“I promise, I feel perfectly well again.” Annika did her best to give a reassuring smile, but Katelyn Ashowan was watching her skeptically.

“I’d prefer to check for myself… and because Fin requested it.” The healer took another step closer and Annika took a step backwards.

“Would it be possible in the morning for you to examine me? I… I’m tired this evening,” Annika lied swiftly, making sure to droop her eyes.

“I see… very well,” Kate nodded quietly after a moment’s hesitation, and gradually began to turn towards the door.

The Lady had just begun to let out the tiniest breath of relief, when the healer suddenly whirled around, and lunged at Annika. One hand flew to the Viscountess’ forehead, and the other grasped her forearm with impressive strength as Annika reeled back trying to wrench herself from her mother-in-law’s hold... but it was futile.

The woman had a shocking grip of steel.

“Gods, you're burning hot! Why in the world didn’t you ask for help when you-” Kate’s words died in her throat then. Her face grew pale, as her hands then began to glow, and Annika had no choice but to remain completely frozen.

The Viscountess’ expression was that of open terror.

“You… You’re carrying my… his…” Kate’s hands suddenly dropped to Annika’s swollen abdomen that she had tried to shield with her silk robe, but under the healer’s experienced touch, there was no hiding it.

Tears suddenly sprang to her eyes, as the woman’s chin dropped, and her voice quivered.

“There is a part of him still here… still safe…” More tears began to cascade down the woman’s face as Annika felt a hard lump swell in her throat.

“I… I… it’s…” Annika had no idea what to say as the witch openly wept and rejoiced at the same time.

“How could you be so far along unless…” Kate interrupted suddenly. With a slight twitch of her eyebrows, the healer’s entire body suddenly began to glow, casting the room in an even brighter light. When suddenly her wide warm gaze met Annika’s.

“Twins.”

Annika’s heart thudded against her chest.

So… it was confirmed…

Twins.

The room began to spin slightly in front of her eyes as her breath came out in small gasps.

“Sit down.” Kate took charge in forcing the Viscountess down onto the nearest settee.

After a few moments of Annika gradually regaining her composure with Kate’s gentle hands on both her abdomen and her shoulder, the future grandmother spoke again.

“So this was why you were avoiding touching me so much.” The healer chuckled, while Annika still couldn’t work her way past the shock of being discovered, nor the confirmation that she was carrying twice as many children as was the norm…

“I thought you were looking a little on the plump side more recently, but also thought it had more to do with Finlay’s cooking…” Kate admitted with a watery smile.

When the healer recognized the distant shocked expression on her daughter-in-law’s face, she decided to take the physician’s approach and inform her patient of all she could regarding her condition.

“You’re nearly between seven and eight weeks… It doesn’t feel as though they are identical though even my magic struggles a bit with those details just yet. I am willing to bet you that one of those babes is going to be a fire witch the way it’s burning hotter than the sun inside you. Though the other twin won't be hurt thanks to there being two placentas, so do not worry.” When the Viscountess still didn’t respond, the healer continued talking. “By my estimate you are due in early spring next year- twins tend to arrive a little early.”

Annika still didn’t say anything, and it was beginning to concern Kate.

“You did… know… before I said anything, didn’t you?”

The Viscountess nodded after a moment.

“I see. Does Fin know?”

The answer took longer in coming, but eventually Annika shook her head.

“You didn’t want him to worry before he left,” Kate guessed quietly.

“I didn’t…” Annika cleared her hoarse voice before attempting to continue again. “I didn’t want him to… get excited… or worried when it was so early and with everything that has happened…”

Kate nodded in understanding. “You were trying to protect him.”

Annika let out a long shaky sigh, unaware that her hands had started trembling. She clasped them together tightly as she worked to find her normal sense of self-control and confidence.

“I’ll be honest Viscountess, you won’t be able to hide this in another three weeks. Women tend to grow much faster with twins. The bright side is if you’d like, I can tell you the genders in another two weeks or so...”

