Daine pushed the door open gently and smiled. Her husband was sat on the floor, waving a doll at their daughter, who was now almost a year old. Sarralyn in turn was rewarding her father with strings of babble in her own particular language, and reaching her chubby hands towards her toy. Numair looked up as she closed the door, and handed the doll to Sarralyn, then stood up and walked over to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder, bending slightly to reach.

"Hello magelet." He murmured, kissing her earlobe softly.

She laughed. "You still call me that. We've been married over a year, and I'm hardly a child anymore."

"You act like a child sometimes."

"I'm not as childish as you." She retorted.

"True." He shifted his position to kiss her neck.

"But somehow, I still love you."

"Love you too." He moved from her neck to her jaw, then, cupping her face gently, he kissed her mouth. She reciprocated eagerly, but pushed him away after a few moments.

"Numair, there are children in the room." She pointed at Sarralyn, who was sat cuddling her doll tightly, watching her parents.

He grinned. "Technically, there's only one child. Singular, not plural."

She rolled her eyes, then, taking his hands, she smiled sweetly at him. "No, Numair," She whispered. "Children. Plural. I'm pregnant." She chuckled at his shocked expression.

"Really? I'm a Da! Again!" He embraced her tightly, spinning her round in his arms.

"Careful!" He set her down gently, still grinning widely, and she smiled, taking his hand again. "We should tell our friends. They'll want to know."

"Mmm. So soon, as well, after Sarralyn's birth. You'll give me a bad name!"

"Silly man. A year later is not that soon. Come on." She bent and picked up Sarralyn, then left the room, Numair behind her.

"You're WHAT?!" Alanna stared at her friend, open mouthed.

Daine chuckled and adjusted a wriggling Sarralyn on her hip. "Pregnant. It happens."

Onua looked at Alanna. "You owe me. I won."

The wildmage frowned in confusion at the two women. "What do you mean?"

Onua smirked. "We had a bet. Alanna reckoned he'd-" She gestured to Numair, "get you with child over a year after the birth. I know you both even better, and said within a year. I win." She laughed as the couple turned crimson, Numair in particular.

Numair pouted childishly. "You bet on my self control. I'm hurt."

Alanna shrugged. "You're both in love. And YOUNG, no matter what you say, Master Salmalín. It was only a matter of time."

Later that night, when Sarralyn was tucked into her cot, Numair looked at Daine, who was still undressing for bed.

"Sweet?"

She pulled on a large shirt and crawled over the bed towards him. "Yes?"

"What if it's another shapeshifter?"

She lay with her head rested on his chest, then looked up at him. "I'll manage. I've been more careful this time, finding out sooner, and I won't change form myself this time, so the baby shouldn't. All the same, I'd rather it wasn't! Sarralyn was hard to look after in the first few weeks, and I'm not sure I could survive another child like that." She laughed at his concerned expression. "I'll be FINE, Numair. Stop worrying."

"I-" she cut him off as he began to speak by pressing a finger to his lips.

"Hush. Sleep now. I love you, stork man."

He kissed her finger, wrapped her in his arms, and they slept.