Paradise Lost

Romulus had become more withdrawn from the rest of the pack in the later stages of Lillith's pregnancy. What had begun as a wonderful, exciting, and somewhat terrifying experience had taken a total tonal shift. It began at the bonfire festival, with Lil showing greater signs of fatigue. He'd ignored them then, chalking it up to her developing pregnancy and general drain on her already weaker body. But as the days progressed and Lil's belly grew with their children, so too did her symptoms. The fatigue never went away, only getting worse no matter how much she rested or slept. She started to have dizzy spells, almost collapsing if she tried to stand. Keeping food down had become a chore for the dainty fae. Then came the stomach cramps and sharp pains that took her breath. And with each passing day and each worsening symptom, Roman grew more and more concerned for his beloved girlfriend.

The silver-slate brute made his way back upstairs with some food and water balanced carefully on a tray, following a path he knew so well he'd nearly worn a trench in the rugs he'd taken it so many times. Lillith had been confined to bedrest by the healers, so he took it upon himself to care for her in every conceivable way. Try as he might, Romulus couldn't ignore the worried aching in his heart. What if something was terribly wrong with Lil? What if these were signs of a complication with the pregnancy or something bad was happening to their pups? He felt helpless; it was a feeling the young man hated more than anything else in the world. Being unable to help, no matter how willing he was or how badly he wanted to.

Arriving at their room, Roman pushed open the door with his shoulder and slipped inside, kicking it shut behind them for privacy. "Lunchtime!" he announced, his voice muffled by the tray in his jaws, which he carried over to his bloated lover and set down on the bed beside her. "How are you feeling today?" Pausing just long enough to give her a nuzzle and a kiss, Roman headed over to the windows and opened a couple, allowing the fresh breeze to waft into the stuffy room. It was drizzling outside, no longer the full heavy storms of winter which their children had been conceived during, but a gentle patter of water from gray clouds above.

"Speech"