everything falls

Soon her family would grow larger, and with this would come more responsibility and more power. The Adravendi name, as she knew it, was destined to live on -- even if it was not tied inextricably with the Mathias lineage. Two powerful family lines had combined, and she knew they would produce greatness that the two of them could not yet fathom. And yet it was hard to think of their situation like this when the slowly growing weight in her belly felt more like a burden than a gift. It was not something she had hoped for, even anticipated; all she had wanted was to feel connected with her husband, but it seemed their affections came with a price yet again.

Luckily, their first litter were growing quickly, and would hopefully be able to attend to some of the simpler duties associated with newborn children. Epiphron would trust them to keep an eye on their siblings, to watch them if she or Maverick needed to leave their sides briefly, to keep them safe and -- for the most part -- content. Amalia, Quintus, Cassius, and Arian were half-grown now, and certainly could use some more responsibility in their lives. "So long as you stay by my side," she would whisper, her voice somewhat frantic and pleading ... though she knew he would never leave her, as she would never dream of stepping down as his wife. Though she knew time changed things, even love, she knew that their lives and souls were bound inextricably for all of eternity. "We will persevere. Even if the worse is yet to come." A sigh escaped her pursed lips as she leaned to press her nose against his neck. "Perhaps we should think about making some changes, Maverick." What kind of changes, she had no idea -- but neither of them seemed as content as they once had been, and she would not stand to see Maverick so uneasy.