The seasons were changing quickly in northern Tortall, and for someone who had grown up even farther north, it was making Daine very homesick for Corus. Or actually, it was making her homesick for the tower, where she spent as much time as the palace. She hadn't been there in over a year now, and missed its ocean views and gardens with huge tomatoes in the summer and the big, warm bed.

Sighing, Daine pushed herself out of her tiny bed and quickly went to find some clothes out of her packs. She had been at Steadfast for two weeks now, and desperately needed to wash her shirts and breeches. She had barely had enough time to eat and sleep, not to mention do laundry.

Kitten chirped quietly from the bed, sitting up and stretching her neck out. The dragonet climbed down the frame and went in search of something to eat in the packs.

Daine picked though what clothes she had and found some breeches that were relatively clean. She had a habit of sleeping in Numair's old shirts, finding them more comfortable than frilly nightgowns. Besides, with all the time they spent away from each other these days, it brought her comfort on lonely nights. They still smelled like him, even after many washes. She stripped it off, taking a moment to enjoy that familiar scent, before drawing on her breeches. She pulled them over her hips and felt an unfamiliar snugness as she pulled them fully up her waist. Looking down to tie them, she realized the laces wouldn't meet completely in the middle.

Odd, she thought. Had she gotten the wrong breeches back from the laundry? Surely not, as there weren't that many women at the forts she went between. Was she gaining weight? She had lost weight at the start of the war, due to being in motion so often, but had never gotten new clothes. The breeches should still fit her fine.

She reached to dig for a shirt, mind still toying with possibilities, when a thought struck her like a physical blow. She straightened, shirt clutched in her hand.

"No," she whispered. She thought hard about the weeks, double checking her math by ticking them off on her fingers. Oh, Goddess, no. "No, no, no, no, no," she whispered. Kitten let out a curious chirp from beside her. Daine felt around her neck, pulling away her badger's claw and…nothing else. No long, silver chain that held a small ruby charmed against pregnancy. "No, no, no, no, no!" she said, panicked now. How long had it been missing? When was the last time she had seen Numair, the last time they had…they had…

She looked down at her middle again, pulling her unlaced breeches down lower and running a hand over the small bump that was protruding from between her hip bones. It wasn't much, even enough that she would have noticed it slowing growing over the past few weeks, but it was something, definitely something.

Don't panic, she told herself, crouching down to reassure Kitten. That was probably not what it was. In all the times she had forgotten her charm after a shape shift, threw it around her neck hastily in the middle of things, this had never happened. In eight years this had never happened. Sure, she had had a few scares, but her monthly had always come. It would come this time. Perhaps she had a stomach ulcer. She hadn't had much of an appetite these few weeks, anyways. The stress of the war had been taken a toll on her recently. She just needed a healer to confirm. Daine laced her breeches as best she could, threw on a shirt, and went in search of one, carrying Kitten on her hip.

Thankfully, Steadfast did have one female healer, and she happened to be in the infirmary when Daine arrived. She brought Daine back to a small room curtained off from the others and had her sit on the cot. Daine sat Kitten down on the floor, and the little dragon tried to reach to the table above and pull down the medical supplies. Daine, silently panicked, didn't even bother to tell her to behave.

"Have you ever had a stomach ulcer?" the healer asked, her face already skeptical.

"No, but…that's what it has to be, right?"

The healer smiled sympathetically. "Tell me your other symptoms."

"Well, I haven't had much of an appetite," Daine started, toying with the claw at her neck, "and my middle is bloated, and I have been feeling fair tired, of late."

"And your last monthly?"

Daine bit her lip. "I, um, think it may have been about two months ago. It's hard to keep track of it, these days."

The healer smiled fully. "Lie back," she instructed gently. Daine obliged, feeling nauseous - and not from any ulcer. The healer gently untucked her shirt and rested a hand on the small bump under the straining laces of her breeches. She was silent for what seemed like hours before she said, "Looks like you're about two months along, Daine."

Daine took in a sharp breath, a hand coming to her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes. "I…I can't be…" She sat up. "Two months?"

"You had all the symptoms - fatigue, bloating, no appetite, no monthly." The healer shook her head, smiling. "Wasn't your mother a midwife? Didn't she teach you the signs?"

