Elowen wondered if Lumi would hit her the next time they met.

The physician seemed relatively surprised. Theros seemed startled. The whole castle could not comprehend.

Elowen herself was a little upset at how...easy? She reflected on it later, and cringed at the anger she could already anticipate from her friend.

It had started that morning. Even after pouring over Lumi's letters of what her birthing experience had been like, Elowen still had not been prepared. Lumi had explained in great detail what the sensations would be, and how she would first know it was happening. But Elowen should have realized that they were two different women, therefore, it would not be the same.

She and Theros had been sitting, eating breakfast as they always did now. There was a peace between them, and Elowen knew she would be capable of living the rest of her life with this male. He had become her friend, and she had already provided him the support he needed in his lowest time.

She had become his pillar- something solid to hold onto. And Elowen knew that was the idea that he craved the most now. Foundation. Something to tell his worries to. Something that would not judge. A person who had seen him at his most vulnerable and had not taken advantage of such a sight.

He was always reading at the table- no matter how much she tried to get him away from his documents. She ended up reading her letters from Lumi there, but he never asked what the contents were unless she told him.

That morning however, Elowen had felt something...odd.

She sat still, staring off into the distance, while trying to decide what the feeling was. With horror, she realized there was something wet coming down her legs. Elowen remained calm. With the pregnancy over these past nine months, she and Theros had had to suffer through many embarrassing incidences.

She saw from the corner of her eye, one the workers look at her in alarm. She could faintly hear the drip coming and her face was turning warm at the thought of what it might look like.

She looked at the worker, her blue eyes like ice as she glared the woman down, daring her to speak a word. The female looked at her Queen with concern, but Elowen continued as she was. She just had to wait for Theros to leave and then she would apologize for the mess.

She looked at Theros. "Do you need to be somewhere?"

He looked up, "Yes...I have a meeting with the council...there is more conflict with Galexious and now Spring is starting to raise hell," Theros rubbed a hand over his tired eyes.

Elowen motioned for him to leave. He raised a brow in amusement.

"Trying to get rid of me so soon, wife?"

Elowen only shrugged, sipping her tea as serenely as she could. Theros chuckled and stood, moving to lean down and kiss her cheek. She tilted her head slightly and thought she would be able to get away with it.

But Theros stopped suddenly and looked down.

"Elowen..."

"It's nothing to concern yourself with Theros, I have it under control."

He looked wildly around the room, "Elowen why is there blood under your chair?"

That caught her attention.

They both looked down at the same time. Elowen felt her eyes widen at the sight. She looked up in confusion at Theros.

"Why is that there?"

He was already running out of the room, demanding for the physician to come immediately.

Elowen stood and suddenly swayed. The worker who had been watching her rushed forward to catch her.

Elowen held out her hand, "thank you but that will not be necessary-,"

Just as she was about to walk away, Theros came rushing back into the room. Before she could even blink, he lifted her, running with her in his arms.

"Theros!"

He continued to run, guards on either side of him and the physician ahead. Elowen felt strangely dazed as something clenched in her stomach.

The men rushed into the bedroom, and Theros gently laid her there.

The physician came forward, several females beside him as he shouted, "I need hot water and towels...lots of towels!"

It suddenly hit Elowen what was happening. She turned to look at Theros. His eyes were wide, worry and fear clearly there. But all Elowen could think to say in that moment was, "I didn't finish my tea."

She heard his strangled laugh beside her as the clenching sensation in her stomach came back again.

* * *

"That was undoubtedly the easiest...most natural...almost perfect..." the physician could not be quiet about how smoothly the birth went. Elowen felt uncomfortable with his praise. Theros for some odd reason looked smug. That look made Elowen want to throw something at him.

He had contributed in only one way to this whole process and Elowen was sure that deserved no credit for the events that had taken place just recently.

She would have to go back and reread Lumi's letters. Either the woman had been exaggerating (that was actually possible), or Elowen had a better time of it. She wondered what she would tell Lumi in her next letter. She might be mad that she had hardly let out a scream.

"Can I hold him?"

The physician nodded, "of course, Queen Elowen. They are just checking to make sure all is well first."

"Is he well?" she could hear the anxiety in her voice.

She felt Theros' hand on her shoulder, but her focus was on the females and the child they held.

"Yes," one said as she came closer, "he is healthy."

"Thank you," Elowen reached for her son, taking him in her arms and staring down at him. She gently stroked his cheek, smiling as he squirmed from the touch.

She looked up at Theros.

He seemed uncomfortable suddenly. Elowen had a sinking feeling as to why. She looked at the physician. That single look was all the male needed, to know that they wished to have a private moment alone with their son.

Once they had left the room, she turned to look at Theros again.

"You can change it if you want...the name...I don't mind either way," she said.

"I chose it for the wrong reasons."

