Chapter 7- Ill- Kratos.

The moment Eva told me the wondrous news. I was on cloud nine! I was going to be a father! Such pride filled me that I began preparations. I checked the prisons for swine men and had ordered if there were any realms that held them prisoner, to send them to us. No doubt I would be on hungry beast! Especially with what I saw my father eat for just for four siblings of mine, I knew I would have the same hunger… or so I thought.

I was already starting to eat the swine demons we kept, yet by next day. I was back to my trim self! This was troubling, I could smell Eva was pregnant and yet… why am I not hungry?

The Shokans had a fantastic healing warrior. He had learned from all the best healers of the realms, so I sought his help. He did a check up of me and confirmed that I was in perfect health. But that is not what I wanted to know. "Eva is pregnant" were the first words from my mouth. He stopped me there and ordered he be taken to her at once.

We came to my chambers were the elders already bundled thick blankets about her body, she was just slightly cold as the fireplace began to roar to life with fire. The healer did his evaluation on Eva and told the elders she was indeed expecting.

However, none of them were happy, not in the least bit. I told them that my father and his friends will be joining us for dinner tomorrow night, the elders all turned and whispered to one another. A glimmer of home came in their eyes as they told me it was a fantastic idea. The four younger elders were left with Eva, the oldest one wanted to speak with me alone.

He was over 20,000 years old. Yeah, they live quite long! He brought me to the chamber of records and books, I was sat down as he began to ask me questions. "You tried to gain weight, didn't you?" he asked.

My head nodded to him. He looked to the books and asked what I saw all around us. "Books of the past" was my answer.

"Yes, books of the past. But one book, is the deaths of all the dragons that have come to be born yet died. King Goro told you, many died of broke hearts. Not all of them did parish of such cause. To ensure this does not happen to you, you must follow our tradition of the birth. For you are no longer an Earth Realm dragon. Our environment, our food and your wife have made it as such."

This stunned me, but it explained why the weight wouldn't come. "You said your family is coming for dinner, correct?"

I nodded to him. "Good, she will select then"

The elder went on to say Eva is in dyer need of a heat source, my father's friend's were perfect. They had all she needed, a large frame, warm blood and soft flesh. I nearly protested and insist they be warned ahead of him, but he said traditions must be upheld, if any of them said no. Eva and my children are guaranteed to die. "If they all say no, yet one is altered, they cannot refuse for when they learn the truth, they would have come so far they cannot go back, or change back without doing this task for you"

I had to agree with him on that. But then the question arose as to what happened after. This was when he became very serious. "Your wife and her host cannot be away from you! At no given time can you leave them alone for any second of the day, at all times they must be with the father!"

"How can I do that? I don't have my pouch anymore!" I protested, the task seemed nearly impossible to do.

But there came a grin over the old Shokan, he smiled as he told me of a way. "It will ensure they are not out of your protection, but they will hide in plain sight!" this had my attention.

"I will do anything!"

He smile widened. "You must keep them in your belly"

I felt my own stomach knot up. "I have to eat them?"

"No, you are not feeding off of your wife and host. You are protecting them, there is no greater or safest place than in the stomach of an Emperor such as yourself. It must be done for it is the safest way to ensure the host does not try and leave should he grow irritable of his task"

I hated the idea, but when I spoke to Eva, she knew what had to be done. She had read of all the traditions of her people and was well prepared. She had a good idea as to who would be her heat source. "I like the way Uncle Jeff looks" she said as we laid in bed the night before dinner. "But your Uncle Undertaker is a very large man. Is he really your father's brother?"

"I never really asked," I told her.

"But there's also Matt Hardy"

"Not him. He has been through enough Eva, you know about Dark, and what he did to my Uncle Matt!"

She nodded as she snuggled closer and closer to me. "But that's why I want him! I want a hero to look after the children and me, he's a great one in this world, every child knows of that story. But none know that it is truth"

This was sounding worst the worst the more I heard about it, not to mention how rotten of luck would it be that she would pick Uncle Matt… Well, she did. He had gained weight as of late from a realm job and stuck out in Eva's mind as the best choice. As the dinner began and my Uncle was asleep, the elders marked his body as tradition stated. You know what happens from then on.

I didn't want to do it, I really didn't. But I had no choice. He threatened to leave, and if he did and I wasn't there should something happen to him, I would never forgive myself! I nearly didn't do it, when I saw what was becoming of Uncle Matt. But when he was getting ready to leave and telling my father what I had been doing. There was no choice. The moment he turned his back did I gulp him down. He screamed once as he fought his way down my throat and into my stomach. What was strange though was how my insides altered. My stomach concealed him and embraced Uncle Matt. He resist inside as I eased myself onto the ground and tried to calm him down. I ingested the blankets for a reason! He was still stuck in my chest when I gave one final swig. He drifted farther and farther down until I felt a settling bulge in me. The deed was done, as I rubbed my sides I didn't hear the door open. That was when I heard Uncletaker's voice.