Daine rubbed her face. "Yes," she said quietly, still dumbfounded.

"You will need your own midwife, soon. I can give you the teas you need to start drinking in the meantime, to make sure you and the baby are getting what you need."

Daine shook her head, still processing the news. "I…I can't have a baby in the middle of a war."

The healer smiled. "There is never a perfect time for a baby, Daine. They choose their time, and then they make it perfect on their own." She patted Daine's hand. "Where is Master Numair?"

"At Gaintkiller, I believe."

"Could you go to him? Tell him the news? He will be overjoyed to know."

"I…could try," she said, placing an uncertain hand on her belly.

Daine left the infirmary and went straight to the stables and to Cloud's stall. Shutting herself and Kit in it with the pony and laying her head on Cloud's withers, she let out a deep breath.

And what is the matter with you? her pony asked tersely.

Apparently I am having a baby, Daine told her silently. Cloud threw her head.

I could have told you that.

"What?!" Daine said aloud, throwing up her head has well.

Of course, her pony replied. I thought you knew. You've been heavier every time you've been on me.

"I have not!" Daine snapped. She paused, then added silently, Did you really know?

Yes. I thought you did, too.

Daine shook her head, and Cloud bumped her gently.

Why are you sad? the pony asked.

Daine shrugged. I…don't know. It's a bit of a shock.

Cloud blew on her. It shouldn't be. You've been mating with the stork-man for years.

Daine rolled her eyes at that. I guess I am just scared of what all will change. I don't know if I am ready to be a Ma.

Cloud stamped her foot. You're just being silly. You've had Kitten for years, and taken care of more of the People than I can count. It won't be any different.

Daine thought on that a moment. Her pony wasn't wrong.

Go tell the stork-man, Cloud commanded.

I can't. I am needed here. I have more work to finish.

You can fly there, Cloud pointed out. Go to where he is and come back. You need to tell him. He will frolic like a foal when he hears.

Daine grinned at that. I guess you are right, she told her pony.

Of course I am, Cloud retorted.

That evening, Numair sat in a cramped meeting room, overlooking a detailed plan for a new magical barrier he was going to be setting up soon. He was glad he had been invited to this meeting, but was starting to grow tired and a bit hungry. The people around him had been talking for hours.

A runner slipped in and passed him a note. He took it with a nodded thanks and unfolded it in his lap.

There is a surprise waiting for you in your room, a familiar hand had written. He smiled at it and touched the D written below the message. Now this meeting really could not end quickly enough.

Daine sat on the small bed with her knees drawn up and her head back against the wall. Her stomach fluttered uncomfortably - nerves and hunger, as she realized she hadn't eaten all day.

She had found Numair's room easily. It was the same one they had been in the last time they had been at Giantkiller together; besides, he always left a window open for her, no matter how cold it was outside. He also always carried a change of her clothes in his packs, but she had pulled out one of his comfortable shirts instead and slipped it over her head.

Daine had called on some of the fort's resident rat catchers and three of the cats had shown up at the door within moments. After some quick scouting, they had found Numair in a meeting. She had penned a note, stuck her head out of the door to give it to an errand boy, and sat back on the bed and waited.

It had been almost an hour since then. The sun was setting; her stomach was grumbling. She thought about rooting around Numair's pack for something to eat but nothing sounded appetizing. Two of the cats returned, curling up beside her and purring to ease her nerves. Several birds landed on the sill in the evening light, calling to her gladly. She invited them in but they remained far from the cats' reach on the window.

Finally, when she thought she was about to burst from nerves, the door opened. Numair came through, shutting it with a smile. He was dressed as simply as he always was these days, but she was suddenly struck by his familiarity and handsomeness and she wanted to cry with relief.

Then, in the next moment, she felt light as air. Her hopes buoyed as she looked into his smiling face and she almost laughed. She was having Numair's baby. Numair. Her love, her best friend, her mate. It was all going to be alright, because it was with him. They could face anything together.

"What a wonderful surprise," he said as she stood, disrupting the cats. She sent them a silent apology as he opened the door to let them out, then turned to wrap his arms around her and lift her just a bit off the floor. She leaned thankfully into him, letting the last of her nerves slide away. "Where is Kit?"

