Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight – I don't even want to!

CHAPTER TEN

"If you could envision
The meaning of a tragedy
Ooh, you might be
Surprised to hear it's you and me."

~Christina Perri

Large hands cover the tiny bump on my stomach, fingertips caressing the smooth, pale skin. Edward has pulled me against his chest, comforting me in his own way.

Of course, I had heard of morning sickness – the nausea that accompanies a woman's pregnancy.

But, on Earth where the pregnancies were drawn out, the sickness was mild compared to what I was no experiencing. I breathe and my stomach rolls. I am thirsty, but the thought of water – or anything in my mouth – makes me queasy.

Edward didn't know what to do. His hands, while smooth and cool, made my body unbelievable hot and uncomfortable, unless they were on my stomach.

Based on the apologetic expression on his face, Edward is at a loss as to what he should do. He clearly wants to take away the effects of the quick pregnancy without taking the pregnancy out all together.

Impossibly sweet.

But I wouldn't give up the churning in my stomach for anything. I relished in the urge to purge whatever nutrition was trying to be absorbed in my body.

We created a life.

It has been two days since we found out, six since my heat and the startling pricks of barbs digging into the canals of my sex.

Three days since Edward informed me of the conversation he heard between his parents.

One day since the Queen – her kind eyes and disposition – had come to warn me of the quick pregnancy and the uncomfortable, intense aspects that might not have been so apparent on Earth. I had thought I would be able to anticipate whatever side effects might come along.

I was wrong.

I feel a flutter low in my stomach as Edward's skin-kissed skin roves over the slightly growing bump. I do not miss my flat stomach.

Along with the flutter, the nausea rolls through my stomach and I squirm, rolling to bury my face in the spot between Edward's neck and shoulder where his scent is stronger.

"Where are the herbs your mother brought?"

The queen had taken the time to hand-pick and mix a set of herbs that were supposed to be steamed into a tea – a home remedy that Leumian women had been using for the longest time.

Edward carefully moves me to lay on my side, tucking soft furs around my prone body, before he jumps up and quickly puts the tea together. The scent of the herbs is strong – almost too strong.

But as I continue to inhale, I find comfort in the pungent scents. They are soothing and my body reacts kindly, as if knowing exactly where the herbs have come from. Some kind of ingrained reaction to the Leumian tradition that still holds true.

Thankfully, the tea tastes much better than it smells and it easily soothes my raging stomach.

It seems our baby enjoys the tea, because the fluttering in my stomach stops altogether. When Edward can no longer feel the miniscule vibrations, he frowns.

I had been shocked that he would be able to feel the baby moving around, as it was so soon and the baby was tiny. But the Queen had told me about Leumian pregnancy in detail.

I would have no more surprises.

Right now, the baby was rapidly developing and what would take seven months on Earth, was happening in one on Leumian. The last two months of the pregnancy would be to ensure the baby was strong enough to survive at his own. It all meant that my first month would show my stomach progressing from flat to almost fully-grown.

So different.

I wondered if my mother's pregnancy was similar.

And then, a thought flickers in my mind, loud and so strung with truth that I felt a tightening in my throat.

My father knew.

He knew my mother was Leumian, knew that I was a half-breed and I'm sure he knew what would happen when he sent me here.

I feel sick as I realize the depth of my father's manipulation.

A politician.

Never a father.

My head falls back, my eyes connect with Edward's, and I whisper my horrified suspicions. "What if the King was right?"

Nausea so different from what I associated with my quick pregnancy rolled over my skin, a dull prickling of electricity in my brain signaling the severity of my anxiety.

Edward runs a soothing hand over my short hair. "It does not change anything. We are mated. You and our child will be safe."

"But what if I'm playing a role in a plan-"

"Then we will deal with that if the time comes."

Edward sounds so strong and assured.

Like the Prince that he is.

He changes the subject abruptly, sliding off the bed and pulling a sleek box from underneath a particularly fluffy fur.

"This is for you," he smiles, kissing my jaw with an open mouth.

I take the flat box, surprised at the weight. "What is it?"

"A tradition."

I glance at him, feeling my brows raise.

