Three months had passed after the death and mummification of Pharaoh Aknamkanon. Atem and Teana completely took over their duties as the rightful rulers of the Egypt. The event only caused the couple to become closer and closer in the time of difficulty and pain. However, at this moment it was Teana who was in some pain.
Her head hurt and she felt lightheaded. She lay on her bed, unable to find sleep. She wasn't feeling well at all this morning and it was quite unexpected. She secretly arranged for the healers to pay her a visit while Atem was seeing to his royal duties. She didn't want to worry Atem. After the passing of his father he would be likely to take this small sickness in much fear. The healers, however could not find anything wrong with her when she called them.
She didn't want to get out of bed, but Atem would come back soon and he would question her for being in bed at such an hour. She sighed and forced herself to get up, trying to straighten out her clothing. She heard a knock at the door. Opening it, she was relieved to find it was just Shukura. She gave a sigh of relief, followed by a warm smile.
"Shukura! Come in!" She said. "What brings you?"
"You have been in your room all day!" She exclaimed. "What is the matter? I heard the healers were sent to your room as well? Are you alright?" She asked in concern.
Teana shook her head, putting her hand upon her forehead. So much for keeping the whole ordeal a secret. She sighed. "I feel a little ill and now the whole palace knows about it! It is nothing to worry about. I just do not want Atem to find out. He has enough to concern himself with." She frowned.
"Do not worry, I certainly will not tell him." She promised.
It was at that moment that the doors opened wide to a slightly frantic Atem. "Teana!" He exclaimed looking at her then to Shukura who was standing next to her. He paused and looked back at his wife.
Shukura smiled, shrugging her shoulders. "I shall see you later then, Teana." She said taking her leave. Atem nodded as she left and when she left, he returned his attention to the woman in front of him.
"I heard you called for the healers!" He widened his eyes. He stepped forward and cupped her cheek. "Are you alright? What is the matter? What did they say?" He questioned her frantically.
Teana bit her lip and removed Atem's hand from her face. "I am fine! I am fine!" She tried to assure him. "It is nothing."
"What did the healers say it was?" He questioned. Teana widened her eyes. Atem was using his voice of authority, the one he uses to give orders as pharaoh.
"I...uh. They were not sure what it was." She waved her hand. "See, I am out of bed now! Surely it was just temporary. Must have been something that I ate. I feel better now. Truly."
Atem took a few moments to stare at her to see if he could tell if she was lying. He sighed and nodded. "Come let us take a walk in the gardens." He said grabbing her hand. "Some fresh air shall do you some good."
Teana hadn't been lying when she said she felt better, she did...but not by much. She hoped that this sickness she was feeling would go away by tomorrow.
Except it didn't. It continued and Teana had to hide it as much as she could. The healers could not diagnose it. Teana didn't know what to do. She began to fear the worse.
It was two weeks later that Teana still had to deal with the uneasiness she felt. Sometimes she felt dizzy, sometimes her stomach upset her, other times she felt completely famished and sometimes she was inexplicably tired when she had done nothing to tire her out.
Teana was presently walking through the halls of the palace as she returned from the council meeting she had to endure, when she looked to see a familiar face.
"My Princess, I must have a word with you." Isis approached her in a direct fashion.
"Me?" Teana asked surprised. Isis gestured to her chambers which were there. "Alright, I suppose." She said entering Isis's room.
"I have heard you have been feeling a bit ill lately?" Isis asked carefully as they both sat down.
"I suppose. It comes and goes. It has been bothering me for almost two weeks now." She pursed and twisted her lips. "Quite a rather odd illness if you ask me. It has increased my appetite slightly."
Isis nodded he head as if understanding. "It is not quite an illness Teana."
Teana widened her eyed. "Oh dear! Ra protect me! If it is not an illness, then what is it?" She questioned extremely worried, fearing a disease rather.
"I apologize for worrying you. You have nothing to fear." Isis humbly apologized.
Teana let go of a breath of air she did not know she was keeping. "Oh. What is it then?" She looked at her expectantly.
"You have laid with Atem multiple times now have you not?"
"I... uh...What?" Teana turned scarlet, wishing she could disappear.
"I do not mean to pry, but I have seen events in the future that I believe may come to us shortly."
"What do you mean to say Isis?"
"Princess, I believe you are with child." Teana gave a loud gasp.
"W-with...ch-child?" She stuttered, immediately standing up with her eyes open wide. Isis stood up alongside her, put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Teana looked down at her stomach and put a hand to it. "I am going to be a mother?" She asked Isis is disbelief.
"Yes, Princess." Isis said kindly nodding slowly.
"Oh my Ra." With that she collapsed.
"Princess!" Isis exclaimed, grabbing hold of Teana before she reached the floor.
"Healers! I need healers!" Isis yelled. Guards stormed in. "She has collapsed! Please we need to get her to a bed." Some guards rushed to call them.
"Teana?!" Jono rushed in. He had been nearby and heard the commotion.
"She is in good health. She has just fainted. She just needs some rest." Isis explained.
"I shall take her to her bed." Jono said grabbing Teana from Isis to gather her in his arms and take her away.
"Mmm..." Teana mumbled. "Where am I?" Teana questioned rubbing her eyes.
"Teana, love you are awake!" Teana opened her eyes to see Atem's concerned face looking right down at her.
"Atem!" She yelled in shock from his face hovering over hers so close. "Oh you scared me!" She said putting her hand to her chest.
"Me scaring you? You scared me!" Atem exclaimed, squeezing her hand. He put his hand up to his cheeks cherishing the warmth of her face. "You had me so worried dear."
