Chapter 36 - Emilia

"I can't believe that I need new dresses again." I complain as Talindra helps me stand up so that Madame Joanna can measure me once again for new dresses. I've grown past the point of letting out the last ones she has made for me so the time has come once again for new dresses.

"Don't worry your Majesty I'll make sure to leave more room for these ones to be let out." Madame Joanna assures me although I'm sure that she's secretly loving this as it's very good for her business that I keep needing new dresses.

"With how big I seem to be getting we've concluded that the baby is likely Kor's. I wouldn't be surprised if I need another fitting soon." I grumble as much as I love my baby the past few months haven't been comfortable and it only seems to be getting worse. I'm no longer being sick in the mornings which I'm thankful for but it's been replaced by discomfort and restless nights when I can't get comfortable.

By the Healer's estimate I'm coming up to six months pregnant and I can't wait for the next three months to be over. My discomfort is only going to get worse the bigger I get although I love the feeling of the baby moving. The first time I felt a kick though a few weeks ago it was a surprise and I'd thought that something was wrong until my ladies managed to calm me down.

My ladies and I are sat in the palace drawing room working on some baby clothes and blankets, we'd brought some things but I love knowing that my baby will use something that I've made by hand. It soon turned into something that my ladies were eager to join me in doing and with so many hands working we've managed to produce more than I thought possible.

This afternoon we're focused more on embroidering the items we've already made rather than making more. We'd made more blankets than I could possibly use so some have been donated to various orphanages in the city at which point we've put a halt on making more. We'll have all afternoon to work on them though as Lilas is occupied with the Council.

Over the past few months the army has started working to retake Nerkise but so far little progress has been made. With Rhistel trying to stamp out rebellions throughout the kingdom his troops are scattered so there have been many little fights but nothing big. And the war won't end until Rhistel, whose proving very difficult to find, is dead and a Council has taken control of the kingdom once again.

I'm in the middle of embroidering a dragon onto a blanket when a strange feeling in my stomach makes me pause momentarily. It stops soon so I continue my work only to stab myself in the finger a few stitches later as the feeling returns stronger. Dropping the blanket I place my hands on my bump worried about what's happening. The movement draws the attention of my ladies who stop their own work.

"I think something's wrong." I say looking towards Maryam for help, she's had several children herself so maybe she'll know what's wrong. Seeing the panic on my face she walks over to me crouching down in front of my seat.

"May I?" She asks raising her hands towards my stomach waiting for permission. Nodding quickly she rests her hands on my stomach and not long after that feeling starts again yet Maryam smiles up at me. "There's nothing wrong your Majesty. That is your baby moving."

I can't help the few happy tears that escape as I marvel at the feeling now, no longer scared of it. The embroidery work is soon abandoned by all my ladies in favour of celebrating this milestone with all of them getting the chance to feel the baby move.

Madame Joanna works quickly with the help of her assistants which I'm incredibly thankful for as standing for too long is uncomfortable. Lately my ankles have been swollen and not much has been helping with that despite Lilas massaging them for me every night. Soon enough I'm able to sit down again and watch as Madame Joanna makes the final adjustments to a dress she'd brought with her, knowing me so well by now she'd been able to make an estimate of what I'd need.

Packing her supplies up Madame Joanna once the dress is done she and her assistants leave with the promise of the dresses being delivered in a few days. Talindra helps me into the new dress, a silver fur lined dress, that they finished before leaving which is much more comfortable than the slightly small dress I'd been wearing before. I don't have much planned to do today other than some embroidery, with how uncomfortable I've been lately Lilas has been insisting that I rest as much as possible.

While I understand the need for me to rest it's becoming quite boring spending so much time not doing anything. Both Lilas and the Healer have stressed the importance of it to me though. With my small stature and how big the baby seems to be I'm apparently at risk of going into labour early, something that Healer Fayeth says wouldn't be worst thing but still I need to get as close to nine months as possible.

As usual I'm joined by some of my ladies, this time it's Zenobia and Tiana, they've been taking it in turns to keep me company until Lilas gets back from the Council meetings. Along with them Khidell and Volethe arrive taking up guard duty in the room now that my dress fitting is over. It's not truly guard duty though since I'm not going anywhere so it's more that they're here to run for the Healer and Lilas if anything happens.

"How are things with Kavarthon?" I ask Tiana not wanting to sit in silence anymore. Plus it's been a few days since I've seen her.

"Everything is wonderful your Majesty. Ever since I moved into his manor we've been able to spend more time together so I feel much closer to him. We went flying again yesterday and I don't think I'll ever find it boring, it's so beautiful up there." She tells us with a large smile on her face.

"Gods I miss flying." I mutter thinking back on my flights with Kor. Most of the flying we'd done had been on the journey here to Hadlau so it hadn't been for fun yet I missed it or maybe it's just I miss having all my mates to spend time with.

I've been missing Kor and Bel more and more every day. We've been sending letters to each other but it's not the same as them being here for the pregnancy. The only way we've been able to include them through the letters and drawings that Lilas has been doing as the pregnancy has progressed.