"On Leumin, it is traditional for the mate of a pregnant female to gift the mother of his child with a special stone. Most often, the first stone is fashioned as a piece of jewelry. Open it," he nudges me, unable to hold in the wide, fang-flashing grin taking over his face.

I force my eyes away from his face and look at the box resting in my hands.

I open it.

I gasp.

The chain is short and delicate, silver-hued but darker, like ancient pewter. I can sense the heavy percentage of metal in the chain – and the heavier percent in the stone itself.

To call it a stone was almost insulting. It is a gem, silver in the center and seeming to branch across the color spectrum as I turn the box; every angle revealed a new color, more mesmerizing than the last.

"We call it lormaline," he tells me, lifting the chain from the box and slipping it over my head. The stone rests snugly in the center of my chest, a warm weight that seems to excite the small child in my womb.

The baby flutters, as if trying to be more near to the lormaline stone. I tell Edward as much and he nods.

"The stone is soothing to the child," he confirms, his hand drifting down to cover my naked stomach again.

I hadn't bothered to get dressed today, as Edward had been insistent on seeing the growth of our child.

I didn't mind – and I couldn't argue against his pleading face. This was his, our, first child. He is excited to be a father, excited to see my body change as a direct result of supporting the life we made.

I could never deny him.

My fingers flutter lightly over the gem, soothing sparks touching my fingertips with every caress. I feel tied to this stone, a certain familiarity though I hadn't ever been around lormaline to my knowledge.

My mind analyzed the metal content again, my brows furrowing at the sheer density. "What else is lormaline used for?"

Edward's fingers continue their mindless play on my stomach. "Lormaline is very important on Leumin," he begins, his voice serious. "I believe humans mine coal, yes? Leumian's mine lormaline, going deep into caves and natural voids on the planet to dig it out. Raw lormaline falls off in thick sheets and, when harnessed right, can be used as an energy resource. Actually, all of the energy in the palace runs off a lormaline slab. The stone, as I'm sure you can tell, has vast amounts of energy. Something about that energy sooths pregnant females and their children."

I nod, taking in all of his soft-spoken facts.

"I didn't know Leumin had those types of resources."

Edward pauses his hand and looks up at me. "We protect that information."

Of course.

The lack of information on Leumin suddenly makes sense and, with a pit forming in my stomach, I wonder if their secret had ever been leaked.

Did my mother trust my father enough to reveal her home planet's most critical secret?

I hoped not.

"Leumian's can also control lormaline," Edward says.

And then, as I am absorbing the meaning of his words, the gem around my neck floats over my head, Edward's hand raised and directing the stone as it moves seamlessly around the room.

Of course, the baby fusses, fluttering in my stomach as the lormaline moves further away and, upon noticing the sudden distress on my face, Edward hastily returns the necklace to me.

Once the warm gem is laying on my chest, I whisper my astonishment. "That was amazing."

Edward quirks his lips, much like a human man might quirk his brows. The expression seems to hold more significance with the hairless Leumian. "You do the exact thing, Bella."

My face heats slightly. I do, to an extent. Perhaps my affinity with metal – and apparently lormaline with its high metal content – stems from the Leumian part of my heritage.

The thought is slightly comforting, like a mystery finally solved. My second talent had always been a looming question over my head. It was almost as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, one less concern over the wellbeing of my mind.

Eventually, Edward reluctantly left our room – our chambers, as he called them – to fetch food for us. He didn't trust any of the maids and, apparently, it was another unspoken Leumian tradition for the male to provide special food for his mate. Leumian's believed that the food eaten during pregnancy affected the strength and mental capabilities of the child. I didn't find this theory too odd, as human women thought the same thing.

With the lormaline around my neck, warming my skin just enough to ward off the chill that had taken over my body since I became pregnant, I no longer felt as tired as I did before Edward gave me the gem.

I wondered if the Leumian's realized how many talents the stone seemed to have.

As I was not tired, my mind began to roam more freely and soon, the need to be on my feet became unbearable. I had always been a mobile person, active with my limbs. I might have been able to attribute this trait to my Leumin heritage.

