"Explain everything, now." Ice King sighed as he settled into the sitting room. Tree Trunks stood before him; Flame and Marceline flanking her.
"Explain what?" Tree Trunks growled. She didn't have time to beat around the bush with Simon.
"Why Fionna is here after what you did to her? Who was that boy? Who healed her? Why is Fionna here?" Ice King looked away from the group. He knew he'd hurt Fionna and he would never forgive himself but Fionna forgave him.
"She was captured by Magic Man when she left. I rescued her." Tree Trunks gasped while the others looked at him in confusion. Tree Trunks was the only one knew who Magic Man was. "That boy is her son."
That brought about the expected gasps. Flame was the first to recover, still shocked.
"She has a son?" Ice King nodded.
"I was as shocked as you are." Tree Trunks shook her head, deciding to focus on the more important facts.
"What did Magic Man want with her?" Ice King shrugged. He hadn't really thought to do much more than get Fionna out of there before she and her son were killed.
"I don't know. When I got there he was going to kill them. I knocked him out and we left." Tree Trunks sighed hoping he had gotten more information. Still, Ice King had saved her and that was what mattered.
"And why is she back here?" The judgment dripping from Marceline's voice was not appreciated and the man glared at her.
"She didn't have anywhere else to go." Flame stepped forward, far more tactful though still judgemental.
"She couldn't go home?" Ice King frowned at all of them. What did they think he'd done? He hadn't forced her back here!
"She asked to come here." They still looked skeptical and Ice King growled. The door suddenly swung open and that infernal cat sauntered in, jumping up onto the nearest table and making herself at home.
"She can't go home." Ice King scowled at her.
"How would you know?" Cake smirked at him, sarcasm already present.
"An unwed mother with two children? How ever could she go home?" Ice King frowned in confusion. Two children?
"She only has one child, Neptr. I don't see how he could be a new problem." Cake shook her head, lording her knowledge over him. She knew something, something he didn't.
"Neptr isn't the issue." Ice King's frowned deepened. What was that cat talking about?
"Then I don't-" Cake flickered her tail, ready to shock the room.
"Her daughter is." Now he was really confused. What was that cat talking about?
"What daughter?" Cake grinned, information on the tip of her tongue. She knew Fionna was still nervous about telling everyone what was going on but Cake had no qualms about spilling this information. It was such fun.
"The one in her stomach." Ice King stared, mind trying to catch up with what Cake had said.
"She's pregnant?" Cake nodded, stretching out on the table as she looked around the room. Tree Trunks had fallen into one of the nearby chairs while Flame and Marceline were numb with shock.
"Well you would know, considering it's your child." That drew Ice King out of his thoughts quickly.
"My…" He stood. He needed to talk to Fionna. He needed to understand. "I need to see her."
Tree Trunks rushed to the doorway, anger practically radiating off of her.
"You got her pregnant?" How could Simon do this? When had Simon done this? He'd only been gone for a few weeks. There was no way they had fallen in love and slept together in such a short amount of time. "When?"
"I don't-" He didn't have time for this. For their judgment and questions. He needed to hear this from Fionna. Needed to know how this had happened. And why she had kept it from him. "I have to go."
He pushed past the others, freezing the floor behind himself. They would not follow him. He needed to speak with Fionna alone.
"Fionna!" Finn tensed as the door to his rooms slammed open. He knew Ice King would come, there was no way Cake would be able to keep the information to herself. For a moment he was thankful that Neptr had wandered off to the adjacent room to explore. The boy didn't need to see this.
"Cake told you." Ice King stood in the doorway, breath rushing out of him. Fionna wasn't even looking at him. Why wouldn't she look at him?
"How? We've never..." Finn smiled bitterly, throwing a glance over his shoulder. He couldn't bring himself to turn and face the king. He didn't want to see the anger and disgust that was sure to come to the man's face.
"Your magic. When you froze me." Ice King frowned. When he'd frozen her? But that wasn't possible. True, some of his magic had run through her but that couldn't work.
"That shouldn't have worked. That would only work if you had a magical womb." There it was. He had to know the truth, if not on the way to figuring it out. Finn felt himself hunch over. He'd thought he'd have more time. More time to get to know the man. More time to fall in love and find someone who could love him in return. But it seemed some things weren't meant to be.
"Who said I don't?" What? But if she had a magic womb then... that couldn't be.
"But… Only men have magical wombs." Finn nodded, waiting for the retaliation. He should have known better. He may have accepted the curse but that didn't mean others would. Even in a kingdom of magic he was still the odd one out.
"I know." That would mean that she, she was he.
"You lied to me." Finn finally turned at the distress in Ice King's voice. The man had moved into the room, door shut behind him as he stalked towards Finn.
"No one could know." Ice King growled, staring down at the boy below him.
"You lied to me. How could you?" Finn gasped as fingers wrapped around his neck. He could feel frost edging along his throat, Ice King's magic pulsing into him once more. Ade twisted violently inside him, afraid as her mother was strangled. Finn stared into Ice King's eyes. The man was angry, that much he could tell, and Finn wanted to sob. He hadn't wanted this. He hadn't wanted to lie to the man but he needed to be safe as well.
"I would be put to death if anyone knew. Men like me aren't allowed to live." Put to death? The man shook his head, he didn't care why he'd been lied to. Only that Fionna had lied to him. The two were so wrapped up in their emotion that they didn't notice the small figure that had crept back into the room.
"Mama?" Finn turned wide eyes towards Neptr, trying to soften the pain on his face and comfort the boy.
"It's okay sweetie. I'm okay." Neptr shook his head, tears gathering in his eyes. Ice King released Fionna, not wanting to scare her- his son further. He looked down at the man who had fallen to the floor. Fionna was grasping at his throat, trying to hide the blackening frostbite there. Guilt washed over the Ice King again. He'd promised to never hurt him again and yet now he had sentenced Fionna to death. Fionna and his child.
"You will remain in here until I say so. Someone will bring you your meals." With that the man left, hurrying towards the study to get Flame. He would not let Fionna die but he couldn't look at the man. Not until he had sorted everything out. Not until he could forgive him.
Finn stayed on the floor for a few seconds, rubbing at his frostbitten throat and soothing Ade. The girl was still restless, her father's magic running through her. Neptr took a hesitant step towards his mother, spell on his lips ready to heal the man. He may not be as good as Magic Man but he would do anything to make sure his Mama survived.
"Mama?" Finn turned towards the boy, easily reaching out to draw him closer. Neptr scrambled into the blonde's lap, healing what he could of the other's neck and trying to stifle his sobs. Finn cupped the boy's face, wiping away tears.
"Hey, don't cry. Everything's gonna be fine." Neptr nodded, trying to draw more comfort from the man.
"Are we gonna be safe here?" Finn nodded, tightening his hold on Neptr. He wouldn't let the boy be afraid. He knew Neptr was still dealing with the loss of his father, no matter how cruel the man had been. He didn't need to worry about him and the Ice King as well.
"Of course we are. We just have to say in our room for a little bit, okay?" Neptr sighed into the man's chest. He would listen to his Mama for now, at least until the Ice King wasn't ready to kill him and his Mama wasn't so sad anymore.