The Enigma of Birth

The Boy, with his mischievous Golden eyes glanced over you with quiet acknowledgement. He sat by the fire, the one Sunny had ever so pridefully created (God you wished she was less like you and more like her mother sometimes), Your son, polishing the rifle in his hands masterfully, playing around with it's attachments, Bill always loved nothing more then to take apart and put things back together, although You could also tell that a question lurked in that Ivory noggin of his.

"We don't get our answers, if we don't ask our questions, do we, Bill?" You poked at the boy, his face flushing a little as the girl sat next to him; checking the ammunition for the hunt, glanced at him, her rosy tan skin and midnight black hair contrasted by her own golden eyes.

"Well, go on then, Bill." Bea urged, nudging him eagerly.

His sisters looked expectantly at him, Bill, especially hated these hunts. Although you'd never tell the others, He was the best at it, there was an instinct within him, one excellent for tracking down and executing plans with a perfect clarity... He was a lot like his mother in that regard.

Bill, pushed back his long wavy Ivory hair, and spoke in the awkward tone of a teenager who's voice had only just decided to try at maturity "Were you afraid?" He asked, smoothly.

His siblings smiled at him, then smiled at you "Were You and Auntie Didi scared, Papa?" the Youngest, asked in her curious tone, her hair the long black of your Mighty house, though her eyes was the stained azure and gold of a sun kissed sky.

You cast your eyes to the Young Warriors sat around the fire, the group complete, save for the shadow of Louie, his Black hair blowing in the wind as He looked over the cliffside in the quiet contemplation that He often assumed during these hunts.

His silhouette was not joined by his sister who usually had to be pried from his side, though today, Sunny, sat next to you, her Hair the colour of winter flame in heavy curls that where braided into a short braid.

Reaching over and ruffling Bill's neat white hair, his face scrunching up at the attention, you let out a billowing laugh.

"Of course we were scared, we weren't like you kids, had no idea what we were doing or what was going on!" You chuckled.

The Largest of the children and technically the eldest, scratched her Auburn head "But... if Auntie Didi was pregnant, then how did you fight all those years?" Her voice was gentle and kind, a little oblivious but you knew what she was capable of when she really put her mind to it.

"Not so fast, everything in good time, Poppet, first let's eat, I'm starving!" You chuckled.

You and your girls must have done a good job, seeing all of these kids neatly gather, laughing and talking in their little groups as you cooked up the remnants of yesterday's hunt on the flame, passing out the Red-rations with Your charges gathering around you in the warmth of the early morning.

Though not all of your number were sat, ready to eat.

Your eyes cast to the cliffside, where the boy still stood, looking out at the open vista, his fingers twirling made you smile, he'd spent to long away from his music, it always made the Boy antsy.

"I don't think he's taking the news very well, Dad." Sunny whispered into your ear, she, like Diana shared that binding connection to her brother, and just as you had sensed in these weeks in the woods with him, she felt an unrest in his mind.

"It's a lot to drop on a guy." You nodded.

She smiled "I took it well enough! I think we are more than ready!" Sunny always was a little too optimistic for her own good, without her brother's words of wisdom she would have burned through the challenges of life without second thought. Louie was a temper, a guiding ****, just as She was for him.

"We all know what you think, Sunny." Bill grumbled, rolling his eyes as the red-head scowled.

"I will burn you." Sunny growled back.

The Two glared at one another, though they were quickly silence by their much taller, much more cheerful looking sister "That's right, future Ruler threatening to rend her own family in flames for the 50th time this week. Very mature. Both of you need to shut up and eat" The Auburn girl said in a sisterly warning.

Both Sunny and Bill looked like they might protest, but it wouldn't have been the first time she'd taught them a lesson. "Just simmer down, or Mama and Auntie Didi are going to kill you both, when I tell them how many times you've skipped off training to go to the Mall."

The Two Siblings looked at each other, and decided that doing what their older sister said was most likely the best way to stop their mother's from throwing them off a building.

Chuckling, you Looked at the girl with the auburn hair, waving away the Red-rations from her much smaller sister, you smiled as your eyes met "Keep and eye on things for a minute, Poppet." You winked, your daughter's lips creasing.

"Ugh" She grumbled.

You gave her a father's glance, one that reminded her who's orders she was following.

"Yes mentor." she said obediently, making you pinch her cheek, appreciatively as you stepped away.

It was quiet by that cliffside, the laughs and voices of the others could faintly be heard, though as usual, not even a sound left the shadow of the Boy on the ridge.

Standing beside him, you saw the conflict in his mismatched eyes "You seem a little broody tonight. Not enjoying the Hunt?"

He did not speak, he only tended to speak when the need called for it, and so he only shrugged.

"Sunny, is worried about you, it's giving me a headache." It wasn't easy to get your son to laugh, but you had become especially talented at it.

A soft chuckle left his lips, and his attentions finally focused entirely on you "Why are you telling us all of this now?" He asked, in the soft, inquisitive tone of his mother.

Your smile faded... He always was the sharpest of them, "I..."

His head fell in confirmation "You don't have a lot of time, left, do you?"

Taking his arms, you looked him in the eyes, one Gold as the summer sun, the other cold and blue as the North star "You're a sharp boy, Louie. You know that I have to put this family first, above everything else, above Wallace, above me... I made a lot of mistakes getting here, Kid, If I can prevent you all from walking head first into hell like we did, then I will take every opportunity to do so. And when the time comes for you to Rule, I know you'll be better than me." You smiled.