Annika shook her head. “I... I would like to ask Fin before…”

Somehow, saying his name broke her final tendril of strength, and the dark haired beauty found tears spilling over her cheeks.

Pulling her into an embrace, Katelyn gently stroked Annika’s back and hair in a very motherly manner while not saying anything more until the Lady pulled back and hastily dashed away the remaining tears on her cheeks.

“I know… it’s frightening… All we can do is hope he makes it back and… and that you can tell him the news.”

As the two women continued sharing each other’s solace well into the night, the rain continued to soak the world outside, and a certain Troivackian vessel did its best to keep its bow out of the rough waters of the Alcide Sea.

*

Fin awoke the next morning with a gasp. His hand clutching his chest as the vivid images from his dream twisted his heart fiercely. He had dreamt that he was peering inside Annika’s bedroom window… she had been staring through him into the night looking tired and alone. He had wanted to comfort her, to call out her name, but he couldn’t for some reason… Instead he had seen his mother enter the chamber. They had talked and wept, and no matter how hard he tried, the witch couldn’t shout or pound the glass to let them know he was still there.

“Oyy, Helmer, your father wants you above deck,” One of the Troivackian soldiers called out as Fin was in the process of wiping sweat off of his face. Surprisingly, none of the men had attempted to beat him in the night, and none of them even whispered an insult… aside from refusing to call him Ashowan.

Maneuvering himself free from the hammock he had been assigned below deck, the redhead set to collapsing the canvas and hanging it up along with the others before following the soldier who had been sent to summon him back above deck.

The ship was still damp from the storm that had broken out, but the day that followed was sunny and pleasantly cool. Fin spotted Aidan leaning along the rail, staring out over the murky water as Austice grew further in the distance. He wore a crisp white tunic with the sleeves rolled up, and a black vest with matching trousers, setting him apart from the grubby attire of the majority of the crew.

Shoving his hands in his pockets and walking over to the man whom he loathed with every fiber of his being, Fin cleared his throat.

Turning around slowly and regarding his son’s pale complexion and dark bags under his eyes Aidan chortled. “Not taking well to sea life?”

“You asked to see me?” the redhead asked quietly instead of answering the question.

“Ah, yes. We haven’t had a chance to properly talk. The storm set upon us so quickly that there was too much to do.” Aidan gestured over to two small barrels facing each other where it was obvious some of the men took their breaks.

Fin obliged and moved over slowly to them as the Troivackian Chief of Military walked behind him, making the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

Once seated, his father’s black eyes surveyed his son carefully. The fire witch folded his arms over his chest and leaned back comfortably. After a moment of silence, he finally grinned.

“I know you hate me. I know you’re angry that Charles Piereva is dead. However, if I hadn’t killed him, I would’ve also had to kill his wife and child as well once King Matthais inevitably found out. I’m giving them the chance to run.” Aidan shrugged.

“You could’ve just said you killed Charles and had him freed,” Fin pointed out flatly.

“Ahh, only if I wanted to risk my own neck. Troivackia is harsh, brutal… but beautiful in its efficient execution of justice.” Aidan smiled charmingly, but it only made Fin’s stomach burn.

“I heard you exiled that blonde aide after my visit. I’m glad that she was punished for her impudence.”

Fin bit down on his tongue hard enough to draw blood.

“I did hear some interesting rumors about you around the castle, you know. Some people seem to believe you are gay. Others are determined that you lost your woman- a maid serving under Lady Jenoure after being arrested for a night.”

The redhead said nothing.

“What is it you want in life, Fin?” Aidan asked curiously, tilting his head to the side.

“I want to cook,” the lackluster reply did nothing to irk the fire witch.

“You can cook anywhere. Don’t you recognize that you’re better than what you have? I can offer you a brand new life. Once we win this war, I will be in a far superior position, and you could take a role under me that far surpasses-”

“No, thanks.”

