Disclaimer: As much as I still love Balem, I haven't come to own him in the past year. Cosplayed as him but I'm having trouble owning him. Bummer. But I do own Amoya and several characters that I made up for this series!

Chapter 1: The Announcement

Amoya turned over on her side, sighing softly. Her eyebrow creased slightly when she felt a feather like touch over her face. It felt like an irritation, so she swatted it away. Having it ceased made her begin to relax, falsely thinking she was safe until, something ghosted across her face once more.

She gave a low whine before hitting it harder.

"Not a nice way to greet your husband", a soft voice filtered into her ears.

At this, Amoya Abrasax managed to rouse herself the rest of the way to wakefulness. Blearily she pried her eyes open. It took a moment for Balem's face to filter into her brain, who was lying on his side facing her with a small smirk.

Amoya scowled, "What do you want? Don't you have any respect for the dead?"

An elegant eyebrow lifted, "Entitles rarely die. Why should I have respect for death?"

"Balem, while you are cute on a good day, this is not one of them." Amoya snapped as she promptly turned on her other side and added, "I barely slept last night and just managed to get to sleep awhile ago, so please let me sleep."

Balem propped himself up on his elbow eyeing her critically, "You didn't sleep?"

"Not a wink." the flat response.

"That is odd." Balem murmured his eyes taking a calculating look, "You usually sleep like the dead."

"Then just let me die."

Balem blinked once before saying, "You realize this conversation is slightly morbid right?"

Amoya heaved a deep sigh, "Yes, dear."

Balem caught some patronizing tones in her voice. Being wise he thought he should leave well enough alone. Sitting up to leaned on the headboard, he decided not to offer a rebuttal in return. He was rewarded by a light snore after a moment and gave a silent chuckle in response.

Reaching over to the table, he pulled a data pad into his lap. Scrolling he looked at the itinerary for the day. He was so engrossed that it was a shock when suddenly Amoya darted up and out of bed with a hand over her mouth, speeding to the bathroom.

Balem didn't process any of this until he heard gagging. Data pad forgotten, he tossed it to the bed and rushed into the bathroom where Amoya was kneeling in front of the toilet dry heaving. He reached over to the wall and pressed a call button while yelling for someone.

Amoya tried to tell him she was fine but she could quite control her mouth. Before she knew it someone was touching her face and wiping her mouth. She vaguely heard Balem yelling that he was staying put.

It was over as quickly as it came.

Amoya noticed then that it was Dalila who was looking at her worriedly. The former Earthling took the cloth with a small reassuring smile. She noticed Naveen and Balem standing in the doorway both looking at her with wide eyes.

Finally, Amoya spoke, her voice breaking a little from dryness, "I'm fine."

That seemed to ease some of the tension in the room allowing some air to circulate as Amoya cleared her throat.

"The doctor is coming." Dalila said taking the cloth from her.

"I'm fine really. It's like it didn't happen. I actually feel better now" Amoya said realizing it was true. She went to stand.

She went to stand but a soft demanding voice filtered into the room, making her pause."You won't be moving a muscle until the doctor clears it."

Amoya went to whine but Balem cut her off. "This is not up for debate."

Amoya pouted but otherwise sat still. Dalila turned her face away trying not to laugh, while Naveen's mouth twitched once as Balem continued to stare hard at his wife.

It was another moment before a female tiger spice came rushing in with her entourage.

"You're late", Balem growled, "Two minutes late."

He would have been angry at the lack of response as the tiger doctor rushed past him but his Queen took precedent in this instance.

"As I was trying to tell his highness", there was a mocking tone there, "I'm fine." Amoya stated. as suddenly there was a flurry of activity whirling.

There was a flurry of activity that began to whirl, her statement not even seemed to have been taking into consideration. She was hooked up to have her blood pressure taken and a thermometer stuck in her mouth. As her vitals were pronounced normal she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"She can be moved." a nurse announced after some minutes had passed.

As the thermometer was taken out of her mouth, sarcasm poured from it, "No. Kidding."

Balem found himself, fast losing his patience as he snapped, "Sarcasm doesn't help, Amoya. Let the doctors do what they are paid generously for. I won't say this again."

Amoya sensed the mood and moved her head in a sorry gesture, calming down. She did hate that she seemed to vacillate between one mood to another so fast she couldn't seem to catch herself.

"What happened, your majesty?" The doctor said flashing a penlight in her eyes.

"I'm not sure. I was trying to get some more sleep and all of a sudden I felt the need to hurl." she shrugged.

"It came out of nowhere." added Balem.

"I see." The doctor stood and allowed a nurse to bring in a hover chair.

Amoya couldn't help but comment softly, "I don't need a wheelchair. I can walk."

Balem breathed as he waved a hand gracefully, "It's a hover chair. Do you see any wheels?"

"It serves the same purpose." The Queen murmured under her breath.

Balem's right eye twitched. "Woman..."

Amoya was silent as the tiger spliced doctor easily picked her up and carefully deposited her in the chair.

"How long does this take?" Balem hissed pacing in front of the Abrasax private examination room.

Dalila and Naveen, chameleon splices, stood next to each other watching their monarch pace. Neither one dared to try to calm him down.

"I'm sure she's fine." Dalila ventured to offer as she figured he expected an answer from anyone in hearing distance.

And since it was just the two of them...

"Your highness!" a voice called out.

