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 2: There's is a Name

Amoya could count on one hand how many times she actively wanted to murder her husband in the entire time that she had known him. Before their marriage included, though she didn't really like to count that time. There were extenuating circumstances.

If she thought that Balem was obsessed about her wellbeing before she didn't know there was a whole new height or depth, depending on your point of view, that he could reach.

In addition to Dalila and Naveen who were already her personal security, Balem wanted to have a whole entourage of doctors and nurses follow her around all day to attend to her every need. She so much as grimaced and they were sent into a spiel. She considered herself pretty gracious, so she put up with it for a grand total of 24 hours.

Award her a metal, if you please.

After which she sat Balem down and told him that she was not walking around with an entourage like this for the next 8 months. That led to a little argument that made Amoya's fingers twitch with an ache to throttle him. Finally, she arrived at a compromise with the man and decided that she would have a nurse on duty during the day. It was one of the few times that Amoya used her Queenship to make sure that the nurse knew that she was not to be underfoot. Thankfully, she was an older lion splice that took her job seriously but was unruffled and understood the Queen's intentions.

Once that situation has been taken care of Amoya found herself relatively smooth sailing. At least, what was considered smooth sailing during pregnancy.

She hated that her body underwent so much that she never knew how she was going to feel at any given moment. Sometimes she was almost deliriously happy and other times she couldn't stand the food or the smell of well, anything.

Amoya followed the doctor's regimen to a T. Balem would not allow otherwise. Amoya was pretty certain that the nurse had to report to Balem every evening on what was happening with her medically wise. She knew the nurse was always writing down things every five seconds she breathed. Personally, she thought it might be better to just video camera her for the amount of note taking she was sure the nurse was doing.

Not that she was giving her husband any more ideas.

It wasn't until her fourth month that things came to a head as well as the fact that she was now beginning to show. And with that came a whole plethora of other issues.

And with that came a whole plethora of other issues.

Amoya pushed her food around on her plate with a small pout.

"Pouting is unbecoming a Queen" Balem murmured from across the table.

"So's starving." Amoya muttered darkly.

"Is the food unsatisfactory?" came the mild inquiry. Balem waved his hand in the direction of the kitchen door, "You only have to ask for something else or fire the cook."

The Queen gave a deep sigh, "Is firing people your answer for everything?"

"Only when it suits me."

Amoya rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat. She reflexively rubbed her slightly protruding stomach. "I'm tired of these tasteless drippings."

Balem blinked. "You've always loved our food. You even called it exotic."

"That was then and this is now. Don't you ever have some carbs? All you eat is lettuce." she whined picking up a lettuce leaf.

"The doctors say that you need to eat a strict regimen now that you are with child. I will not have you feeding my child pig slop." Balem stated.

"Then don't feed me this." came the snap reply.

Balem closed his eyes once before opening them. He never knew that his wife would be so difficult when she became pregnant. If she wasn't sarcastically snappy, more so than usual, then she was a mess of tears. It was times like this that he reminded himself that he preferred the snappish moods than the tears.

Amoya beckoned a servant over, who curtly walked up and leaned down. She smiled up at him, "I'm sorry to bother ya'll but do you have any hotdogs?"

The servant blinked his mouth working as if trying to process what a hotdog actually was.

"Amoya, you know that we don't have such food here." Balem interjected.

Said woman looked at him incredulously, "You mean to tell me you have lizard tails but you can't get me a hotdog?"

Balem breathed hard out of his nostils, "Amoya, that is not what's required for your health and the baby's. I will not consent to get you a hotdog."

"Bay-leeem", Amoya whined.

Yes, she whined for a good measure making Balem stare at her incredously. The servant who had stepped back during this exchanged, had to bite the inside of his cheek while his eyes went wide.

Amoya poked her bottom lip out. "Hotdog. Please." she batted her eyes from across the table. "I just need another taste. It's not like I do this all the time. Please. Bay-leeem."

Balem's right eye twitched. He beckoned the servant to him who knew better than to laugh. "You heard your Queen." he hissed, "Conjure up a hotdog!"

The servant bowed and rushed out. He would later thank his honed discipline as the reason he was still alive. Only his eyes were slightly larger than normal showcasing his mirth.

Once the servant was gone, Balem turned to his food and stabbed at it.

"Thank you!" Amoya chirped. "Make sure to have ketchup, mustard and onions on it!" she called after the servants.

Balem wrinkled his nose.

Disgusting...

Half an hour later the servant came out with her hotdog and set it in front of her. The servant looked slightly scandalized that the Queen practically ate his hand to get to it. She took a big bite smiling widely.

"So good!" she moaned around a bite.

"Amoya..." Balem growled.

"It's so delicious!" came the half sob.

Oh no. Balem prayed the waterworks would not come.

"Thank you so much!"

All of a sudden Amoya began to cry around her bite of food, "I appreciate you getting this for me! Ya'll are so awesome!"

The servant looked uncertainly at Balem who only sighed and waved him away. He learned to just let Amoya cry it out and she would be okay. Sure enough after a few moments, the waterworks dried up.

"I'm sorry." Amoya said sniffing as she took another bite.

"Well, since you are carrying my child I'll give you leniency." Balem drawled out.

Amoya looked at him with watery eyes and gave a brilliant smile.

Silence drifted while the two ate in comfortable silence for some time. Once they were done, Balem stood and walked over to Amoya. He offered his arm which she took to steady herself. They proceeded to walk to their chambers.

"Would you want to know the sex of the baby?"

Balem looked over at Amoya who looked at him curiously. He blinked. To be honest, he hadn't even thought about it.

