Get ready for some super sweet Manorian fluff guys!

Dorian stood on the step. Turning behind him to look back into the castle, not seeing anyone coming, he sighed.

"She told you she wasn't coming," Chaol said to his right.

"I know," He sighed, "I just want everything to go well." He looked straight ahead to see the caravan of carriages pulling up to the castle. The second in the lineup carried his mother.

Since the boarding school had been untouched during the war, Dorian had his brother shipped there as soon as possible.

After the war, Dorian knew that at some point, he would have to deal with Hollin's outrageous attitude and behavior problems. But with rebuilding a kingdom and breaking the news to his mother of his marriage to a witch and the fact that she was soon to bear his child, Dorian had more important things to deal with.

As the door opened his mother stepped out of the carriage. She held a damp handkerchief in her hand. Probably still crying from dropping her baby off at school for another year. She ascended the steps and when she reached Dorian she bowed in recognition of his new title as the King of Adarland.

"Mother," Dorian dipped his head back at her, "Are you well?"

"Yes, son. I'm pleased to see you."

Always keeping to formalities in front of the court. He gestured into the castle and Dorian escorted his mother back to her new quarters. Her old ones had perished when he had shattered the glass castle. When they arrived and her entourage had dissipated, she turned back to him.

"You seem different," her gaze swept him "older."

"A lot has happened since you were last here." He said, "Join me for dinner and we will discuss everything."

She nodded and bowed again before shutting the door. Dorian went to his tower and was happy to hear irritated grumbling from inside. He smiled at the guards posted outside the door.

"She just arrived," one of the guards informed his as he walked into the room.

Manon was actively shedding her riding gear and weapons, dropping them onto the floor. She aggressively pulled the leather tie out of her braid and shook her moon-white hair free. Dorian knew that she had heard him enter the room, but she did not acknowledge his presence.

"Hello Witchling," he said leaning on the door he closed behind him, "rough flight?"

"It shouldn't have been," she grumbled still undressing. "It's never been difficult before."

"We expected this," he reminded her. He walked up behind her and pulled her into his body. "I'm sure any other pregnant woman would have found it impossible."

She relaxed a little bit as he kissed her jaw. "Well, I'm not anyone, I'm a witch and I should have been able to handle it." She ran her hands over her protruding belly. She was small for how far along she was, but Yrene had assured them that the witchling was growing and thriving.

Dorian ran his hands from her hips to the underside of her belly, lifting slightly to hold some of the weight. Manon moaned in relief laying her head back on his shoulder. "Don't ever let go." She sighed.

He chuckled pressing more kisses to her temple and jaw, "As much as I'd like to stay here forever, my mother will be waiting on me to have dinner. Will you be joining us?"

She didn't say anything as she held his wrists in place. After a few more breaths of silence Dorian slowly released her belly. She whined as he spun her to face him. He grabbed her chin with a phantom hand, looking into her golden eyes as he leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. She ran a hand through his hair, pulling him down to her. When she broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers. "Why must our kingdoms be so far from each other?"

"And where would be the fun in living together all the time? Distance makes the heart grow fonder, Princeling."

He smiled looking down at her belly between them and brushing a hand on it tenderly. "You must be exhausted. Take a bath and get some rest."

She hummed in agreement and turned toward the bathing room. Dorian heard the water start running before he left the room.

"So," His mother said during a lull in the conversation, "I have a few young women in my court that arrived with me that I think would make a suitable queen."

Dorian choked on his wine. So did Chaol down the table.

"Don't act surprised that I'm still worried about you finding a wife, Dorian, it's very important for a King to be able to produce heirs. I can arrange for you to meet them tomorrow if you'd like."

"Mother," Dorian paused, he did not know how he was going to break the news to his mother, but part of him had hoped that she would have heard on her way back to Rifthold that he had been married.

She raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.

"I got married almost a year ago."

She seemed taken aback. "Oh! Well, I didn't see her when I arrived, so how was I supposed to know." She made a show of looking around the table, "Where is she?"

"She arrived just after you did," he told her. Chaol wouldn't look at him, unwilling to help. Traitor. "She doesn't…always live here."

"By the Wyrd, Dorian please don't tell me it's that fire queen in the North. I've heard some dreadful things about her!"

Chaol choked again and flinched as Yrene kicked him under the table.

"Aelin is an incredible woman and is probably a better ruler than I will ever be," he told his mother, "But no, she is not my wife. I married Manon Blackbeak, Queen of the Ironteeth and Crochan Witches. You should be able to meet her tomorrow after she recovers from her trip."

It was his mother's turn to choke. "You married a witch?"

"Yes, I did." He said pushing away from the table, "and as much as I'd like to tell you the story, it's quite long and I haven't seen my wife in several weeks. Please excuse me." He winked at Chaol who was giving him a dirty look for abandoning him after dropping such a large piece of information. He heard his mother beginning to interrogate Chaol already as he left the dining hall.

When he made it back to his chambers, Manon was not in bed. He found her still in the tub, sleeping in the now lukewarm water. Kneeling down, he kissed her cheek softly. "Manon," he murmured on her skin, "Let's get you into bed."

She roused enough for him to towel her off and carry her to their bed. When she was tucked in and surrounded by cushions just the way she liked it he went to bathe as well. Then he climbed into bed and pulled the pillow that was supporting her back away and moved in to fill the gap. He fell asleep quickly, surrounded by the smell of her and with his arms wrapped around her.