The days had been passing without anything to mark them as exceptional or out of the ordinary. The weather grew colder, and Haven did his best to make his rounds of the borders as quickly as he could. He did not need either himself or Drogon to come down with a cold, so the less time that they spent out in the unforgiving wind, the better. The Knight was not a particularly heavy sleeper. He liked to be alert at all times and wanted to be up at the slightest hint that something was not right. He had been sleeping fairly deep when he felt Princess sit up rather abruptly and leave their bed. Slowly his jade eyes opened and blinked a few times as his ears strained to pick up on any noise. He knew that she had not been feeling quite herself lately, and so was not terribly alarmed at his mate's sudden departure. If she needed him, she would call for him, right? Sometimes when you were feeling sick you didn't want people hovering over you with concern and he had a feeling Princess did not want him to see her if she were getting sick.

A few moments passed, and his eyelids were becoming heavy when he heard her soft voice call for him. Even though her tone was not scared, it was enough to wake him the rest of the way immediately and the Aatte threw the covers back and walked out of the bedroom. Haven found her sitting on the floor of the bathroom and he slid his back down the wall to sit next to her. His hand moved to take one of her's as he looked down into her face. He never cared what she wore or how she looked; she was always beautiful in his eyes. "You're really feeling sick, huh? Do you want me to call Alaine?" The Knight didn't want his Princess to be in any discomfort, and he knew that the collie-woman would be able to help with whatever kind of illness she was fighting.

Haven hated seeing her like this, hurting in any way. It was almost better when it was a physical threat because at least there was something he could do about that. He could fight villains off and keep her safe from any attack. The Knight couldn't fight off whatever was making her ill though; that was beyond any power he held. It almost made him want to learn more about the healing arts, aside from what little first aid knowledge that he had. Haven really didn't think he had the kind of mental capacity for that though. He doubted he could stay calm and take charge in the same situations that Alaine could. His realm was to protect the pack from outside forces and it would likely need to stay at that. It was just lucky that they had such a skilled healer at their disposal.

Her fingers intertwined with his and he gave her hand a soft, reassuring squeeze. The man cocked his head to the side as Princess said that she didn't need Alaine's assistance. She didn't? Maybe it wasn't anything serious that was making her sick, but still, the collie fey would be able to provide relief from even such a small inconvenience surely. Princess seemed nervous as she looked up to him, and he could not guess why that would be, but then she spoke again and his green eyes grew wide, his jaw slackening to leave his mouth agape in shock. Had she really just said what his ears had heard? Could it be true?

Princess clearly wasn't joking and if anyone would know such a thing to be, it would be her. His shocked expression quickly transformed into a huge, toothy grin, his eyes taking on an almost sprightly light. "You really think so?" he asked puppishly. Haven wanted so badly to start a family with his mate and this news seemed like a dream and not reality. He needed further confirmation before his excitement could pour forth without restraint.

Haven was, perhaps foolishly, unaware of his mate's lingering fears concerning parenthood. He knew that she had not been completely reassured by the talk they had had those moons ago, but he had felt he had gotten through to her on some level. But when she had come into their room that day with such an unexpected surprise...well, he had assumed afterwords that that had been her way of telling him that she was ready to take that next step if their actions would come to any fruition. Now, it seemed that they had, and the Knight could not feel anything but unadulterated glee. It was really all he could do to keep from picking her up and swinging her around the house in his arms.

His lovely, petite mate nodded in confirmation of his question and words soon followed that made his stomach do a somersault. A yip of excitement flew out of his chest and his tail began to beat wildly against the bathroom wall. Haven gave Princess a big hug, though he was wary not to jostle her too much, not wanting to make her sickness flare up. The man held her for a few long moments before he pulled back and looked into her eyes, a thumb moving up to rub her cheek. "We're going to be parents," he said, still a hint of dreaminess to his voice. There were little puppies in her, right now, that they had made together. His jade eyes drifted down to her still small stomach, his smile growing so much his cheeks nearly hurt. Haven leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her stomach. Their children were in there, it was such a crazy thought. He knew next to nothing about them, but he already knew that he loved them.

If Princess had shared her fears, he would have been quick to dismiss them again. There was simply no way that she would become like her mother. Haven had faith in her, and even if warning signs would begin to crop up, he would be quick to talk to her about it and they would fix it together. This was not something that either of them was doing on their own, it was something they were doing together. Unfortunately though, the Knight was far too blinded by his own excitement to see the fear hiding behind her golden oculars. His mind was completely fixated on their future, the future that was seeded within his beautiful mate.