I stand carefully and pull on a silky smooth robe, the light blue hem floating half a foot around my feet, dragging the floor with every step I took. The sleeves were loose and bell-shaped. It might be the one piece of female Leumian clothing that allowed the shoulders to be covered. Edward said it was because primarily pregnant females wore it.

My brain was still reacting slightly to the lormaline on my skin, the gem igniting the need to use my second talent.

I couldn't resist.

Automatically, I began warming up with the light metal objects that were around the room. Control came back to me quickly, though it had been far too long since I had used telekinesis.

The heavy metal content of the lormaline was taunting me.

A challenge.

Focusing my attention on the gem was easy.

Moving the gem even a quarter of an inch from my chest was not.

I hadn't ever come across such a high metal content in such a small object. Lormaline made steel feel easy, though steel was what I struggled with most on Earth.

I frown, thinking of the ease Edward had with lormaline.

Most likely, my half-human blood was hindering me.

Still, I push for more. I push until my head begins to throb and an almost nervous fluttering in my stomach prompts me to stop. The baby knew I was pushing myself too hard.

So did Edward.

"What are you doing?" Edward demands, rushing into the room, his jaw clenched tight, his odd hair standing up at awkward angles atop his head.

I had never seen him so angry.

His fangs were even poking at his bottom lip.

"Are you trying to injure yourself?"

Immediately, I feel guilty. I hadn't been thinking and that wasn't like me. I always analyzed everything before making a decision, but this time I hadn't.

I had been selfish.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, feeling my eyes tearing up.

Edward's face softens and he pulls me tightly towards his chest, one hand moving down to rub my stomach where it is trapped between us. "I know. But you must never do that again," he orders, and then pauses. "That is not fair. You must never do that alone again," he amends, running a large hand over the curve of my back. "I wouldn't want either of you to be harmed."

"I wasn't thinking. I just missed it…"

"Understandable. It is a big part of your life. But it is also dangerous, ta'jema."

I feel my brows furrow at the odd word. I try to emulate the noise, but find that I can't roll the pause between syllables like Edward did.

Edward huffs out a laugh and repeats the word.

"What does it mean?"

"It is old Leumian," he tells me, moving us towards the bed where he had put down a dome of food. "It means desire or love. Ta'jema."

I smile. "It is very beautiful."

Edward touches a finger to my nose. "You are very beautiful. And so is our hungry child."

The dome is pulled away from the food and I feel my eyes widen at the wide array of aromas, textures and colors.

"The chef recommended I bring a variety, as pregnant females often have cravings."

I nod absently, silently agreeing with him because, for some reason, the piece of purple fruit that seemed to be covered in a feather-like shell looked delicious. I reached for it, and as if I had always eaten it, I methodically pull off the feathers.

It was not a fruit, Edward later explained to me after I had eaten four of them. It was, apparently, a type of vegetable with seeds. I equated it to an odd looking tomato, though it was more sour than sweet.

After eating, a sudden bout of exhaustion won over my body and I succumbed to a deep sleep, Edward's body wrapped almost completely around mine, as if shielding me from the air and light.

I dream of a child with vibrant turquoise eyes, fair skin and her father's blond to bronze hair. She is beautiful and I almost feel, upon waking, that the child growing inside me had given me a preview of the future.

Edward is extremely reluctant to let me out of our chambers, but I insist upon it as I miss Rosalie and Alice. Both had tried to visit me two days ago, but Edward had thwarted them, growling something fierce and not allowing them to see into the room.

I could not be annoyed at him.

It was the Leumian way.

Upon entering the throne room where food had already been set on the wide table, the Queen and her daughter smile widely at me. The dress I am wearing completely conceals my stomach between the folds of fabric but the Queen already knows of the pregnancy. I assume she shared the news with Rosalie.

She did not, however, inform her husband.

I feel his eyes hot on the chain around my neck before I hear his enraged roar.

Then the harsh sound of clattering chairs and plates.

Then Edward's strong arms pulling me behind his body and pressing me against his back, his body tensing and ferocious growls escaping his rumbling chest.

"She carries a demon!" The King yells. I can hear the sounds of his struggling and assume Emmett or Jasper have restrained him, though I didn't have time to register their presence in the room. It must be them, though; because they are the only Leumian's brave enough and strong enough to fight against the King while Edward is protecting me. The servants would be too scared.