Elowen looked at Theros. She would never admit to him that she already knew this. She had gone to the library late in the night and had sought the meaning behind each name when he had first chosen them. Her heart had felt too numb to break at that point when she read the words.

Liron.

My song.

Brone.

My sorrow.

He had named even their son, after her.

"I will support whatever choice you make," she said.

There was conflict in his eyes. He looked down at the child she held. Slowly, Theros lowered himself, sitting beside her to take them both in.

"Can he be my new song? Can the meaning stay the same, but change in how I interpret it?"

Elowen smiled, her heart broken enough times to not be affected by his words.

"Yes," she whispered.

She felt his lips touch her temple and she closed her eyes at the sensation.

The next few days Elowen did not want to leave Liron's side. She worried that taking him out would affect his health. The cold was not something he had to endure yet. She sat up with him, unable to take her eyes away.

She could already see the thin strands of blond on the top of his head. She wondered idly if his eyes would stay blue. Both she and Theros possessed the color so she had no doubt of it.

"We match," she whispered to her son, smiling as he reached his arms unconsciously for anything.

Her favorite moments were watching Theros with him. He held him with a gentleness she never knew he had possessed. A softness came to the male's eyes as he looked up at Elowen and smiled.

"Thank you," he kissed her hand, his happiness clear to see. Elowen stared at the linked fingers, taking in how the three of them were connected.

"We need a girl now," he said, his smile growing from the thought.

She laughed, "if you act this way with a son, then I worry how you will be with a daughter."

His laughter rang out with hers as he pulled at her, silently asking for her to sit next to him.

"We need to have the cleansing ceremony soon," Theros said, "it's a short process."

"Yes...I remember my mother talking about going to yours."

He nodded, "and then he will be my heir."

Elowen had to catch her breath. It had not really hit her until then that she was the mother of future Kings. She was the woman who would give birth to rulers. Who would create changes and influence history.

Theros did not notice the epiphany she had just had. He only continued to stare down at his son. He looked to Elowen again, "thank you."

She didn't know what he kept thanking her for. But she still smiled back at him all the same.

* * *

Lumi sat alone at the table, staring out at the inventors.

She fidgeted, unable to hide how restless she felt.

Kestrel sat on her lap, his eyes wide as he took in the noise of the surroundings. Lumi leaned down, kissing the top of his head and smiling at the attention he already showed. He certainly took after his father in that aspect.

"He can't walk yet," she sighed. Ramus, who was standing close to her, looked down startled.

"Is he... old enough?"

"I walked when I was six months old."

Ramus tucked that piece of information away- with his Queen it did not startle him the abnormality of it.

"It is still very early, My Queen."

Lumi looked glumly at her son. Ramus seemed to know where her mind was going as he desperately spoke, "and the King has told us that he is not to go hunting until he is twelve at least."

"What?" Lumi laughed but stopped short at the serious expression on Ramus' face. "But...twelve is so old..."

Ramus was beginning to sense a theme with his Queen's upbringing.

She sighed again, looking down at her son. "I was five when my grandfather first took me hunting."

Ramus cringed, "and...did you catch anything?"

She laughed, "a turtle."

Ramus could not help the small laugh that escaped him. She flashed him a knowing grin that made him regret his lack of discipline. Kestrel laughed also at the sound, looking up to his mother and grinning.

Lumi stared at him before startling Ramus at the sudden motion she made of pulling her son suddenly to her and squealing, "you are so cute!"

Ramus let out a long sigh, rubbing his forehead and straightening back up.

"When do you think they will come out?"

He looked down to see that her face was serious for once. Ramus knew exactly who she was talking about.

"I'm not sure, My Queen. When they are ready, they will show themselves."

"They've been in there for almost three days..." he could hear the faint worry now in her voice- one that she tried to hide. He knew her well enough though to detect these small changes. Ramus did not know what to say however.

The King and the revolt leader, Soter, had been locked in the study together. Members of the King's council were also present. Sometimes shouting could be heard. Ramus had a feeling that history was being made behind those closed doors.

Two other men had shown up in front of the palace the other day- elders that Soter had sent messengers to retrieve. They had joined the study and it had been closed ever since.

Ramus looked at his Queen. He felt some anger that she was not with them. That they were not allowing the woman who had made all of this possible to participate. She did not seem angry. If anything, Ramus noted that she almost acted relieved to not be included.

She seemed content to hold her son and talk to the inventors and him.

Days passed in such a way. The palace staff quickly realized that any pressing matters were to be given directly to the Queen since the King was occupied. Ramus acted as her shadow every second, his amusement only growing that his Queen never once seemed to let go of her son.

"I'm showing him how he will rule his own Kingdom one day."

Ramus did not have the energy to argue with her that the child of almost five months would not be able to remember such things.

"He is very...calm..."

Lumi rose a brow at Ramus' remark. He smiled, knowing her mind had gone where he had implied.

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

He only shrugged, looking away from her head that was slowly tilting down in a glare.