"I left her at Steadfast, with Tkaa." She had been lucky the basilisk was there and she could fly to reach Numair.

"I wasn't expecting you for another week or two," he said into her ear as he bent back over to set her down.

"Well, I actually came to tell you something fair important."

He pulled away, looking down at her, dark brows drawing together. "Oh? Should I be worried?"

She giggled, her joy overflowing then. Was it the baby making her emotions feel like a free fall? "Not worried. It's good. Come sit." She pulled him to the small bed, sitting beside him and holding his hands. He gave her a puzzled look and she laughed again. "I don't even know where to start!"

"Magelet, you're scaring me," he whispered, eyes widening.

"Hush," she told him, and rubbed his hand with her thumb. "Do you remember about six weeks ago, when I saw you at Tirrsmont? I came in the middle of the night, and woke you up, and…" She grinned at the happy memory, and he smiled.

"I think of it often. Why?"

"I think before I came there…well, I must have lost my pregnancy charm. I had been shifting so much, and I still have since then, and it must have fallen off—"

He took his hand over her collarbone, brushing the chain that held her badger's claw and nothing else. "You're not wearing it now," he commented, almost absently.

She took a steadying breath. "Well, you really don't need to, if you're already pregnant."

His fingers froze and he slowly lifted his gaze to hers, his eyes wide. He stared at her for several heartbeats before he whispered, "What did you just say?"

She smiled, tears springing to her eyes, and took his face in her hands. With half a sob and half a laugh, she said, "Numair, you're going to be a Da."

He reached to touch one of her hands on his face, as if he didn't believe she was real. "You're…you're going to have a baby?" She nodded, tears spilling over then. "Oh, Daine," he whispered, and pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in his collar and cried, all the emotions of the day overflowing. She felt him trembling as well, and the wetness of his tears on her temple. She pulled away after a few moments and wiped the tears away from under his eyes.

"Not you, too," she said, and he laughed.

"Of course, me, too." He kissed her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, then pulled her close again, squeezing her wonderfully tight. "When did you find you?"

"Oh, this morning. I realized my breeches didn't fit and then I realized my monthly hadn't come and…well, you can probably guess the rest."

He pulled away to look at her again. "You saw a healer?" She nodded. "How far along, then?"

"Two months."

"Two months?"

"Yes, two months. I haven't really been keeping up with things. I've been busy, you know."

He shook his head with a smile. "How do you feel about it?"

She sighed. "Oh, I don't know. I think I have felt just about every kind of way about it. I was terrified, really, until I saw you."

"Until you saw me?"

She nodded. "Then I realized it would all be alright."

He smiled so brilliantly her heart flipped in her chest. He gathered her up in his arms and kissed her gently. "A baby," he whispered against her lips.

"Our baby," she told him, and he kissed her some more.

He kissed her deeply, and she pulled the leather tie from his hair and slipped her fingers through the thick locks. He pulled away for a second to take the tie and set in on a nearby table, like he always did, because he could never keep up with them otherwise. She smiled at that and stood in front of the small cot, pulling off his borrowed shirt and throwing it back onto his packs. His hands went to the small protrusion between her hips, gently caressing the hard bump. He shook his head in wonder.

"It came up all the sudden, I swear," she said with a laugh.

He pulled her closer and rested his head on her chest. "You're always going to keep me on my toes, aren't you?"

She laughed again. "Forever," she told him, and pulled his head back to kiss him. She climbed into his lap, and continued to kiss him until he lay back on the small bed under her.

Their lovemaking was slow and gentle and so sweet she cried again. He kissed the tears from her cheeks and held her tight. Afterwards, they lay tangled up together, limbs hanging off the small bed. She rested in the crook of his arm with her head against his chest, taking her fingers through the soft hair there. Suddenly, he lifted his head to look at her.

"You shifted?" he asked, a bit panicked. She turned to look up at him.

"Of course I shifted. How do you think I got here so quick?"

"And…you feel fine?"

"Yes…" She felt a little apprehension in her stomach. "I didn't even think if it was alright or not. I've been doing it these last two months, almost every day."

He relaxed. "Well if that's the case, I supposed it's alright."

"You don't know?"

