Second Time's the Charm

Words couldn't begin to accurately express the maelstrom of emotions surging through Aliana's heart and mind at that moment. She was pregnant again, so soon after her failed pregnancy. She'd been given a second chance to be a mother. All through the endless night, she'd dreaded that whatever dark sorcery had stolen the lives of her first children might have rendered her barren, but it turned out not to be the case—in fact, it was the opposite! She wasn't sure if it was herself or Chimera who was abundantly fertile, but something had worked between them this time. They'd been given a second chance! And this time, Aliana was determined to do everything she could to carry these pups to term. She wouldn't lose another litter; she and Chimera would be parents to a litter of healthy, happy little puppies.

The soft touch of Siren's paw against her belly brought Aliana out of her daze, blinking in rapid succession while she came back to reality. A stunned, incredulous giggle started from the cloudy-coated fae while the smile on her face dared to grow at the prospect of being a parent for real this time. Ali lifted her paw and rested it over Siren's on her stomach, feeling giddy and excited and nervous. There was always that looming worry of what if something had happened to her during the night to curse her, but there was a more overwhelming joy that blocked all the anxiousness out. Leaning her head forward, Ali went to nuzzle the side of Siren's cheek with her own in a wordless sign of gratitude, perhaps for the good news, perhaps for the comfort and reassurance.

"Thank you, Siren," she said and went to place an affectionate lick to the smaller woman's cheek. "I... I need to go tell Chimera. He's going to be so happy! Oh... or I hope he'll be happy." She suddenly realized that she had no idea if Chimera would be excited or terrified at the notion of having another litter so soon after losing their first. He'd told her before that she was the most important thing to him, more than any children, but she had wanted to give him a family. "Will I be able to bear them? I mean, it's so soon after... after what happened." She realized even the greatest medical expert couldn't predict the future that accurately, but she needed Siren's opinion on whether she would be fit enough to raise a litter of healthy pups so soon after what she'd endured.

"Aliana"