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 4: Subdued

After the pizza episode, Amoya seemed to calm slightly. Well, after she made sure that Mr. Night wasn't out of a job or worse out of a life. After calming her appetite for pizza, she found she could better tolerate the usual foods that she was feed.

But as the months went by and the bigger her stomach began to grow, she found that she became restless.

Restless for what, she didn't know.

But when she found out exactly what it was, she squashed that feeling quickly. She would not let her husband know what she was thinking in this instance. Amoya became angry at herself for even feeling that way. She knew it had to be the pregnancy as she hadn't really thought about it before now.

But that lead to her becoming quieter than normal.

Which led to Balem's ever critical eyes, to pick up on the fact that she seemed to become distant in her sixth month of pregnancy. It wasn't her eating as they had come to a comprise and she still ate according to the regiment laid out but was able to satisfy her cravings from time to time.

After all the mood swings in the past six months, Balem became worried that now she seemed to have dulled slightly.

He almost wished for the tears back.

Almost.

One evening Balem entered their private quarters. Amoya looked up at him from standing in front of a floor length mirror. She noticed his nose seem wider than normal and asked him what was wrong.

Balem didn't answer as he walked over and took her by the shoulders, "You should be sitting down, Amoya."

"I can't sit down for the next three months, Balem." she stated though she allowed her husband to guide her to the couch.

"I will not have you getting another dizzy spell and fainting on me. You know the doctor says you need to take it easy."

Amoya grumbled, "I didn't faint that time", but otherwise nodded once consenting.

Balem looked at her critically.

"So why did you march in here looking like you wanted to tear something apart?" she asked looking up at him.

He snorted softly as his nose flaired in memory, "It's amazing how much businessmen and women can talk about nothing."

"And this is news to you?" Amoya asked unconsciously rubbing the top of her stomach.

Balem's eyes caught her movement and he stared, "They were wasting time I could have been spending elsewhere."

Amoya blinked onced staring at him. Finally she cooed with a sappy smile, "Aww, that's sweet of you Balem."

Balem took a seat next to her on the couch and glanced at her, "Now, why were we so engaged in our appearance?"

Amoya pouted once. Balem stared at her waiting for an answer.

"Stop staring at me." Amoya said not looking at him.

Balem cocked his head but otherwise didn't stop staring. This made Amoya, glare at him. "You're still staring."

Balem looked away briefly before looking back at her with a raised eyebrow.

Amoya gave a sigh. He was not going to let this go. She shrugged then, "No reason."

"There is always a reason with you, Amoya. Why?"

Amoya seemed to shut down at this point going quiet.

A delicate eyebrow twitched, "Amoya. I won't ask again."

"Then don't." came the soft reply.

Balem had a sinking suspicion that if Amoya could have gracefully stormed out she would have, except that she might not have made it up to her feet on her own ruining the effect.

Instead, Balem stood and proceeded to their walk-in closet.

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

Balem stopped dead in his tracks. It took him a moment to process the question. In all their years, Amoya never asked him that before. He slowly spun around to face her.

"Such a question, Amoya." he drawled, "I would think you know that answer to that."

It looked like to him that Amoya sunk down in her seat. "I'm not as pretty as I was before." she murmured.

As quiet as her response was, Balem still heard it.

Which made him blinked.

Hard.

"Before...before you were pregnant?" he ventured slowly wondering what logic he had to keep up with now.

Amoya's lip poked out.

Balem lifted his chin and gazed down at her through narrow eyes, "Amoya. This stupidity does not become you."

His wife looked at him then and Balem had the sinking suspicion she might have been planning his murder in that moment. He sighed trying to remember some things that the doctor and Mr. Captiosus said about this.

"Amoya. You are carrying my child. There is no greater honor than that. You will be the mother of the next generation of Abrasaxes. That makes you the most beautiful woman in the world, my Queen."

Balem turned around and walked into this closet but not before seeing Amoya's mouth begin to quirk upwards. It was times like this he wondered if he was going to get through this pregnancy. It was hard trying to keep up with the flow of wherever Amoya might be at the moment.

After changing into just his black pants sans everything else including shoes he backed into something knocking it down from the small table in the closet. He turned around and caught it absently. Righting it in his hand, he rolled his eyes. Amoya must have left a data pad sitting on the edge of the table.

It had come awake at this moment. Balem went to shut it off not thinking anything of it but the video that started playing on mute gave him pause. He frowned as something tickled his memory. It took a moment to realize that it was a live feed of the Caribbean Islands.

Amoya's hometown in particular.

He touched the screen with his finger in absent thought. Why was Amoya looking at this? Ever since they had married not once did she mention her hometown in this manner to be looking at a live feed of it.

Quickly, he hibernated it and set back like he found it. Coming to the door, he saw that Amoya had climbed into bed during his absence. He took a moment to study her.

Why did she look subdued? It was not something he was familiar with from Amoya, pregnancy or not.

"So what did you do while I was away?" he coming out of the closet, "I hope you kept your pizza consumption under control."

Amoya looked up at him before glaring. "Okay first of all, I haven't had any pizza in a couple of weeks and secondly I was doing what I always do now. Be a good little pregnant wife and not cause waves."

Balem forked at an eyebrow as he climbed into bed, "Good as long as nothing got anyone's blood pressure up."

"What about mine?"

"What about yours? Do as I say and you'll be fine." Balem said turning on his side to face her protruding stomach. He rested a hand on top of the small mound.

"Son, there are things you will have to get use to. I should hope you have a more calm temperament than your mother", he spoke.

"Daughter, I hope you have my temperament."

Balem glared up at her who grinned. "It will be a son. I know this."

"How?"

"The first born Abrasax is always a son."

"Wow based on one whole case file."

