Chapter 11: Springing Steps

"Stella, slow down! Running around isn't going to help anyone, especially not Bloom." Brandon yelled after his wife, trying to catch up to her as she swept down the halls of the Eraklyon palace looking for her best friend Bloom.

"It may not help her, but it sure will help me. I still have to finish designing Mason's outfit for the coronations, Meadow needs another fitting, and our own son Aaron can't find his left shoe, but right now I need to be with Bloom. I have to make sure her coronation dress is beautiful and fits her in just the right places!" Stella rambled on as she clicked her heels down one hall after the other.

"Stella!" Brandon calls just as he grabs her arm. He pulls her to a stop and looks her right in the eye. "You need to calm down. Bloom gave birth just a couple days ago. I still think they are rushing the coronation, but we need to give her space. Remember what it was like when Aaron was born? Everyone crowding around you and our son? Bloom has the same thing happening to her, only we don't need to be a part of it this time." He smiles at her and tucks his left hand under her chin, his right snaking around her waist as he pulls her toward him. "Now, Stella, why don't we go and take some time? I could use your help making sure my suit looks right. And," he leans it. "You could practice taking it off of me." As he pulls back and looks at her now blushing face, he winks and laughs at her.

"Brandon!" She squeaks out rather loudly. She pushes her chin down to avoid looking him in the eye, but he forces her chin up and whispers her name just before his lips touch hers. Somehow, even after years of marriage and loving, he still managed to surprise her.

They are so engrossed in their own moment that they don't even hear the racing of small feet toward them until they hear two little voices yell at them, "EW!"

"Mama! Dad! Gross!" called young Aaron from the corner, whose hand was holding Meadows hand (as he had been chasing her).

"Auntie Stella and Uncle Brandon, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Hehe" called out Meadow. She pulled her hand free from Aaron's grasp and began running the direction they had come.

"Oh, I'll get you Meadow! Bye mama. Bye dad!" He shouted at his parents as his little feet began to take him back down the corridors after his prey.

"Oh, well then. What were we doing my love?" Brandon purrs at Stella, cupping her cheek in his hand. "That's right, I remember. Something like this I think," he whispers as he comes closer to her with each second until finally his lips are on hers again as she begins to protest.

As he goes to deepen the kiss, Stella presses her hand to his chest, effectively telling him to stop. "Brandon," she says as soon as she can talk again. "We really can't do this here. As the King and Queen of Solaria, making out in the corridors of the palace of Eraklyon is effectively against the ruling rules. So, why don't you go back to our room, and I'll join you," She pushes her hair back as she mumbles under her breath, "I'll just check on Bloom."

"Oh, no you don't Stella. I told you to let Bloom alone. You're being over-protective of your friend, and I get that. I would probably have done the same if Sky and I were girls-"

"Glad that's not the case."

He gave her a look for interrupting, "But, as I was saying, you have to let her have her space. She just had a baby for goodness sakes. Something we should think about doing. Well, having another at least. . ."

Stella's breath stopped. A baby? Another one? Wasn't Aaron enough? But, then again, another child of Solaria would be nice. Heavens above knew that Stella had wanted a brother or sister as a child, which was why finding the Winx Club had been so incredible for her.

"Brandon, you want another baby?"

The slight quaking in her voice made him instantly regret bringing it up. How should he have known that she would react this way to him asking for another child? Oh, right, he's her husband. "I just meant that, maybe one day we might want to have another. And I know that Aaron gets bored playing in the palace by himself, especially when you and I are busy. We don't have to if you really don't want another child though. I love you Stella, and I want what you want." There, that should gloss things over.

"No! I do. I mean, I think I do. Want another baby that is. Just let me go and say hi to Bloom at least. Then I'll be to our room and we can see if there won't be another prince or princess of Solaria in the near future." She clutched his shoulders, leaned up and kissed him, then walked away, a new spring in her step.

The children, Aaron and Meadow, were playing and she and her husband were thinking of expanding their family. What could be better? It was even more important now that Aaron and Meadow get along since their engagement would be coming out soon. Of course, if the children ended up finding other people to marry and love, that would be alright, but as Stella and Sky were loath to allow them to meet many others before they realized they were perfect for each other, there is very little to worry about. And, as he mind turned back to fashion and the coronation coming up, Stella remembered the best part – all of the outfits for the event that was sure to be the coronation of the year were complete, minus fitting, which could easily be done later that day.