The three of us spend the afternoon quietly talking as we work on our embroidery. Every so often Volethe would join in the conversation, usually to make us laugh, so the time passes relatively easily as I wait for Lilas to get back. The Council meetings have been getting longer ever since the battles started at the border, they've got battle reports to read as well as going over supplies and casualty reports. So far Lilas says that we've lost very few soldiers but they want to be prepared for when they might need to send reinforcements north.

It's early evening when Lilas returns to the palace, only a few more hours until our dinner will be ready. Tiana and Zenobia bid us both farewell leaving to return to their own homes where their mates are waiting for them. Volethe and Khidell stay standing at their posts waiting to be dismissed for the night although I wouldn't be surprised if they linger for a short while after discussing the war with Lilas.

"How are you my love?" Lilas asks sitting down next to me pressing a light kiss to my cheek.

"I'm well, just a bit uncomfortable." I reply trying to adjust myself into a more comfortable position without much success, "How was the meeting?"

"Long but so far the news remains in our favour. The scouts are finding more small parts of Rhistel's army which are quickly wiped out so it's all adding up but they haven't found him yet. We have another letter from Kor and Bel though." He smiles handing the letter over to me. We'd formed an unspoken rule that we don't read the letters until we're together.

Talking briefly with Volethe and Khidell about the war, going into more details than I can understand, Lilas dismisses them for the night. They'll have tomorrow off as Versum and Larek will take over guard duty for the day after having had their own day off today. Much like today I won't be leaving the palace except for perhaps a short walk in the gardens for some fresh air but Lilas will still insist on me having guards.

Now that we're alone I open the letter unfolding it to find that it's a few pages long and like all the other letters we've received they've both written it. The handwriting alternates as they take turns writing a paragraph or two to us before the other takes over. Judging by the length of the letter they've written over the course of a few days which is pretty normal by now as the time any letters to send with the army reports.

This time they've written about how they've been out beyond the border with some of their men working to find Rhistel. While they've had no luck finding him instead only finding small troops that were easily wiped out by their superior forces. Like all of their letters they mention how much they miss us and to please send more drawings of the both of us for them to keep with them. It's nice to know that they like the drawings we've been sending especially after having to sit still sometimes for hours so that Lilas can finish them.

"Bel says that they're working on more presents to send back to us." Lilas comments further along in the letter than me. Over the past few months they've sent little things back to us such as furs which have been greatly appreciated and put to good use with the cold weather we've been having. My favourite things they send back though are for the baby; little hand carved wooden figures from Kor and Bel has been making blankets and clothes when he can. With no hint still of when they'll be back it's nice knowing that the baby will have something from them regardless.

"Did he say what?"

"No apparently it's going to be a surprise, a very special one according to Bel. We did warn him in the last letter though that we have enough blankets and clothes at least for now." With the combined efforts of Bel, my ladies and I we might have made enough blankets and baby clothes for all the children in Hadlau so for now we've put a halt to making more. At least until we know how big the baby actually is and when we'll need larger clothes.

"Gods only know what it could be then." I reply smiling thinking of what Bel would class as a big surprise. He sent back a beautiful diamond necklace a few weeks ago that he'd brought on a whim describing it in the letter as a trinket so I'm nervous about what he considers a big surprise.

"Knowing Bel it could be anything but Kor should hopefully reign in him." Lilas smiles as well no doubt used to Bel's gift giving practices after so many years together. I have a feeling though that all three are the same though, after being alive for so long they're incredibly rich so many things seem like nothing to them. Ever since I met them just under a year ago they've thought nothing of buying me many dresses in expensive fabrics not to mention the many pieces of jewellery I've been given.

"I hope they're back soon, that's all I want." I whisper knowing that Lilas will still be able to hear me and that he feels the same way.

"Well judging by how determined they seem to track down Rhistel I'm sure that it won't be long before we receive word of a very large dragon flying towards Hadlau." Lilas wraps an arm around my shoulders holding me close as we finish reading the letter which ends with their 'all our love Kor and Bel'.

Knowing that dinner will be served shortly Lilas suggests a short walk around the gardens before we eat which I eagerly agree to. I've been sitting inside for hours now so a walk in the fresh air sounds perfect despite the lack of flowers at the moment. Before we get outside though Lilas grabs our new cloaks lined with fur that Kor and Bel sent us, we've had more snow recently so we'll definitely need them. Lilas has predicated that it's the last snow we'll have this year as we're not far from spring now.

We walk around the snow-covered gardens keeping to a slow steady pace although I seem to waddle rather than walk and can't manage to go much faster. Keeping the walk short we return inside for dinner after just one lap of the gardens not wanting to stay out in the cold for much longer than that.

A small fire in the dining room's fireplace quickly warms us up as we sit down to eat. We keep our conversation light talking mainly about my dress fitting and the latest book Lilas is reading as well as what he's been up to in his lab. He's been experimenting with more new rune series after the success of the protection runes which have now been set up to protect the border cities after further tests revealed how much the runes could protect without weakening.

After dinner Lilas will likely head down to his lab for a few hours while I'll probably head upstairs to bed. Lying down is becoming much more comfortable than sitting so I can read in comfort while I wait for him to join me for the night.