Aidan’s mouth clamped shut and annoyance flashed across his face.

“Why did you hurt Sky?” Fin questioned suddenly. For some reason, while he had his own understanding about his and his mother’s subjection to his father’s violence in the past, the air witch’s assault haunted him…

“Ahh, so you have met with her. Sky was always a delicate little thing… she had great power as a pure witch, but alas she tried countless times to tamper with the greater good, and I needed to leave a strong enough impression on her that she would stop meddling.”

“She went mad after what you did. She requires constant care, and-”

“Sometimes people don’t grow stronger in life, and instead digress. Take yourself for instance. I know your mother and you believe my methods while you grew up were harsh, but you are at the very least self-sufficient, and I suspect… far more well-connected than most people know.” A knowing smile spread across Aidan’s face.

‘So he thinks I’m the spy… this is good for Annika. It’ll keep her safe.’

Fin shrugged ambiguously. “It’s not hard to make friends.”

Aidan’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Not with that face it isn’t. I remember what it was to be handsome and young… I imagine it allows you in all kinds of bed chambers, and subsequently knowledgeable of certain secrets.”

Fin wished he could kick Aidan in the groin for good measure, but knew it was part of the ploy to throw him off the trail. So he chose not to answer.

“What could I offer you that would tempt you to take all your… information, and skills, and work for the King of Troivack?” The Chief of Military tried again, his expression growing more serious.

“Nothing that I’m aware of.” There was a subtle note of irritability in Fin’s voice when he answered again.

“I’d been wondering who the castle spy was, and it turns out it was my own son,” the fire witch baited him, but the redhead only folded his arms and leaned back, mirroring his father’s movements perfectly.

“You must know that if you do not change your mind before the seven days are complete, I intend to kill you, right?” Aidan asked while scoffing.

“Can’t say I’m overly surprised,” Fin replied in the same monotone he had been maintaining the entire conversation, and was satisfied to see his father grit his teeth for a moment as a result.

“So this is it for you, hm? You die to save a couple of nobles and that’s good enough for your life? You cooked, you bedded some wenches, and now you go out as a hero of Daxaria? I don’t buy it for a minute.” Aidan leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “Does the King think I’ll obey the contract? Or does he have something else planned to save you?”

Fin shrugged. “I have no idea.”

A brief flash of rage passed over the Troivackian Chief of Military’s face, before he suddenly broke out in a laugh that made his son’s blood curdle.

“It’s a pity you’ll have to die like this. You’re a very good spy… Not giving up any information. Willfully ignorant… For old times sake, I’ll give you a few more days to think about it. After that, I’ll see to it that you die quite painfully as thanks for blasting me off of Quildon.”

“Even if I agreed to work for your King, you would’ve planned to get rid of me the moment I wasn't of any use,” Fin announced unfeelingly before standing.

“Possibly… then again, perhaps I would be willing to call it a child’s first taste of power and let it go after a few years… But you don’t seem the type to change your mind easily. It makes no difference to me, I just didn’t want anything troublesome getting in my way when victory is so near.”

Fin’s ears pricked up though he did his best to maintain a controlled facade as his father slowly stood up.

‘If he’s talking about having me killed before the week is up then… then that means the Troivackians are intending to attack by the end of the seven days.’ The realization plunged Fin into icy anxiousness. ‘Now how the hell can I warn his majesty?’

“Oh, and Finlay?” Aidan called as his son began to turn away.

The redhead looked back at his father, then received a sharp uppercut to his gut that left him gasping and clutching his ribs on the ship deck. A searing burning pain wrenched through his shoulder where the fire witch’s hand then rested, making Fin try all the harder to gasp through the pain.

“This is for your childish disrespect the past few days. Don’t disappoint me again.”

Then, Aidan Helmer strode off leaving his son on the ship deck trying to regain his breath, and wondering how he could possibly survive the full week and warn everyone in Daxaria in time…