Princess squeezed his hand and his face rose back up to beam at her. There were so many thoughts and possibilities swirling in his mind. What would they look like? How many would there be? What would they name them? So many exciting questions that he wanted answered all right now. Haven at least still had the sense not to start jabbering away unnecessarily. This was something that couldn't be rushed, it would take time to know and decide these things. "I would think so." The Aatte didn't know much about pregnancy either. As far as he knew, the only thing that could end one poorly was some sort of dreadful accident, like what had happened to Firely. He assumed that if nothing externally bad happened that everything would be just fine. "Well, obviously mom and Mati, but I can wait to tell them until you're feeling better." Haven wasn't about to go riding off out of the lands while she wasn't feeling well. "Maybe we can tell Heath and Ruri first." The pair lived here, and they were all four of them friends. Just think, soon they would be raising their children up together!

Even though Haven didn't know much, if anything, about the details of pregnancy it seemed clear that feeling sick was a part of the deal. At least that is what he assumed had been on the clues to tip Princess off and why she had not felt the need to call for Alaine. This thought made Haven feel guilty about his ignorance. Perhaps he should try and find some books to learn more about what all pregnancy entailed? The Knight made a mental note to do that when he next had the opportunity. He wanted to understand what his mate was going through and learn what he could do to help, if anything. He remembered what labor had been like for Ruri and he wanted to make Princess life up until that point as easy and comfortable as he could.

Haven was glad that Princess liked his suggestion of going to tell the Dauphine and Chancellor first. There was no doubt that Heath and Ruri would be excited for them and they could likely give them tips as well, since they had already gone through the pregnancy process. Talking to Ruri would likely help to soothe any worries Princess might still have too. "Well then, as soon as you feel up to it we'll go and tell them." Haven was excited to share the news, but Princess' health and comfort came first, it always would.

When she asked about going with him to tell his family, the Knight paused in thought. Part of him did want to tell them alone, but that was not the thought that struck him the hardest. What if they went and Princess fell off of Drogon? The thought nearly made Haven sick himself. There were no grounds to really think that would happen, his stallion was a good horse and Princess had never had trouble riding with him, but the risk was not worth taking. "I think you should maybe stay here. I wouldn't want you falling off Drogon and getting hurt," he said in a serious tone. "Maybe it'd be best if you just stayed in Cours until they're born." Remembering what had happened to his aunt...Haven didn't want anything like that to happen to her or their pups.

Haven couldn't wait to tell Heath that he was going to be a father. It seemed so crazy, thinking back on how far both of them had come since that day they had first met out in the Trenches. He doubted that either of them would have ever guessed that their futures would have turned out as they had. The Knight couldn't wish or dream of anything more though. He and Princess were starting their own family, and they had their good friends to share it with. For some reason, knowing that they could share the whole experience with the other couple made things that much more exciting. The Aatte would have been thrilled no matter what, but it just gave him all the more reason to smile. He could picture him and Heath teaching their kids to ride horses together. It was a wonderful image, one he could not wait to make reality out of.

The Seneschal was not trying to be controlling, or to tell Princess what she could or could not do. He hoped that she knew that. It had been a suggestion, not an order of any kind. A suggestion that he hoped sincerely that she would follow but he was not going to try and her lock her up inside the house if she refused. Haven could never be that sort of person. Part of him was expecting her to argue, as Princess did have a fiery streak in her, but instead she agreed with his words. Still, he wanted to make sure that she knew that he was not trying to boss her around. "I only want what's best for you, and for them. You know what happened to Firefly...I don't know what I would do if it happened to you." Even thinking it made his stomach turn to lead in his gut. He didn't think he could withstand such an awful thing. It had been hard enough watching it happen to his aunt, but his beloved Princess? It would tear his heart to shreds.

"I won't go until you're feeling better and are okay with me being gone for a day." Excited as he was to inform his mother and sister about the news, it could wait until she could spare him being gone. He wasn't about to go galloping off while she was still under the weather. At her second question he only smiled, a soft laugh escaping his throat. "They'll be ecstatic," he said, brushing an errant curl away from her face. "They've both already asked me when we're going to have kids." They had thought about it long before he had, actually.

He knew that Princess and Ruri did not have quite the same bond that he and Heath held, but sharing this experience with the blind collie fey would only strengthen and deepen their relationship. Haven knew that Princess hadn't made many close friends since she had moved to Cour des Miracles to be with him, and knew that Ruri was one of the few that she felt close to. The Knight wished for his mate to find more people to spend time with a rely on, but that was up to her and he could have no bearing on such situations. Their lives may have been tied together, but they were still two individuals with things they did outside of their relationship. Haven just wanted Princess to be happy, but he hadn't noticed her being particularly unhappy since she had come here either. Surely she knew what was best for herself.

The Knight gave his Lady a soft smile when she confirmed that she knew that he had meant no ill by his request. Haven knew that Princess was not his to order around or control. He only asked for her own sake and the sake of their unborn pups. "I'll do whatever you need me to to make things easier for you. Consider me your personal servant," the man said with a toothy grin. Even though it had been said in a joking way, he meant it. Already this process was taking a toll on her and he would do whatever he was able to to make things easier and more comfortable for her. She was his Princess, after all, and he was determined to do right by her. She would need to rest and conserve her energy and he would happily pick up the slack.

