Sabine's hands shook with both nervousness and excitement as she waited in her mother's office. It hadn't been that long since Ursa had abdicated the throne and passed the title of Countess to her, yet she still remained close by in case Sabine needed a little help or advice.
Ursa no longer had her duties as Countess, but she was still an important figure in the everyday palace life. Thus she'd constructed a new office for herself while her daughter took the throne room.
But now Sabine sat perched on the edge of her desk, wringing her hands together while she waited. The news she had to share with Ursa was certainly good, but for some reason it still sent anxiety coursing through her veins.
When her mother finally walked into her office, Sabine smiled at the look of surprise on her face.
"Sabine, what a lovely surprise." Ursa took Sabine's hands in hers and kissed her cheek in greeting. "I haven't seen you in a few days, my dear."
Sabine chuckled. "Well you know how the duties of the Countess are."
Ursa gave her a knowing look. "Keeping you busy, are they?"
"More than. Sometimes I think I ought to set up a bed in the throne room with how little I seem to leave it."
"Well I'm sure your husband would have some choice words to say about that."
Sabine smirked. "He's probably the only reason I don't fall asleep there. I can't tell you how many times he's had to come rescue me before I drowned in paperwork."
The former Countess laughed. "Reminds me of your father. He would have to do the exact same thing for me."
Sabine grinned, remembering those days fondly. "I remember that. You would be practically sleeping standing up and he'd be dragging you by your ear back to your room so you could get sleep in a real bed. You may have ruled Krowest, but he definitely ruled over you."
"And I let him do it with pleasure," Ursa smirked wiggling her eyebrows.
"Mom!" Sabine gasped scandalized by her mother's implication.
"Don't act so surprised, my dear. You're a married woman now, I'm sure you know all about that by now."
If she hadn't been so embarrassed, this would've been the perfect segue, but as it were, she had to take a moment to regain her composure as her cheeks reddened significantly.
Taking pity on her, her mother changed the subject with a laugh. "So what brings you to me, my dear? Do you seek my counsel?"
"Actually," Sabine took a deep breath, "there's something I need to share with you."
"Does it have anything to do with the fainting spells you've been having?" Ursa asked.
Sabine Looked at her in surprise, but in all honesty, she shouldn't have been. Rumors and gossip kept a palace alive and thriving. And nothing spread faster than things that occurred within the clan.
"You may be Countess now, but you're still my daughter," Ursa told her. "It will always be hard for you to keep things from me."
"It's not that I meant to keep things from you," Sabine said. "I just wanted to wait until the right time to tell you."
"Tell me what?" Ursa had a twinkle in her eye and if she didn't know any better, Sabine would have thought she had guessed her secret already.
"That you're…you're going to be a grandmother." She had just gotten the words out of her mouth when her mother collapsed to her knees in front of her. "Mom?"
Ursa's shoulders shook and she grasped Sabine's hands tight, pressing her forehead against her knuckles.
"Mom?" Sabine asked, the concern rising in her voice.
Ursa looked up at her and Sabine heaved a sigh of relief at the grin on her weathered face. Tears shone in her eyes as they freely made tracks down her cheeks.
"So it's true?" she finally spoke. "You are pregnant?"
"Yes," she nodded, unable to keep from smiling.
Her mother laughed and shook her head. "I had suspected as much when I had heard of your recent illness."
"You knew? But how?"
"You forget, I was in your position twice. I remember all too well what it was like. The sickness, the tiredness, and yes, even the fainting. I did the same thing when we first found out about you."
"But to hear you say it out loud," Ursa said, kissing Sabine's hands repeatedly. "It's truly a remarkable thing."
Sabine had her own set of tears streaming down her face by now. She knew her mother would be happy about her news, but she had no idea Ursa would react this way. To see her so overcome with emotion was such a rare thing.
Getting to her feet, she embraced her daughter, whispering in her ear, "Your father would be so proud of you."
Sabine felt her throat catch, her arms wrapping tighter around Ursa. "I wish he was here."
"Me too. He would have loved to have been here for this." Pulling back, she lightly touched Sabine's stomach, still flat with no signs of the life growing within her yet. "And he would've spoiled this child rotten."
Sabine snorted, wiping the tears from her face. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do your fair share of that as well. Ezra says if it's a girl, the rest of the Compound doesn't stand a chance."
Her mother guffawed and shook her head in agreement. "I always knew I picked a smart one."