Balem's eyes narrowed. "Why do I get the feeling if I had said it was a daughter you would say it's a son. Just to spite me."

Amoya snorted, "Yeah, cause life revolves around you."

"I'm glad that you understand that. It only took almost 2 centuries."

Amoya reached up and grabbed fist full of Balem's hair making him tilt his head back. "Balem, I thought that Mr. Captiosus told you about all of this. Rule one: Never go against a pregnant woman. Haven' you learned anything yet?"

Balem darted forward and kissed Amoya. She released him and wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him further into the kiss. She was the one to break it and began to trace her fingers over his freckles.

A smirk played on the first primary's face, "I learned how to settle a pregnant woman's growing ire."

Amoya face crunched up as Balem added, "It's all about misdirection."

"Good night!" Amoya said abruptly releasing him and turning on her side facing away from him.

Balem smirk widened as he stared at her a moment. He gave a small chuckle before settling down next her. Frowning, his thoughts drifted back to the data pad.

And suddenly in clicked, why she seemed sad.

One week later:

"What is going on?" Amoya asked as she walked into the ship's hanger with Dalila, Naveen and her lion splice nurse in tow.

Balem looked up from signing a document. Mr. Night gave a bow to the monarchs and bided them a safe journey. There were servants pushing hovering suitcases on board the ship.

"What does it look like?" asked Balem.

Amoya rolled her eyes.

"We will be leaving in a few minutes."

"How come I didn't hear about this until literally 10 minutes ago?" asked Amoya.

"Because you didn't need to know until literally 10 minutes ago."

"I'm surprised you are letting me off of Jupiter herself, much less allowing me a trip." Amoya asked easily.

Balem looked at Amoya. He could see she was trying to play it cool but it was easy to see the excitement in her eyes.

"Well, I need a break." Balem sniffed giving a delicate wave of his hand, "Morons will have me burning this place to the ground. Because of that, I suppose you will have to tag along."

Without another word, Balem turned with a swish and walked up the plank.

Amoya sputtered as Dalila and her lion splice nurse came to either side of her and grasped her arm. Amoya didn't even bother saying she could walk up herself. Naveen fought back a smile as he followed after the ladies. She entered their bedroom on their ship to see Balem sitting in a chair, his finger pressed to his temple, leaning on it his eyes closed. Amoya sat down on the bed facing him.

"Soooo, where are we going?"

"You'll know when we get there." Balem whispered."Can I know now?"

The former Earthlilng gave a huge smile, "Can I know now?"

"No."

The smile disappeared as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Not becoming a Queen, Amoya."

Amoya looked at him astonished as he didn't even have his eyes open.

In the course of the next few days, Amoya quickly found out that Balem would not tell her where they were going. Even the crew wouldn't tell her. That wouldn't have bothered her, but apparently even Dalila, Naveen and her nurse was in on secret and would not tell her.

It wasn't until they dropped out of hyperspace that Balem nudged her. Amoya was currently reading a book, one with pages, and she barely looked up from their spot on the couch.

"We're here." Balem announced.

Story forgotten, Amoya's head snapped up. "Where are we?!" she asked.

Balem gracefully fanned a hand towards the window. Amoya glared at him before standing and walking to the window. Balem smirked as the loud gasp.

"Is this...?" she asked trailing off unable to voice it.

Balem rose and came to stand next to her. "Earth."

Amoya's eyes were wide. "What...?"

"We will be visiting your hometown. Staying at a Guilan Hotel."

"That's the most expensive Hotel on the Island!" Amoya cried turning to Balem.

"Indeed. We will be here for a week."

"A week?" Amoya's wide eyes suddenly narrowed, "Balem...what...what brought this on?"

Balem gazed at her a long moment before reaching out and running his knuckles down her face. "It has been brought to my attention that you are homesick."

Amoya ripped away from him. "Of course not! I haven't seen Earth in almost 2 centuries. Why would I care now? I'm glad that you got me away from this place." she exclaimed eyes darting back and forth.

"Be that as it may, lies don't become you, Amoya. It's something I should have realized. We had never returned to Earth in all this time."

Amoya had bowed her head avoiding his gaze, a guilty look spreading over her features.

Balem stepped forward and tilted her chin, "Amoya...from what I've been told, it's perfectly natural to miss your place of birth. Especially now that you are with child, you find yourself thinking about your own place of birth. After a time, the bad memories recede and you are able to properly see the good and that is what you miss."

Amoya's eyes narrowed, "Why do I hear Mr. Captiosus in there somewhere?"

Balem leaned forward, "That doesn't matter, Amoya. What matters is my Queen is happy. If you missed Earth, you should have told me."

Hazel eyes pierced into brown.

Amoya's tongue finally darted out and she licked her lips. Her eyes trailed away from his as she hedge, "I didn't want to sound ungrateful. I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I am very happy here with you on Jupiter. I don't know where those feelings came from."

Balem's eyes dropped to her stomach as he reached out and touched it.

Amoya gave a sardonic smile, "At some point, it's entirely cliché to blame it on pregnancy."

Balem straightened and turned to the window, "From my briefing on the subject it's something that could be expected depending on the woman."

He reached out and lifted her chin, "The point is, you should have told me. This is not the time to start shutting down on me, Amoya."

"I'm sorry, Balem."

"Good. Don't do it again."

Amoya jerked her chin back, "Don't get cute, darling." She turned back to the window where the planet Earth was approaching. "It is beautiful. I've never seen Earth like this. More beautiful that the NASA photos make it to be."

Balem turned back to the window and in a moment found himself being leaned into. He moved his eyes to see that Amoya had laid her head on him and was hugging him from the side. He looked back out the window.

"Thank you, Balem. This is a wonderful surprise. Well worth the wait. I can't wait to see how much it has changed."

TBC...