"She's so sure that she's worthy." He whispered, peering at his radiant sister by the flames.

Your brows furrowed, and you clutched the Curved blade strapped to his hip, staring resolutely "Lugh is her burden, it is wild and furious... but this sword is dark, murderous, it hungers for blood like no other. Do you know why I gave it to you?"

He remained silent, listening keenly to your wisdom.

"Because Sunny may be your equal in many ways, but she does not even come close to the temperance of your will. She has my fire, but you have my strength. That, is why you have this sword strapped to your waist, that is why you and your sister are my Heirs."

He said nothing, his eyes merely looked to his siblings as you pointed at them "But a ruler is nothing without the people at his back, those fools over there are all we've got, without them we are nothing."

"I suppose I should stop Brooding now." He agreed, making you chuckle, wrapping your arm around his shoulder, it still astonished you how much He was your mirror image, an echo of both your past, and your future.

"Hehe, damn right, now come on, eat and I can continue my story, before Sunny devours the entire boar, preferably." You said unamused as the Red-headed girl fought with Bea over a plate by the fire.

The Boy nodded, giving you a shy smile "Or Bea assassinates Sunny in her sleep." Louie said, the two of you sharing that signature family smile, as you returned to the fire, Your Son by your side.

Diana lay on you beneath a soft cover, your bodies slick with the sweat of a post-coital glow, that and a deep underline sense of dread, one of distinct finality.

You did not know how to feel, what to say, the overwhelming fact of her fertility being sated in that moment was so engrained into your shared being that even with the peace of your beasts wrapping around each other, you felt a panic rise in your chest.

"SHIT! FUCK! JESUS CHRIST!"

Will you stop screaming.

"No I will not! She's pregnant! I know it, I feel it in my god damn bones!"

We don't see why this is such a bad thing.

"..."

...

You peered at Diana, who was looking worriedly up at you "You... are you... upset?" it wasn't often you saw her lost for words "I can feel it, you're upset. My Instincts can feel it." She corrected, it was indeed strange, the link between you felt so strong.

Sitting up, you contemplated her belly, and smiled "No... I'm sorry, this is just, extremely weird."

Diana fiddled with her fingers, gazing at her figure in thought.

"You're... happy?" You could feel it, she was afraid, concerned, a little angry... and, somehow, Happy?

Didi threw her hands up, looking exasperated "I don't know. God, how am I supposed to keep anything from you now!? a-and I quit my job so that I could focus on family stuff, n-not get knocked up!" Her voice descended into a shrill panic, her fingers clutching at her hair.

"Well, I didn't exactly plan this... protection just... didn't occur to me!" You shot back, her worry was starting to make you worry.

She looked like she might say something, and you got the distinct vibe that she was going through great lengths to keep something from you.

"Look, it's going to be alright, we can get through this. We'll go to clinic, get things checked out-"

Your sister's face wrinkled with something primal as she shuffled back, clutching her stomach in a split second reaction.

A resonation swept through your matching eyes, and a smile crept across your face as you shuffled closer, embracing her lovingly "I-I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean to imply..."

"No, it's okay. I know that isn't what you want... and I'm pretty sure it isn't what I want either." She admitted.

An excitement began to rise in you then, the same excitement that boiled over whenever your ear pressed against Rose's stomach "So, you really... want to keep him?"

She shuffled, biting her lip "I.... guess so, I definitely can't get rid of hi-- wait, how do you know it's a boy?" She cut in.

You searched your gut, felt Vlad smiling, felt her Instincts glowing as the power of fertility began to rise within her, how the sensation emitted that of a curious young boy.

"I just do. It's like, something incredible is already starting to grow in there, jesus We are really out of our league here, We barely know how adult descendants work, let alone a baby."

Hope burned in her golden eyes as she touched you pleadingly "W-Well, I have plenty of time now, a-and it shouldn't be too much trouble with the apartment, plus Hilde will--"

"Hilde is going to **** us both before the day is done." You finished her sentence, your connection was cast-iron "But..." You smiled as you lent back, putting your arm around her "...I think we can get a reasonable price on this place, Rich or no we are gonna need as much money as possible if we are having a kid."

A light flourished in her eyes, and the most beautiful, happiest smile crossed her face "Y-You- o-oh... I uh..."

"You didn't really think I'd let you stay here, in this place, while pregnant? no, you're coming home, where I can keep my eye on you." You loved nothing more then reminding her how much she was loved just when she seemed to forget.

Diana burst out laughing, giggling with utter joy as she kissed your cheek and hugged you tight "Oh god, I fucking adore you... it's awful."

You could barely contain the joy that built up inside, god this was a rollercoaster.

"I guess it's a bit of downgrade going from being the best Attorney in the city to your baby sitter." She whispered in your ear.

A smile crossed your face "You... want to be my Secretary? A little overqualified aren't you?"

Your noses touched as she got in close "I could be a Dishwasher with you, and I'd be happy." her cheeks twitched "Ugh, that isn't ever going to feel normal. Shithead."

That was more like it "I am looking forward to every minute. Fuckface." You shot back.

She kissed you then, as the great pulse of life grew made it's beginnings in her womb, and for a moment, You didn't have a care in the world.