[redith].
"I’m not reacting enough," Draven replied.
I held his gaze. There was no teasing in him now, only focus and intent.
Ti passed quietly. I rested back against the pillows, one hand unconsciously resting over my stomach.
That faint warmth was still there. Though it was subtle, but alive. And sohow... steady.
Draven remained nearby, pacing only once or twice before stopping again, as if unwilling to put distance between us for too long.
Through the matebond, I sensed another shift. Valmora stirred attentively and paused. A flicker of confusion and sothing else, like curiosity. Before I could understand it fully, the doors opened.
The royal healer entered swiftly, bowing deeply. "Your Majesties."
"Check her," Draven said imdiately without responding to her greetings.
The healer approached, her expression composed but focused. She began her examination carefully, her hands gentle and precise as she assessed .
I remained still. Draven stood close enough that I could feel him watching and waiting.
The healer’s movents slowed and finally stopped. Then her expression changed. Her brows drew together slightly as if she were confirming sothing she hadn’t expected.
Draven noticed imdiately. "What is it?" he asked, his voice tightening.
The healer hesitated, then she lowered her head slightly. "Your Majesty..." she began carefully, but suddenly paused.
That brief silence nearly forced out of bed. Thankfully, she continued.
"Her Majesty is indeed with child."
Her statent settled into a quiet confirmation. Draven’s hand tightened slightly at his side, but the healer wasn’t finished.
"There is... sothing else."
That caught both of our attention. My gaze sharpened slightly as Draven asked, "What do you an?"
The healer lifted her head. Her expression now held a trace of awe. "It is not one," she said. "Her Majesty is carrying twins."
For a mont, neither of us spoke. The words lingered, heavier this ti. ’Twins?’
My hand instinctively pressed slightly against my stomach. That faint warmth shifted. Not one. Two.
"I’m carrying twins?" I said more to myself than to anyone else.
Draven went completely still, but through the matebond, I felt the shift in him—shock. Then sothing deeper and stronger.
His gaze slowly shifted to , then lowered to where his hand had been earlier.
"To think..." he murmured under his breath.
There was sothing almost incredulous in his tone. Then his expression hardened with resolve.
His eyes lifted again, locking onto mine, more determined this ti. Firm. Protective. No—more than that.
"You’re not leaving my side," he said.
There was no room for argunt. Not now. Not anymore.
---
For a mont after Draven briefly escorted the healer out, the room fell silent. But as soon as he returned, he moved again, this ti without restraint.
His composure—usually so controlled, so asured—broke completely as he closed the distance between us in a few quick steps.
His hands reached my face, and before I could react, he kissed . It was full of sothing raw—relief, joy... disbelief. When he pulled back, there was a rare brightness in his eyes that I had only seen a handful of tis.
"Twins," he said, almost as if testing the word.
Then he let out a short breath and actually laughed. He turned slightly, running a hand through his hair before pacing once, then stopping again, as though he didn’t quite know what to do with himself.
"This..." he muttered, shaking his head. "This is—"
He didn’t finish. Instead, he looked back at , and I couldn’t help the smile that ford on my lips.
For once, I said nothing. I simply watched him because after everything we had been through together, this mont felt deserved.
"It’s been almost two years," I uttered softly.
His gaze softened slightly.
"And now..." I continued, resting my hand lightly over my stomach, "We are having our cubs."
The thought still felt surreal, then sothing clicked in my mind. "My grandmother’s letter," I said.
Draven’s attention sharpened imdiately.
"She ended it with congratulations to us," I added. "I didn’t understand why at the ti. But now, it made sense.
Draven let out a quiet breath, then gave a small shake of his head. "That woman..." he muttered. "She truly sees further than most."
His lips curved faintly. "I believe it now."
Not long after, Draven picked up again. I didn’t bother as he had already warned not to argue.
He carried into the bathing room and set down carefully by the tub, already preparing the water as though he had done it a hundred tis before.
"I can do this myself," I said.
"I know," he replied. Yet he didn’t step away.
He stayed, helping into the bath and making sure the temperature was just right. His movents were careful—far more careful than necessary.
When I was done, he wrapped a towel around my hair himself and guided into the dressing room.
Before my maidservants could even step forward, he had already begun drying my hair.
I raised a brow slightly. "You’re doing too much at this point."
"I’m not doing enough," he replied without pause.
The maids exchanged glances, then smiles.
When he finally stepped aside and left to go have his bath, they moved in, their expressions bright with excitent.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty."
"Congratulations, my Queen."
Their voices carried genuine happiness.
I inclined my head slightly. "Thank you."
---
Breakfast was different. Draven didn’t sit still for long. Every few monts, sothing new appeared on my plate.
"Eat this."
"And this."
"This too."
I looked down at the growing arrangent of fruits and dishes, then back at him. "I’m not starving."
"You are eating for three now."
"That doesn’t an—"
"Eat."
I paused, then sighed quietly and did as he said. He watched closely until I finished everything. Only then did he seem satisfied.
After breakfast, a familiar presence stirred through the matebond. Valmora, then Rhovan.
Their awareness brushed against mine, then shifted toward the faint presence within . Their excitent was evident.
But what Draven and I never saw coming was their disagreent.
"They are both mine," Valmora’s presence pushed forward, almost smug.
Rhovan’s response ca just as quickly, firm and amused. "One is mine."
"No."
"Yes."
Their voices overlapped, neither willing to yield. I felt the faint echo of their bickering, and despite myself, a small smile tugged at my lips.
Draven, however, did not share the amusent. "Enough," he said aloud, his tone flat.
The bond went quiet instantly, forcing a chuckle out of my lips.
After a mont, Draven’s expression changed once more, now more serious. "There will be no more training," he said.
I looked at him. "No."
His brows drew together slightly. "No?" he repeated.
"I will continue training," I said calmly. "Pregnancy doesn’t make fragile."
"It changes things."
"Not enough to stop ."
"It’s not up for debate."
"It is."
The air between us shifted slightly. Regardless, I continued, "I am not going to sit idle for months. I can adjust my training."
"You won’t train at all."
I held his gaze. "And who decided that?"
"I did."
I paused for a mont, then exhaled. "You’re being unreasonable."
"And you’re ignoring what this ans."
"It ans I carry our cubs," I said. "Not that I lose myself."
His jaw tightened slightly. For a mont, neither of us spoke. Then—
"I said no." The finality in his tone made it clear.
I studied him for a second longer, then shook my head slightly. "Since when did you start winning argunts against ?"
A faint flicker of satisfaction crossed his expression.
I didn’t comnt on that. Instead, I leaned back slightly. "When will we announce it?" I asked, changing the topic.
His attention shifted imdiately. He reached out, his hand resting gently over my stomach. This ti, his touch was softer and grounded.
"After three months," he said.
I nodded, feeling it made sense. For now, this piece of wonderful news still belonged to us.
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