Another chapter. I really hope everyone is enjoying this. Though given the response I got to the last chapter I may very well drop this story. Let me know in a review if you have an opinion on this.

Anyway on to the chapter.

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Bretta was not feeling very well. It had been years since she had joined Rome and he had taken her back to his capitol and house. Once there she had met other nations that Rome had conquered or made allies with. There was Greece and Egypt, they tended to call Bretta an uncouth barbarian. Iberia was there also, she and Bretta got along well as they were cousins. Bretta tried to avoid Carthage as he seemed to try and go after anything female. Last there was Turks. He and Bretta were not on good terms, their territories were near each other and they had quickly developed a rivalry.

Bretta had been happy when her brother came to visit her. He never fully joined the Roman Empire, but some of his tribes had seen the benefit in doing so he had grudgingly come to accept the friendship of Rome. This brings us back to where we began. Bretta was bent over behind some bushes as her brother held the horse's reigns and watched her worriedly. She retched and heaved her meager breakfast onto the forest floor. She and Alaric were on their way to inspect her Celtic lands. Normally she would be traveling alone, she was a warrior in her own right after all, but her brother had been visiting her in Rome. He was leaving about the same time as she and had agreed to accompany her for the first leg of her journey.

"Sister, are you sure you would not prefer to head back? We are still not that far from Rome, it would be easy enough for you to postpone your trip."

Wiping her mouth on the back of her hand she waves him off. "It's nothing Brother. I'll be fine. Just a bit of nausea. I probably just ate something that didn't agree with me."

Despite her assurances her brother narrowed his eyes at her. "As long as that's all it was." He still remembered that he had caught Rome sneaking out of her room in his house that morning when he had gone to wake her to begin their journey. Apparently his sister was encouraging the Roman to get a bit too friendly in his opinion. He silently hands her a flask of water for her to rinse her mouth with before swinging up atop his horse.

Bretta quickly follows suit and soon they are off again. Bretta quietly contemplates her bout of illness. She knew it was not a one time thing, despite her reassurances to the contrary. She had been getting sick quite often in the mornings and sometimes throughout the day. She remembered shortly after her arrival in Rome having to help Iberia out with similar symptoms. She knew she still had a few months before she would need to settle down to deal with what had happened to her. Before then she wanted to make sure her lands were in good condition, then she would return to Rome, the nation and the person, and inform him of her condition. She just needed to keep it from her brother while they traveled together. She knew if he found out he'd try to keep the child from its father. Letting out a sigh she hoped he'd understand when this was over and done with.

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A week into their journey and Alaric was convinced his sister was hiding something from him. Every morning she would run off for the bushes and heave whatever was in her stomach. It worried him, but also angered him. He knew the signs of pregnancy when he saw them. How his sister thought she could hide it from him he didn't know, but he had plenty of women warriors in his tribes and he had seen them take leave of battle when they became like his sister was now. He was suppose to break from his sister that day but was drawing it out in hopes of convincing her to come with him.

"Sister."

She looks at him having just come back from the bushes and her latest bout of nausea. "What is it Brother?"

"I think you should come home with me. You shouldn't be traveling alone like this."

His stern stare made her realize he knew and she nearly pouted.

"I'll be fine Alaric. I don't need to settle down for another few months. I will be fine on my own and inspecting my lands."

"Then what Bretta, go back to that Roman man whore? I highly doubt you are the only one he has been with. I've seen his other children running around that large house he has."

She shoots him a glare and remounts her horse. "I was planning to go back. It is his child after all. He deserves to be a part of its life." She kicks her horse into motion, her brother following her closely.

"Come back with me then. At least until it is born. Those other women are rather..."

"Jealous, conniving, egotistical whores." Bretta smiles back at her brother when he sends her a harsh look.

"I was going to say untrustworthy."

"But they are so much more. Egypt and Greece are really the only one's I'd need to worry about stabbing me in the back Brother. And they wouldn't try anything with Rome there."

"But he is not always there. And before you say anything about how you can handle yourself, let me remind you that being pregnant will hinder you in defending yourself. Let me send a letter to Rome telling him you have decided to extent your trip and will be visiting with me. He will understand. Once the child is born I will even escort you back myself."

Bretta glances over at her brother. He had a point. The others were rather more inclined to back stab her and take advantage of her apparent weakness. And it was true that she would be less capable of defending herself from them while pregnant.

"Alright, I'll go with you. But first I am inspecting my lands. Understood."

He simply nods and the two continue their journey.