A few paces passed before, "Would you?"

Amoya shrugged, "I don't know that it makes much difference to me. The nurse mentioned that it's about that time they may be able to start determining the sex of the baby."

Unconsciously she rubbed her stomach.

Balem nodded once, thinking. Upon arriving at the door, he waved a hand and allowed Amoya to walk in first. He deposited her on the couch before sitting down across from her.

He crossed his legs and leaned his temple on his outstretched index finger. "I will leave it up to you. If you want us to know..." here he waved his other hand in consent, "If not, we will wait."

Amoya gave him a cheeky grin, "Well, I think I will leave it up to you."

She laughed as Balem gave a sigh, his eyes drifting close."We are not going to go back and forth, Amoya. I said it was your choice."

"And I said it was yours."

Balem opened his eyes and looked at Amoya who was grinning cheekily at him. With slow and deliberate movements he stood, crossed the short distance and sunk down slowly next to her. All the while Amoya didn't take her eyes off him. He rested an arm across the back of the couch while facing her.

Reaching out he tilted her chin, "Are you challenging me, my Queen?" he asked quietly.

"This is news to you, my King?"

Balem released her chin and dropped his hand to the top of her stomach. His eyes became hooded, "Like I said, you will decide this."

Amoya hummed. "Well, then how about we let it be a surprise? Is that okay?"

Balem's mouth twitched as he answered, "That is acceptable."

"You know, we never did talk about names. What should we name our child? Do you have preferences?"

Balem shook his head once, "No. You?"

At this Amoya ducked her head. Balem looked at her a long moment before tilting her chin. "I will take that as a yes. What are your name preferences?"

Amoya stared at him a long moment before looking away making Balem drop his hand. It was a bit before she answered.

When she did her voice was soft, "If it as a boy, I always loved the name Aman. It's a Muslim's boy name that means protection; without fear. I always wanted my son to feel protected, even if he a boy and suppose to be the protector. A man has to first feel protected in order to learn to be a protector. And if it was a girl..."

Amoya smiled once, "I always like the name Isis. I know it's an Egyptian name and might be a little uncommon to name a child that especially since she was an Egyptian goddess but it just always stuck me. I've heard that it could mean the throne. I know that name would have made a daughter suffer so I probably would end up naming her Isabella, which is Spanish for pledged to God or the name Isla which is Scottish or Spanish for Island. I never could decide between them."

Here she gave a self-conscious laugh before standing and walking into their room. Balem watched her go before following her.

"You actually remembered all that?" he asked, amused, standing in the doorway.

Amoya was sitting on their bed and looked up at him before looking away, "I've always been name obsessed. I thought you knew that."

She began taking off her earrings.

"I knew. I just didn't realize that you knew this much about names."

"Names are important. They can help shape your identity. Doesn't necessarily have to define you but I think it's important to understand names." She placed her second earring on the table next to her bed.

Balem crossed the distance and sat beside her. His hands gently turned her, so her back was to him, before taking off her neck piece. Comfortable silence floated in the room for a bit.

"I know it's weird..."

Balem reached over to lay the neck piece on the table. "Hush, Amoya. Don't go down this route. You are Queen. Nothing you say or think is stupid."

He turned around a little to allow Amoya to take off his neckpiece.

"Sorry." she whispered taking off his piece and sitting it on the table.

"Very well." Here Balem stood and held out his hand. Amoya took it and stood. He turned her around and began to undo her dress.

"If it's a boy, he shall be named Aman. If it's a girl, she shall be named Isis."

"Balem..."

"The King has spoken. Let it go."

Amoya pouted once, "Balem. I want you to have a say in our child's name too."

Her dress pooled to her feet. Balem turned her around and held her around the waist while she stepped out of the dress before sitting on the bed. Balem moved the dress before pulling a chair over and sitting in front of her. He snapped his fingers towards her shoes.

Amoya pouted again and lifted a leg to allow Balem to take off her shoes. "Are you listening to me?" she asked.

"My hearing is above average."

The Queen playfully slapped Balem's hands which didn't miss a beat as he took off one shoe. Amoya gave him the other leg.

"Then I'd appreciate an answer."

Balem stopped and looked up at her. "Amoya, never in my life had I dreamt I would be a father. I never gave it thought. Ever. In fact you could say, I never cared to be. And had you not come along, please believe me when I said, I doubt I would have had a child."

Cocking her head Amoya mused, Seem to me you would have needed an heir eventually."

A casual ripple of his shoulders proceeded his answer, "I never thought to die. It wasn't something I gave any thought to. Perhaps I would have a mistress and who's to say she wouldn't have gotten pregnant on purpose wanting the first primary's child. Even though I have always taken precautions, people can be vindictive when they want to be. But had I gotten a child then, I wouldn't have cared about it enough to even consider a name which gets back to my original point: I never gave it much thought. I would not even began to know what to name a child. That fact that you thought about it so extensively save us extra work. The names you have chosen suit me fine. They are both worthy of Abrasaxes heirs."

Tears were glittering in Amoya's eyes by the time he was done.

Balem reached out and ran his knuckles over her cheek once, "I don't want you to misinterpreted what I'm saying Amoya. This child is yours, which means something. However, naming children is just not in my repertoire."

Here he went back to getting Amoya's shoe off.

"Did you hear that, my child?"

Balem looked up to see Amoya rubbing her stomach while looking at him. He pulled off the shoe and sat it aside.

"That's your father."

Balem rolled his eyes as he stood. But while he pushed the chair back in place, a small smile was playing on his lips.

TBC...