"I am a very calm person, Ramus."

"I did not say you weren't."

She laughed and shook her head, lifting Kestrel and cooing at the sight of him. The boy only smiled, his hands reaching for his mother.

Ramus would never tell his King that in those weeks that past, he saw a transformation in his Queen. She seemed freer. More open. He saw a woman he had never been able to meet before. He heard her whisper a strange language to her son- one Ramus had only heard her use once. He knew it was her native tongue, but he would not tell the King that she was secretly teaching her son the words.

"We have our own language," Ramus told her once.

His Queen had tilted her head, contemplating the matter, "I should get him a teacher. Someone who will be able to help him. Do you speak it?"

Ramus sighed, "I understand it...I know the words if I hear them- and I would be able to know what was being said to me but if you asked me to say something back...I don't think I could. And I cannot read or write in it."

"That is very sad," she frowned at the thought. He had not considered it a sad thing. Only inevitable that life moved on, and the past was eventually forgotten.

Finally, after two weeks, the King emerged.

Ramus stood in front of the study doors, watching as his Queen entered. He saw his King turn to her, a beard formed on his face, hair shaggy and unkempt. But his eyes lit up when they took in his Queen.

All the males seemed to resemble the King in the tired way they held themselves. Ramus was able to catch a few words, "my wife and Queen, Lumikki-," before the doors closed.

He suddenly felt empty and anxious from not having her in his sight. He took several steps back, leaning against the wall, while he waited silently for his Queen to emerge.

* * *

Lumi looked at the scattered documents. One in particular held her interest as Josiah took it and showed her. He looked ill- unclean and almost frantic. She ignored the way all the males seemed to match this image, and instead focused on the information that was being shared.

She listened intensely, taking in the changed dynamic that had occurred. No longer did Josiah seem hostile towards Soter and his men.

"So you wrote and created new laws?"

"Yes," Josiah stepped closer, letting her see the full document. Others were in a neat stack and she knew those were also part of the finished work.

"It is a woven part of the new and the old. We need to slowly start seeing if the people will accept this idea or not- but this will save the old customs that are still valued, while stopping others that are harmful- or those that should be stopped."

"Mmmhhh..." Lumi wondered how they had decided what should be kept or not kept. The male's around her seemed to eager however- that she didn't have the heart to voice out her question.

They explained more, talking about the negotiations that would happen in the next few weeks and the trips Josiah would have to take to the border with Soter.

"And of course, I have to go to the Winter lands and explain how we are handling the situation. Soter is part of the council now. We have a chair created for the upholding of customs- he will make sure there is a voice to the process while we go forward."

"Congratulations, Soter."

He smiled at Lumi and bowed his head slightly, "Thank you, My Queen."

She felt her own smile tighten at the formal greeting. Slowly, each male shuffled out, being shown a guest room for them to stay in and rest after the long days that were spent in confinement.

"It's all coming together," Josiah still seemed to wired to go to sleep. "The revolts, the customs, the royal- all of it seems to be falling into place. And the inventors, the lights- we can do this." He turned to face Lumi, a manic smile lighting up his face, "we can do this, Lumi."

She smiled, "you've accomplished a lot, Josiah. It's wonderful."

He seemed full of adrenaline. As if it was all hitting him at once.

He took her face in his hands, leaning down to savagely kiss her.

"God, I've missed these lips."

She kissed him back, wondering if he would collapse at any second from the exhaustion that seemed to seep from his body.

"Josiah, you should sleep."

"With you," he continued to kiss her face, trailing down her neck.

She smiled at his boyish remark, "later. I meant you should rest. You are exhausted."

"Not now. Not when you're so close."

Lumi sighed and wove her fingers through his hair, smiling at the content sigh he let escape.

"You made me into a better man Lumi. Thank you."

She looked up to meet his gaze. He looked at her, and his brows lowered in confusion.

"Are you alright, my love?"

"Yes," she said. But she felt adrift all of a sudden, his words not the ones she had been hoping to hear after hardly seeing him for two weeks. He continued to stare at her, his head tilting slightly at what he saw.

He leaned forward, his hands going to the clasp on her dress, "may I?"

She moved closer to him, allowing him access to slowly undo the holding and let her dress fall.

Before anyone goes off on me saying "it's impossible for a child to walk at 6 months!" I would like to point out that A. BOI I WALKED AT SIX MONTHS SO I GUESS I'M A FREAK OF NATURE and 2. I took child development and have studied various age populations including birth-3. I know developmental steps and milestones and the normal time range in which they should be achieved so don't go off and try to argue with me - I'm aware of when the average child takes their first step and so on. THIS IS NOT ME BEING IGNORANT. (I just have to post comments like these because people tend to want to fight me RAWR).

At this point, I have no idea how many chapters are left, but my gut says we are not going to go over 50 CH. (watch it be 70 XD ). So just a warning!

Have a good day/night! Thank you for reading!