The duo looked up to see Mr. Night come skidding to a stop breathless. Balem didn't even break his stride in pacing. Mr. Captiosus, an owl splice, trailed at a brisk pace behind him.

"We just heard! Is she alright, your highness?" he asked, looking anxiously at the door.

"I don't know. It's been 45 minutes and I've heard NOTHING! Balem screamed the final word. Everyone jumped once except Mr. Captiosus who only closed his eyes briefly.

Mr. Night seemed to compose himself and bowed his head in response.

"She will be fine." Mr. Captiosus spoke quietly.

Balem didn't seem to hear him, "She could have been poisoned! Camou Industries have been dissolved since last century and both Ajay Camou and my brother have long since paid for their crimes. But just as I have loyal followers, so do they."

"Her highness was a help in clearing my name. If she has been attacked, I too will consider it a personal offense to me." Mr. Night cried passionately.

"As will we." Naveen added with a firm nod.

"Yes, though I doubt there are any chameleon splices running around as Naveen and I are the last of our brethren. On the Queens mercy, of course." added Dalila with a bow of her head.

"We are jumping ahead too far." came the voice of reason. Mr. Captiosus continued, "We do not know what's wrong. Allow the doctor to tell us before we spin grand tales."

Balem growled, "If they don't tell me something in five minutes I'm gonna..."

The door opened and the tiger spliced doctor stepped out, her face expressionless. She gave a low bow, "Your highness. Her highness sent for you."

Hazel eyes bore into the tiger splice, "What. Happened."

The doctor didn't blink or otherwise seem to be affected by the King's piercing gaze, "Her highness wants to see you. To tell you herself."

Balem narrowed his eyes, "I don't like surprises, doctor."

"Her highness..."

Balem swept passed the doctor and into the examination room where it was mostly just another bedroom with various medical devices littered around the room.

"What happened?" He asked seeing Amoya looking a little worse for wear. He completely missed the shine in her eyes.

"Balem..." she called in a happy teary voice as he entered.

"Is it poison?"

Amoya was taken aback, "What? No!"

"Is it the food? You haven't been eating properly. If it's the food I don't know why I wouldn't be affected." Here he began pacing.

Amoya quickly realized that Balem had too much time to think in the interim. She tried to get his attention, "Balem..."

"I just want to know who I have to fire and kill. Your wellbeing..."

"Balem..."

Didn't even faze him, "...should be everyone's priority. The fact that they neglected..."

"Balem Abrasax! BE QUIET!" Amoya yelled before tacking on at a normal decibel though exasperation laced her word, "Your wife is trying to tell you something!"

Balem winced once. It was rare when Amoya raised her voice to this octave. He could count on one hand which is why it always stunned him to silence.

"I can tell you what's wrong instead of you making stuff up." Here Amoya's eyes glittered with amusement, "Now if you want to fire or kill someone that's going to hard."

Balem's eyes narrowed and he wondered who she was trying to protect now, "I'm first primary. I assure you it won't be hard at all."

Amoya sat back on the huge pillows and folded her hands, "Alright go ahead. Fire yourself. I want to see this."

Balem blinked hard, processing her words.

Silence ticked by until finally, he managed to open his mouth, "Pardon?"

Amoya smiled then and reached out her hand. It took a moment for Balem to snap out of it. Finally he crossed the room and took her hand, sitting down on the edge of the bed all the while not taking his eyes off of her."

"Balem there is nothing wrong with me." Amoya grinned, "It's all perfectly natural for someone who is a month pregnant."

Balem stared her before his eyes dropped to her stomach.

"You are with child?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, this is what pregnant means, husband mine." teased Amoya.

Balem briefly looked up at her before scooting closer and hesitantly resting a hand over her stomach.

"My child. My heir. Is in there?" he asked again, his voice quieter than normal.

Amoya couldn't handle the sudden onslaught of emotions she was hit with at this. So she settled for the familiar teasing, "Please tell me you have a good grasp of human pregnancy."

Balem glared at her then.

Amoya's accent came out strong, "Sista gotta ask. With half of y'all coming out of test tubes, 'ziz a fair question."

Balem heaved a sigh before looking back at her stomach. He reached out and rubbed it. "I'm sorry, my child. This is what you will have to put up with."

"You cannot be serious." spoke Amoya before resting her hand over his. "My child. It is my fond hope that you will grow pass 10 years old."

Amoya laughed as Balem rolled his eyes. Suddenly he scowled and abruptly stood.

"What's wrong?" asked Amoya looking up at him.

"I just realized I now have cause to fire the doctor."

"What! Why? She's great!"

"I'm not talking about her!" snapped Balem, "I'm talking about that other doctor. The first one. Why didn't he catch that you are pregnant? That was only two weeks ago."

Oh him.

Amoya opened her mouth but Balem reached down and closed her mouth and rubbed her cheek, "Do not bring up that promise, Amoya. That has been null and void. He should have been more through."

Balem's eyes seemed to soften as he leaned down her lips barely hovering over hers, "You are the Queen, not some commoner. If it makes you feel any better, he is being fired for negligence. Be glad, my Queen that I will not have him killed. Had it been before your time..."

Amoya breathed as she felt his lips ghost over hers. He straightened. Turning with a dramatic flair he swept out of the room, all before Amoya was even aware he was gone.

She blinked coming back to herself with a chuckle. Looking down at her stomach she rubbed it once, "I think I've proven my point, my child."

TBC...