Teana took a deep sigh as a recollection of the events that just passed came back to her.
"Atem." She hesitated. "What happened while I was...you know..."
Atem pressed his lips together. "Isis told me that you fainted while speaking with her and she caught you. She called for the healers and guards, while Jono found his way to you. He was nearby, I was told, when he heard the commotion. Hondo alerted me about the matter while Jono took you to our chambers to lie you down."
"Oh."
Atem passed a hand gently past down Teana's cheek. "Love, if you were that ill you should have stayed in bed. No one would pass judgment." He said and proceeded to kiss Teana's forehead. "I checked with the healers earlier and they do not seem to find any illness. I hope it is not the same illness as from before. Either way, I do hope you rest."
Teana blinked. "I.. Atem?" She asked.
"Yes love?"
"Did Isis... tell you anything else?"
"What do you mean?"
Teana swallowed. "Like did she tell you what might have caused me to faint?"
"Uh, well no. Do not worry, I am sure it is just lack of rest. May Ra give you good strength and health back soon." He smiled reassuringly.
"Oh, alright." She said in relief. "I am a little hungry though. I could do for some supper."
Atem nodded. "Alright, as long as you shall be fine out of bed." He gave her his hand and pulled her up. Teana however stumbled slightly.
"Woah. Easy." He said steadying her by holding her around the waist. "Are you sure you are alright?" Teana nodded.
"Yes, just shaken up from collapsing before." She uneasily said. The truth was this wasn't the case. Her fainting was not what was shaking her up. It was the information she discovered moments before that. She was pregnant. Fear consumed her.
Teana gave an uneasy smile. "Atem I am fine, I am famished. I really want to go to the dining hall to eat."
Atem paused, but did not deny her request. "Alright if you say so."
He led her to the dining hall, although he did keep a strong hold on her arm, just in case. He led Teana to a chair and pulled it back for her so she could sit down and then pushed it in for her, being the gentlemen he was. He then proceeded to sit at the edge of her table so he could be diagonal to Tea. They were the only ones there, as dinner time had been over a while ago.
Atem himself did not eat prior, as he was waiting for Teana to wake and make certain she was alright. He was a bit glad that Teana was as famished as he was. He dug into the food that the servants brought for them. Perhaps worrying made him hungry.
He shyly observed Teana as he ate. He still was concerned about her. He was surprised to see she had finished off her plate and was reaching for a smaller second helping. 'That is odd.' Atem noted. 'She consistently eats the same amount almost every day. Although she had been eating a little more lately...' Atem shrugged it off. 'She has been out for quite some time. That probably must have made her quite hungry.' He thought as he continued to slowly devour his meat.
When Atem looked again, he saw Teana taking another small third helping of food. This was weird. No, this was astonishing. Teana was eating double the food she ate in one sitting! Where did it go all? Atem wondered. Teana had a very slender frame and it was shown by how her consistent eating habits.
"The roast is quite good today, darling." Teana told him interrupting his flow of thoughts. "Did you have some yet?" She asked.
Atem blinked. "Um, no. I shall try some now." He said reaching out to put some on his plate absentmindedly.
Teana giggled. "Are you alright dear? You seem out of it."
Atem shook his head. "I am alright. I should be the one asking if you are alright." Teana smiled at him and continued to eat.
After eating dinner, Atem and Teana walked back to their room to retire from the night.
Teana yawned before climbing onto the bed once changing into her nightgown. Atem joined her on the bed and Teana cuddled up to him. "I am so tired." She told him.
Atem tilted his head down to his chest where Teana had laid part of her head."Even after all that sleep?" He chuckled.
Teana lightly patted his bare chest. "Yes. Even after all that sleep. It is not my fault that I am...I felt ill." She corrected herself. Well, in retrospect...it was her fault, that she was pregnant. It was Atem's fault just as much as hers though. They were equal partners in this.
With her eyes still closed, Teana didn't realize her expression changed to show her worry. Atem looking down at her did notice.
"Love." He called, lifting her chin so her eyes met his. "You have nothing to worry about. The healer said they could find no illness." He said, thinking this was the reason for her worry.
Teana weakly smiled. 'Shall I tell him now?' She thought. She was too nervous to do so and just replied back to Atem smiling a little stronger this time. "Yes, well let us retire now for the night. I shall hopefully feel better in the morning."
Atem silently agreed and the two lovers quickly fell to a good night's sleep.
This was originally going to be two small chapters, but then I just smooshed it together because I've been giving you small chapters lately. This chapter is over a timespan of about two weeks. In this chapter (gasp!) Teana is pregnant! :P Come now, I've only been hinting it since the start of the fanfiction. It was bound to happen eventually! Lol. She still has to tell Atem about it though and she's also kind of freaked out about being pregnant. She's worried about actually becoming a mother.
*** So I have a question for you guys: Do you guys prefer that I split up chapters so that the timespan doesn't skip in a chapter (so chapters are smaller) or do you not mind it (larger chapters like this one)? Let me know in the reviews!
***Also I'm going to try to have more consistent updates (key word TRY). I'm going to try to update 'Betrothed' on Thursdays or Fridays. '(Un)Requited Love' will be updated on Fridays or Saturdays. So keep an eye out on those days for updates.
-Also a special super thanks to all my readers and reviewers. I never thought my story would get to this height! I've reached over 15,000 views, 200 reviews and nearly 50,000 words (we're getting there! lol). You guys have really given support to me on this story. I read every single review and keep it in mind and if I don't say it enough, thank you everyone! Your support really means a lot.
~Startistica