He shook his head. "There has never been anyone with as much Wild Magic as you, dear, which means there has never been a Wildmage who has shape shifted while with child. At least, not that I have found, and I am fairly certain I have found most texts on the matter of Wild Magic." He looked thoughtful again. "We should start a journal, of your experiences while pregnant. It will be valuable information for our lineage."

"I'm not one of your experiments, Numair," she reminded him, before asking, "What do you mean, our lineage?"

He looked down at her again. "If the baby is shifting inside you as you are shifting, then it will be a Wild Mage, Daine."

That thought hadn't struck her yet. "It can be passed down, then? My magic?"

He smiled. "Apparently so." She smiled too, and he kissed her forehead. "I can contact Lindhall and have him check the university library, in case I missed something. Perhaps he knows of a text."

She pulled away a bit, shifting to sit up on her elbow to look down at him. "I don't know about telling people, yet."

He gave her a puzzled look. "Oh? We will need to tell people, eventually. And I think we should tell the king immediately."

"Why?" she asked, bristling a bit.

"So you can go home."

"Home? I have work to do, Numair!"

He raised an eyebrow, putting a hand behind his head. "You can't be in the middle of a war while you're pregnant, Daine."

"Says who?"

"Me. I say so."

She sat up. "Who do you think you are, to tell me to go home?"

"The father of your child, magelet." He sat up with her. "I fully intend on coming with you. The Scanrans are losing ground every day. There are plenty of other mages here that can do my job."

"Well, there's not people here that can do my job."

His eyes narrowed the finest fraction and she knew she had him on that point. "The king will send you home when he finds out," he tried.

"Then we won't tell the king."

Numair laughed, a bit bitterly. "And he won't guess the next time he sees you?"

Her hand flew to her middle. "I'm not that big!"

"The thing about pregnancy, my dear, is that you keep getting bigger."

Now she narrowed her eyes. She knew why he was acting this way. He was worried about her. Any time she did something risky it nearly gutted him, and she knew it. Usually, he could control his worries to fussing over her and mild threats about holding her hostage, but not this time. This time he had the ultimate stressor - two of them to worry over. She softened a little.

"Give me two months," she bargained. "Two months to work out a system with my spies from the People, and then I will tell the king and go home."

He shook his head. "A month."

"Six weeks," she offered instead, thrusting up her chin a bit. He knew her final offer when he saw it and nodded.

"Six weeks, and not a day more."

She pushed him back down, lying once more beside him.

"Can I still tell Lindhall?" he asked.

She winced. "I'm not sure…I really don't want many people knowing yet."

"Why not? He will be excited for us. He won't tell anyone if I ask him not to."

"I just…don't know how people will take it, us not being married and all."

Numair pushed up on his arm, looking down at her face. "What does that mean?"

"You know, Sarra's bastard, having a…" She trailed off as she realized what she was saying, seeing the hurt look in his eyes.

"My child is not a bastard, Daine."

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Numair." She rubbed her face tiredly. "I just mean I know how people are. I don't care what they think but I very much remember how people treated me when my Ma wasn't married."

"Then why won't you marry me?" he asked, voice quiet. She thought for a moment, searching his face. Why didn't she marry him? She had put him off in the beginning, always so worried to be trapped by a marriage. Now it was eight years later and she was still so very happy with him. In fact, she couldn't imagine ever being with anyone else. And now…now they were going to have a family.

She gave him a sly smile. "Well, you haven't asked me recently, so I just thought you'd changed your mi—" She cut off as he reached down and tickled her side, gasping for a breath and laughing. She pushed his hands off, still laughing.

"Don't you dare do that to me, magelet," he said, smiling back.

She caught her breath and pushed his hair back with her hands, holding them there. "Ask me, then."

He looked off for a moment, then looked back down at her. His dark eyes were lit with so much love and tenderness she felt more tears coming to her eyes - really, when had she cried so many times in a day? This baby was going to do her in, she was sure.

"Veralidaine Sarrasri, my magelet, the love of my life, mother of my child, would you do me the profound honor of becoming my wife?"

She looked away for a moment, drawing it out, teasing him just a bit, then back into his eyes. He watched her, a grin on his lips.

"Yes," she said, and kissed him. "Yes, yes, yes."

He cupped her face and kissed her back.