(Disclaimer: I do not own Strange Magic or any of its characters, except my OC's that I've inserted here and there.)

(Authors Note: Salutations dearest readers/fellow writers! Okay, so I know it's been a hot, hot, hot minute since I last uploaded a new chapter for this fic and I just want to come out and apologize for that. If you read some of my other works, you'll see that I've been distracted with my Bayverse Transformers FF's and TMNT FF, as well as my Treasure Planet FF, so I've sadly put my other stories on the back burner for quite some time. Also, life in general has been keeping me busy, so even the updates for my more popular fan fics have been slow. But to be fair, the main reason I was able to upload so often beforehand was because I was stuck at home thanks to the pandemic...which was great for my creativity, but not so much work-wise. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter and again, I apologize for not updating sooner. Until next time, stay safe, stay hydrated and stay awesome!)

"English/Common"

"Memories/Dreams"

**Time Skip/Summary**

**Suffice to say, Bog and Marianne were surprised to hear of their unexpected pregnancy. As was Dawn and the Pixies. The younger fairy practically exploded with unbridled delight, while the pixies buzzed around the room, shrieking with joy. Of course, they didn't let their overall happiness outshine the moment between the goblin King and his fairy bride:

Both parents-to-be were ecstatic that they were going to have a child; however, they politely asked Plum, Dawn and the Pixies to keep the news a secret for the time being. As much as they wanted to share their good news with the two kingdoms, they didn't want everyone to celebrate too early as there was always the chance of misfortune. If Marianne were to lose the baby, it would greatly devastate the two of them, while also crushing the hopes of every citizen within their combined kingdoms (with the exception of a few).

Sure, Bog wanted to tell his Mother, but he knew she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret for long. That, and he had a feeling she'd figure it out eventually: she had a way of reading the room at times. And yes, Marianne wanted to share the good news with her Father, but like Griselda, he too wasn't the best at keeping secrets. That, and he'd probably order extra guards to hover around her and persuade her to stay within the Fairy Kingdom for the duration of her pregnancy. Nope. She loved her Father, but his over-protectiveness was suffocating.**

It was now one year to the date when Bog and Marianne had learned of their upcoming edition and while they had (thankfully) managed to keep the joyous news a secret prior to hibernation, it was now public knowledge that the Dark Forest would have an heir. Of course, it didn't help that the young Queen's condition was considerably obvious: Marianne was currently in her nineteenth month of pregnancy and had a prominent baby belly. With this being a hybrid child, both she and Bog were on edge as to when their child would be born. Goblins were usually born around twenty three months after conception, whereas fairies were typically born after eighteen months. Having passed the eighteen month time frame, it was now a waiting game for everyone within their joined kingdoms.

At the moment, Marianne was in the library reading up on the cultural histories of the Dark Forest's residents. Sure, she had read this particular book before, but she wanted to refresh herself in preparation for future goblin holidays and events. That, and she was reading to pass the time while Bog was overseeing a construction project involving a downed tree. Apparently, a large oak had fallen sometime during winter hibernation and was now blocking the trade route between his realm and the Fairy Kingdom. Rerouting the road would take too long and removing the tree was impossible. Therefore, the only solution was to carve a path through the fallen tree. Granted, they would try to salvage all the materials over time, but for now, they just needed to clear away a portion of the trunk so that trade could resume between both kingdoms.

Yes, flying goods back and forth was an option, but it was too risky as springtime was when the sky demons (aka, birds) returned from their winter migrations and began to nest, creating more avian terrors. Yet, the return of the birds also presented the goblins with additional food options in the form of eggs and meat (mostly harvested from chicks but they sometimes hunt the occasional adult).

Mentally shaking her head of that little disturbing fact about her husband and his fellow goblins, Marianne was jarred out her thoughts when the warm smell of mushroom tea wafted through the air as Griselda entered the library, carrying a tray in her arms:

"I had a feeling you'd be in here," she cheerfully smiled as she set the tray upon the nearby table.

Glancing over at her mother-in-law, the young Queen gave her a small nod as she marked her page and set the book aside, "I figured I'd indulge in a bit of light reading to pass the time and distract my mind."

Knowing she was anxious and a bit nervous about the upcoming birth of her child, Griselda took her daughter-in-law's slender hand within her own, and gave her a warm/reassuring smile, "I know all too well what you're going through. It'll be okay."

Knowing she had Griselda's support, Marianne softly began to cry, to which she hugged the goblin woman, who warmly returned the loving gesture while smoothing her hand over her long brown hair (like a Mother would). "I'm here. I'll stay right here until you say otherwise."

"Thank you, Mom."

Smiling, Griselda rubbed her back (between her wings) and planted a small kiss upon her brow, "Of course, my Daughter." She then placed a hand over Marianne's belly and chuckled as she felt her grandchild kick, "It won't be too much longer until this little one makes its debut."

*sigh* "I hope you're right. While I'm happy and excited to meet my baby, I don't like this feeling of uncertainty and anxiousness…especially when Bog's not here."

"I know. And I know Bog doesn't like being apart from you during this time either." She fondly smiled and emitted a sad sigh, "He reminds me so much of his late Father."

"What was he like?"

"Loch? Oh, he was wonderful: I couldn't have asked for a better husband. He was romantic and fun, and he always had a way of making me laugh, despite his dry sense of humor," she added with a smile. "He was a just ruler and an honorable man. I know if he were alive today, he'd be proud of our son."

"Do you think he would have approved of me?"

At her question, Griselda placed a hand atop of hers, "He would have adored you. You make our boy happy and that's all any parent wants for their children. Plus, it's also good to know that you can handle yourself in a fight and that you've got a level head on your shoulders," she added with a soft chuckle, bringing a smile to the young Queen's face.

Taking a seat in the adjacent chair, Griselda began pouring them some tea before offering a cup to Marianne. "Here, this'll help. I used to drink this all the time when I was carrying Bog. Oh, he was just the fussiest little pea: always kicking me at the most unreasonable hours of the night, and making me crave the strangest dishes."

Hearing this brought a fond smile to the fairy's lips. "I guess that's another thing we have in common: this little one does the same thing to me," she poked her belly and was rewarded with a firm *kick* from her unborn child.

"Well, you know what they say: the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Apparently not," she agreed with a fond smile before taking a sip of her mushroom tea.

(Another Authors Note: Sooo, I hope this chapter was sweet and enjoyable :) I know Bog wasn't in the chapter, but I mainly wanted this to focus on Marianne and Griselda. Both have interacted with one another in previous chapters, but I wanted them to spend some time together because with Marianne unsure of when she'll deliver her baby, and the fact that she's a bit scared and anxious about it, I wanted Griselda to be the one to comfort her, seeing as how she's been through the same ordeal (twice) and understands her situation firsthand. Plus, this is good bonding time for them.)