I didn't think they would be here, yet when I saw the look on Jeff's face. He was worried sick for his brother, it was then Matt began to toss about painfully inside of me. He tried to scream to get noticed, as the movement became more violent under my skin. I rushed my father and the rest from the room just in time. I forced myself against the door. I once more rubbed down my sides and tried to encourage uncle Matt to settle himself in there. He's hurting me, but I was more worried he was going to hurt Eva or himself. He tried to force his way back up through my throat, but I promptly gulped him back down again. "Sorry Uncle, you must stay in there." I pleaded with him.

Panic took over the moment I saw Uncle Matt's hand escape through my stomach's hole! Gently, I tried to push it back in to get him to stay. But the elders came the moment my father left. They saw my situation and nodded to it. "He can come out through there, but not very far." One said. I was ushered to the throne to sit down as they looked over the situation. His arm was getting out farther!

"Hold him in a while longer" said another.

I kept pushing his arm back in when my gut began to feel strange. It bumbled lowly and rumbled so greatly I shook! Uncle Matt's hand went back in, until he forced himself completely out. From his chest up he managed to escape, but the rest of him refused to budge. He began screaming in horror and cursing aloud at me that I tried to eat him. I nearly panicked since he came out of such a small space in my stomach! He kept trying to break free he was pulling with all his might. I could feel my insides tug as he pulled. He wasn't going anywhere.

"Pull him in gently!" I was ordered. Gently I began to suck in my stomach. Matt slowly came back in and vanished into me once more. The elders brought in plaster that they used on Uncle Matt from earlier, it was placed in my navel to prevent him from trying to escape again.

I was getting worried. "He's not happy," I told the elders. "We can't do this to him!"

"You have little choice right now. He is what stands between life and death for your queen and children! You cannot feed your wife when she in such a state. Nor are you able to retain the heat she needs."

"We should have warned him. He would have done it if we asked!" I protested

I began to feel a tightening inside of me. The elders gently checked my sides and my stomach. "You have sealed him, he cannot leave. Not anymore. Now young sire, listen carefully," The oldest elder told me what had just happened. The tightening was my stomach wrapping around Matt in a gently coil. I feel when he is hungry. They kept expressing how important it was of me to stay calm and ensure Matt was kept large. It was of great importance.

They assisted me to the throne and stated I should rest. I have to ensure Matt settles and everything has gone according to tradition. The elders left as Matt began to resist again, he really didn't want to be forced into this. I shut my eyes to sleep, but I heard him. Uncle Matt was screaming as if he stood right next to me! But… how? I jumped every time I heard it, it grew worst when his voice seemed to echo the room. "WHY!" he would demand. "Why did you do this! Kratos, you know I would never hurt you. What the hell happened?" I thought I was going mad with guilt, not realizing I was connected to uncle Matt through a telepathic link.

"Uncle Matt, please let me explain!" I would call to the room. I thought I was going out of my mind until he began to yell at me once more.

"No, get your dad back and get me out!"

"I can't!"

I remember this blinding flash of light. I must have fallen unconscious. The flash allowed me to remain in the room, a dream state as it were. I looked as I should and before me was Uncle Matt with his fists balled, there was a horrible curl in his lip as I knew very well. He was extremely upset. "Kratos… what have you done!"

I began to cry to him, telling him what had happened and why I did what I did. I was told how serious the consequences were if I did not follow the tradition for Eva, it was also the first time in thousands of years since a dragon has survived and mated. "I thought it was a good idea, I assumed it was nothing more than what dad did for me when I was a infant at first. But everything so different! I didn't know before that Sheeva couldn't stay out exposed to the elements. They told me the night before the dinner party with you and the others. At the time, she was picking…" I paused as Matt nodded.

"No kidding. Why me though!" he demanded. "You know the hell I have been through already, and now you put me through this! Hell, I rather be Dark's pet right now than trapped inside of your gut!"

"Nothing will happen to you in there! I swear Uncle Matt!" I told him with all the sincerity I could in my voice. I went on to explain Eva picked him because he was plump from the Realm job. As well his survival of Dark is legend to the Shokan people. "She wanted a hero to be hers in this great time of need" I explained.

Matt was still angry, yet his look began to lighten. "Why didn't she ask? I may have done it if she did!"

"We cannot ask. It's the law once more. She thought it would be honorable for you to do this. It's obvious you don't, and I am truly sorry"

"Ok… ok, we'll work this through. Get me out and we will sit and talk about it"

That was easier said than done. "I… can't," I whispered. Uncle Matt was getting stressed as he questioned why. I told him about my stomach, it has firmly fitted around him, so I can't bring him back up. "You have to stay until Eva is ready for the children"

"Ok… ok… here's what we do…" Matt began to think over possible ideas but grew stumped.

"I swear to you Uncle Matt. I will take care of you. You took care of me when I was a child… Nothing will harm you!"

Uncle Matt was still upset with me, yet he understood now. "You need to promise me, when your dad comes back. You tell him everything! The whole truth!"

I cringed to think of Father's reaction to me deceiving him and the others. But I agreed and promised to tell Uncle Jeff as well.

I woke once more, my stomach was calm, settled and no longer hurt. I was about to drift into a rest, when I heard a ruckus coming outside the doors. The elders came into the room… followed by my father!

I am in deep trouble!