I feel my body tremble with unrestrained fear in response to his words, my arms crossing over my stomach and my back hunching over, my head pressed into Edward's spine.

Protecting my child.

I feel a flicker of electricity flowing over my skin and fight against the twitch in my brain that prompts me to move metals. Now would not be the ideal time to reveal that to the King.

"Carlisle!" The Queen cries, horrified. I hear a sharp slap and can almost see her hand hitting his face because the entire room quiets in stunned silence. And then, I hear the quick sound again and the Queen's furious voice. "That is our grandchild. A little Prince. A tiny Princess. You will not ever say that again."

"I will say what I want!"

"Bella has more right to your throne than you do," the Queen declares. Her voice is cold.

The King hisses.

And I consider her words. It hadn't ever occurred to me that I do, technically, have more of a right to reside over Leumin than Edward's family does. I don't want that power, but it is mine. It runs in my blood.

I have nothing to fear from the King.

The realization straightens my spine, presses my lips together and gives me the courage to stop hiding behind Edward. I step away and around him, taking in the scene before me.

The Queen's hand is still raised, both of the King's cheeks an angry red, his body limp between the tight grips of Emmett and Jasper.

A ghost of Edward's fingers run over the curve of my shoulder.

I step close to the King, feeling the zings of electricity flowing freely on my skin. If I were to touch him, he would drop to the ground, unable to move for the next hour. I clutch my fingers into the dress.

"I do not want you're throne," I say softly, slowly so he can hear only clearly. "I want to live with my mate in peace. Our child will be born into a peaceful life and will be cherished. And," I pause, letting the electricity on my sky grow until I can feel the hair on my head standing away from my face. "If you mean to harm my child, I will end you."

The King's eyes widen. "That's treason!"

I straighten my chin and step forward. He flinches. "It is not. As your Queen so kindly pointed out, I do have more right to the throne. I would be safe from prosecution."

I watch as understanding dawns on the King's face.

He so easily forgot my lineage – perhaps it is not as big of a concern as he lets on.

"But I do not want your crown. Not like this."

I force my body to relax as I step away, my hair settling against my scalp smoothly. Edward pulls me into his arms, ignoring the residual sting as our skin touches. His hand drifts down to my stomach, carefully caressing the ever-growing bump – the baby flutters again and I smile slightly.

The King rushes past us, out of the room.

The thick silence doesn't last long, as Alice asks me about the baby.

We eat in peaceful company and return to our chambers. I fall asleep almost immediately.

When I wake, Edward eagerly – yet gently – slides his fingers through the slickness of my core. He removes his mouth from my breast and instead begins to nip at my ears and throat.

Before he enters me, Edward peppers my stomach with tiny kisses, sweetly whispering to our child.

Inside me, he just barely thrusts, keeping his pelvic bone tight to mine so that he is almost constantly rubbing against my clit. It keeps me on the precipice, slowly driving me mad until my entire body is burning with need. I buck up, frustrated and groaning.

Edward grins; moving his hands so one holds my wrists above my head and the other forces my hips to remain flat against the bed. He moves even slower, making sure that he brushes up against the most sensitive parts of my core as he pivots his hips.

"My brave little mate," he growls, licking a hot trail from my collarbone to my neck.

My core clenches and he stops completely, waiting for several seconds until the flush on my chest recedes again. When he does move, his pattern is random – smooth and slow, quick, then one hard thrust before he presses his hips close to mine again and barely pushes in and out.

I clench again and he stops, tugging on my ear. "Mother of my child," he breathes.

And then, he moves in earnest, moving to rest on his knees and tilting my hips up as his thrusts quicken, his hands tight on my body so I cannot dream of moving.

We release at the same time, a breathy moan for me as my climax stretches on - and Edward with a rumbling growl, his bright eyes locked with mine.

I am still shuddering as Edward pulls me close to his chest, kissing my lips gently.

"You were so appetizing in your sleep," he tells me, stroking my flesh with a smooth hand. "I could not resist."

"Is it safe for the baby?"

I knew that sex during pregnancy was safe on Earth, but perhaps it was different on Leumin.