Germania kept his word and sent a letter to Rome informing him of Celtica's extended trip. He even included the reason for it at his sister's insistence. That had been about 7 months ago and now it was quite obvious that she was with child. In fact they were expecting her to go into labor any day now. Germania had called for a midwife as soon as they had arrived at his home. She had confirmed the pregnancy and had attended to whatever it might be the female nation may need. Rome had come at one point to check up on her and had been as giddy as ever. He was so excited to have another child running around. He hadn't been able to stay long, there was some unrest within his empire and he had been forced to leave.

A sharp intake of breath from the woman beside him had Germania turning to her, concern etched onto his face.

"Alaric, its coming."

Needing no further prompting he hurriedly picks her up and carries her to the bed before rushing to get the midwife.

It was hours later when the midwife came out of the house and waved him over. She was wiping her hands, having just washed them.

"Your sister and her son are both healthy. You may go in and see them now if you wish."

He wastes no time going in and sees his sister holding a small bundle in her arms. She was smiling even though she looked exhausted. He steps over to her and she turns the bundle to him, showing off the perfect child within.

"Isn't he just adorable." The child gurgles and she tucks it back against her chest to suckle.

"Have you chosen a name yet?"

"Yes, bhi me ag smaoineamh ba choir e a Franci."

Her brother scowls a bit and she chuckles.

"You're giving him a Latin name."

"Of course, I think Franci is a lovely name don't you? And you can always call him Franks if you want."

He grunts in agreement. Before anymore can be said they hear a commotion outside. Germania goes to inspect the noise. It turns out to be a roman soldier atop a horse. The soldier quickly dismounts and calls out for Germania.

"That is me." He strides over to the soldier who hands him a sealed letter. He recognizes the seal as belonging to Rome. He hurriedly opens it and reads through it. "What is the current state in Rome?"

"I am afraid it is not good."

The soldier fills him in on current affairs before remounting and riding off. Germania then finds himself torn between informing his sister and not. He's already decided to do everything he can to delay her return.

Stepping back into the house he sees his sister already attempting to get out of the bed. Franci, or Franks, was sleeping soundly among the blankets.

"What is going on Brother?"

He strides over to her and pushes her back onto the bed.

"You should be resting. It has not even been but a few minutes since you gave birth. You need to let your body rest." His voice was stern, but the worry was evident.

"Brother, I will be fine. Now what was going on out there?"

He sighs, "A messenger from Rome. They are dealing with unrest. It might be best if you and Franks stay here for a while longer than planned."

She glares at him. "You will not begin treating me like some stuffy noble woman. I get enough of that when I'm at Rome's. He respects my ability to fight, but the others all treat me like, like I'm one of them. Well maybe not Iberia but still."

"Sister, it would be dangerous for Franks to go into that mess and you need to recover your strength."

Not giving in she glances to the baby laying next to her on the bed. "But Rome might need me." She looks up at her brother sadly and he feels his will begin to crumble at her look. Then she seems to brighten a bit. "I could leave Franci with you Brother." The smile she sends him makes him instantly forget his offer to go in her place. He simply nods and she leaps at him, hugging him tightly. "Go raibh maith agat."

"But you still have to wait a few days to recover your strength sister. You will do him no good if you show up on the brink of exhaustion."

"Of course brother."

That had been the beginning of the Gallic Wars. Celtica had not been expecting the unrest to have been coming from her own people. It had upset her that she had been forced to fight against her lover rather than with him. It didn't help that she was quickly forced back. She and Rome eventually came to peace, but her people never fully accepted the Romans. Saddened by the struggle it took her several years before she could bring herself to retrieve Franks from her brother. By then he had grown into the appearance of a four year old. It was a bittersweet reunion for her and her son when she introduced him to his father. Living with his uncle had led him to adopt more of the Germanic traits in his culture. Celtica was relieved when he seemed to accept his father and the two were quickly able to get along.

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Aww, the family eventually comes together. Ok a bit of notes on this chapter.

I mentioned Iberia having gone through a pregnancy. That would have been the birth of Spain, a child of Iberia and Carthage.

The gallic wars started in 58BC and ended in 51BC as part of Roman expansion under Julius Ceasar.

Franks is a Germanic tribe, thus why he was left with his uncle for so long. But as we all should be able to figure out. France takes a lot from his father Rome, they are both man whores. I mean that in the nicest possible way of course.

I hope this longer chapter makes up for the short one before it. Please review, reviews mean I continue this. Otherwise I may just end it here.