was a "routine delivery." Apparently, 18 hours of intense labor and forcing two kids out of her was "routine." The boy was born first and then the girl. Both were healthy, and Altezza suffered no complications. The newborns were taken to the delivery room for Auler to see, and Altezza was given some time to rest.

Altezza laid there: exhausted, practically swimming in her own sweat, and glad to be over with it. She had done it. She was officially a mother. She was also now a queen, or soon to be. Wonder Planet tradition was that the monarchs stepped down once the heir's children were born. The only exception was the Drop Kingdom that required the crown princess to assume the throne on her 26th birthday by law.

But that could be dealt with later. She needed to recover.

A knock came at the door. "Who is it?" Altezza asked.

"It's Auler," Auler's voice said from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

"Yes," Altezza said.

Auler opened the door somehow despite his hands being full of a massive bouquet and a cluster of balloons. "How are you feeling?"

"Light," Altezza answered as Auler placed the presents on the table. "Did you see them?"

"Yeah," Auler replied. "They're beautiful, and quite lively."

Auler sat next to her. "I think every newsperson in the Wonder Planet is waiting for us."

"They can wait," Altezza said. "I'm not going to go out there like this."

She looked down at her lack of a bulge in the first time in months. There was some residual baby fat under the sheets, but much of the fat reserves were built up in her ears. That, and the design of her outfits, was what allowed Elena to appear as skinny as a post even after giving birth to six at once.

The door opened and the nurse came in with the newborns. "They've tuckered themselves out."

She handed them to Altezza. Without even thinking, her ears curled inwards to hold them to her chest. Altezza looked to the two little ones in her ears. They were of course half-Doggles with ears that seemed oversized came to her head. They were not disproportionately long like Altezza's, just big compared to them. Both had green hair, the boy's was a bit darker than the girl's.

Altezza exhaled a contented sigh. This was what everything was for. It was for these two.

"Do you have names ready?" the nurse asked.

Altezza wanted to hold off on cementing names until the children were born. It was partly out of superstition. However, she knew Auler had plans for at the boy.

"The prince will be Bö," Auler answered.

"You're naming him after your grandfather," Altezza observed.

Auler nodded.

"What about the girl?" the nurse asked.

Altezza looked to her. She had gone through many names in preparation even if she did not choose one. She tried to think of which one suited her. The girl yawned and opened her eyes. Her eyes were a bright green like Altezza's. "Look at those eyes," Auler said. "They look like emeralds."

"Then that's what we'll call her," Altezza said. "Emma."

Emma closed her eyes and snuggled in Altezza's breasts with Bö. "Prince Bö, Princess Emma: welcome to the world."