Haven tilted his head, thinking back to the two occasions that the subject had been brought up between him and his family. "Mom asked me a while back, I don't remember when exactly. Mati brought it up when I went to go see my little brothers the first time." That had been the time the thought had really stuck with him, the time that he had felt that it really was something that he would want and felt perhaps ready to do. Mati and the handling of his little siblings had been the seed that had lead to his bringing the whole thing up with Princess in the first place.

Even though they had been together for so long now, there were still things that he did not know about her past, and he was sure she could say the same thing of him. There were a lot of painful times and experiences they had both lived through and Haven knew he would rather leave those things in the past instead of bringing them back up to the surface. Despite the similarities in their family histories, there was still a lot of differences. Haven had always been very sociable and was quick to make friendships with others. That was most likely why he worried about her lack of good friends, for it was something important to him, he just didn't realize that she had never been the same way. Or maybe a part of him did know, and that was why he never asked her about it.

It was true, now that the initial excitement had bubbled back down to a more reasonable level, it was hard to look at his mate and imagine the fact that there was life growing inside of her at that very moment. Nothing about Princess looked different, there was no change that his eyes could see. Now that he thought of it, there was a difference in her scent, but that was not truly enough to make his mind process the fact that in a few weeks time she would be bringing their children into the world. He couldn't wait until the pregnancy became more obvious, for then it would be more real, more tangible.

Princess asked about his little brothers, but at the end of the last word the illness seemed to come over her again and she gripped at the bucket that sat on her other side. Bi-colored ears flicked back in concern and his hand rested lightly on her back. "Are you sure you don't want me to call for Alaine?" Even though the sickness was caused by a good reason, maybe there was still something the healer could do to help.

Haven didn't know if this sort of illness was supposed to last the whole pregnancy either, and he certainly hoped it wouldn't. It'd be really hard to Princess to be happy or excited about becoming a mother if it made her feel so awful. In addition to searching for books on the subject, he might make a trip to see Alaine himself and ask what sort of things they could expect up until the pups were born. The woman was not only a healer but a mother herself, so surely she would have plenty of advice to give and knowledge to share. Haven was not going to be one of those men who would shrug it off as the woman's problem to know these things. Even if his "job" was mostly done in this process, he wanted to be as much of a help as he could. He knew as well as Princess the trial that awaited her when the time came and whatever he could do to make things comfortable before that time, he would do.

Princess squeezed his hand and he continued to hold it gently. Princess had always been a delicate creature, but she actually appeared suddenly fragile in his eyes. His mate was a strong female and was not prone to showing any kind of weakness, so when she did it was troubling to him. Though it was more than her physical discomfort that was forming this breakable imagine in his mind's eye. It was also due to the fact that new life was blooming in her body and he knew how easily it could come to harm. She needed to be protected, more so than perhaps ever before. Once again she declined the aid of the pack's Apothecary, but perhaps she was right and she just needed to lay down and rest. "Would you like me to carry you?" It wouldn't be hard, he could life her slender form easily and it'd be best if she didn't exert herself any further. "Whatever you need or want, I'm here." He wouldn't leave the house today, unless she forced him out somehow. The borders could go unwatched by his eyes for a day. Right now, the most important thing to the Knight was taking care of his Princess.

There was nothing Haven could be but supportive and happy. After all, this is what he had wanted, to start a family with her. Princess had come into his life so unexpectedly and their future had not always been clear. Both of their siblings had stood as obstacles, and the fact that Princess had lived back in Crimson Dreams when they had first met. He couldn't have said the morning after their night together that she would eventually be his mate, he could not have even said such a thing after they had become a bit more serious. Now though, it all seemed crystal clear. They would have their children, and raise them here, under this very roof, in this very pack. He could already picture Princess as a loving mother, holding their small pups close to her chest. The mere thought of that image made the Knight smile warmly; he couldn't wait for the vision to become reality.

It was often hit or miss if his headstrong mate would accept the help that he offered her sometimes. Haven didn't mind though, for he had never been looking for someone who was completely dependent on him, that was no way for a real relationship to be. In this moment though, he was glad that she accepted his offer, and more glad that he could do something to help her. He couldn't make the uneasiness of her stomach go away, but at least he wasn't completely helpless. The pumpkin knight's tale padded on the floor as she nuzzled under his chin, warmth filling his chest. "I love you too, more than anything." Anything, perhaps, aside from the life growing in her womb. But that would be a different kind of love, separate from the love he held for the beautiful golden eyes fey.

Carefully the Aatte put his arms around Princess back and knees and lifted her up as he stood. He moved slowly, not wanting to exacerbate his discomfort, and laid her down carefully when he reached their bed. Quickly he returned to the bathroom to retrieve the bucket and after he had set it near her he crawled into be beside her, a large hand coming to rest softly on her still flat stomach.