Edward chuckles. "Of course. My release does have certain enzymes that are important for development. In fact, I should claim you more often."

And so, he did. This time he spread my legs wide and placed my knees on his shoulders so that my body was folded in on itself.

Later, after a long soaking bath, Edward escorts me to a large room that was much like the ancient ruined library of the Skye palace.

"I must meet up with Elder, here. Feel free to roam. The room is safe."

I knew the contents of the scroll had been eating at Edward's mind and, in light of that; I refused to leave his side. I rather liked his presence and I wanted to support him.

The elder's skin was papery and burnt sienna in color, his eyes wise and golden. He bowed deeply to me for a much longer time that he bowed to Edward, showing his respects to the life growing within me as well.

"Much of the scrolls were damaged in the ruins, I'm afraid," he tells Edward, his voice scratchy and low.

"Could anything be recovered?"

"Oh, yes. Mind you, it did take some time and the language is more ancient than I initially thought."

Edward examines the opened scroll, the dirty paper that is ripped, eroded and burnt in random spaces. "What does it say?"

"It is a prophecy."

I furrow my brows. "What kind of prophecy? One that has been fulfilled?"

The elder looks at me with a wise smile. "Not yet, Small Queen."

"What does it say?" Edward asks again, squinting his eyes at the scroll.

"There will be a child born of mixed blood who will protect the planet from the enemies who will destroy for our stone."

The elder let's that sink in before he continues.

"It is not clear if the child has been born yet," he tells us, glancing at me pointedly. "It is also unclear if the enemies will be new or old. The only thing that does seem possible is that the stone it speaks of must be lormaline. It is the highest object of value on Leumin."

My fingers touch my necklace as my mind races.

Surely the enemy is my father.

If he knew my mother was Leumian, then he might have known about lormaline.

But will this protector be me?

Or my unborn child?

Edward quietly thanks the elder and pays him, though the elder politely refuses any form of payment, citing his joy of being so helpful to the crown.

We are both lost in our thoughts as we walk back to our chambers.

We did not expect to find the King waiting patiently outside our door.

Before I can blink in surprise, Edward crouches before me, the majority of my body hidden behind his.

"I mean no harm," the King says, raising his hands to show the lack of weapons. "I have come to give my greatest apologies."

That stops Edward's growl cold.

He stands, warily looking at his father and still hiding my body from his father's sight.

"I have been wrong. Your mate did not deserve any-"

"You're right. She didn't," Edward interrupts coldly.

The King sighs. "I will prove my change of being, son."

And as the King walks away, I silently accept his apology, though none of it was spoken directly to me.

There were more important things to worry about now.

I close my eyes and press my lips onto Edward's back.

Things would be changing quickly.

A/N: questions answered, I hope? SAT's are this Saturday for me, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. We shall see!

JessJess76 – your review left me smiling! I'm glad everyone wants to smack the stupid out of my Carlisle!

v-alice – you are sweeter than pecan pie! You deserve a trillion cookies!

handsdowntoo – hope I didn't disappoint!

james3142 – about time someone smacked Carlisle, huh? Lol

telaviv – surely a lawsuit would be worth it? Kidding, kidding. Keep "SQUEE"ing!

Twilight Rocker 12 – sure you're not making them up? Lol I Googled them to check! Challenge for this week is….W. You're so hairy!

PeaceLoveEmpathy – loved your rant!

YesMyRealNameIsBella – seriously, are you in my head picking out the plot? Lol

Special shout out to PanteraFenix Negra! Thanks for reading!

And extra special shout out to the first review of the last chapter - aixa00, who had a really good question. As a human, while her Leumian side was more dormant – because Leumian females come into "puberty" at 17 – Bella had regular periods. Heat is different in that there is a lot of blood very quickly but it stops just as fast and that is the best time for a Leumian female to get pregnant. The first heat is the most painful.

I just want to thank everyone who puts me on Author Alerts, Favorite Author lists, Story Alerts and Favorite Story lists. Really, you guys blow me away - and blow up my inbox. There's so many that I couldn't possibly keep up with the names, but I do appreciate it.

As always, be brutally honest. I can take it.

~ cupcakeriot