Compared to her previous two pregnancies, Aliana’s third had been mostly (and thankfully) uneventful. The clouded queen had suffered from the usual and expected bouts of morning sickness and fatigue in the first few weeks, but after her body had accustomed to her fluctuating hormones, the queen whose belly grew more round (though notably less round than last time) by the day found no troubles or issues ahead of her. Every so often her nights would be rendered sleepless by the fussy, squirmy pups growing in her womb, or her everyday tasks would be interfered with by a strong kick to her insides, but none of it was anything that brought worry to the young queen. Quite the opposite, every bit of movement filled her heart with joy and stretched a wide, loving smile across her muzzle. Compared to the worrying pains she’d felt when she lost her first litter, any little signs of movement or life reassuring her that the precious lives within her were healthy and well.

As her pregnancy reached the end of its final trimester, Ali began to feel the telltale signs as her body prepared to birth the lives within her. The pups within her became more active and she began to experience infrequent contractions, coming more often as the days went by. She knew what to expect and had prepared plenty of motherwort and trillium potions to keep on hand for when the time did come. What she hadn’t expected was for that time to come when she least expected it. It was just before dawn, the world still dark and silent. Aliana, plump with pups, lay curled up against Chimera’s stomach, nuzzled peacefully in his embrace. She didn’t remember what she had been dreaming about when the contractions started, all she knew was that suddenly she was very awake with her muscles contracting in a painful yet familiar way. Aliana gasped, paws clutching around her midsection as the contractions continued, ebbing and flowing every few minutes until it became constant enough for the master healer to recognize the patterns.

"Chimera!" she whispered between laboring breaths, nudging her mate’s chest and gritting her teeth against a particularly strong muscle contraction. "Chimera, it’s time!" Aliana shifted in the monochrome brute’s arms, trying to make herself more comfortable as she prepared to bring their newest children into the world.

"Chimera & Aliana"

As the days passed, Chimera became acutely aware of Aliana's condition. He scrutinized her health with his piercing pink gaze, making sure that she was well all the while. After her first pregnancy, it was always a worry that something might go wrong. That worry itself brought a war about in Chimera's mind. He loved having his women round and loved being surrounded by his children, but he had enough of them now. Whoever Aliana brought into the world, they would be his last.

Being so attentive to his mate kept the brute from sleep, so of course, when he was actually able to sleep, he slept like the dead. The clouded woman jostled him and Chimera inhaled audibly, sucking the first breath of wakefulness into his lungs. His toes stretched and flexed and it took him a moment to sort out the muddled words that he'd heard. The brutes blocky skull shook and he blinked a few times, willing his eye to focus. After a few moments, it all came together. It was time.

Rising from his place beside her, Chimera nuzzled into Aliana's snowy cheek, then moved to grab the supplies that they'd set apart for the birth. He brought them within reach of the expectant mother then moved to settle beside her once more, giving her something sturdy to lean against. Again he nosed into her, this time the top of her crown. "Would you like me to call Siren or Dalila?" If she wanted to do this on her own, he would support her decision as the pregnancy had gone well, but he would also wake one of the others if she required.

"Chimera & Aliana"

Aliana's breathing came in and left her body as quick, short huffs, pacing her breathing in time with her contractions. Between her own firsthand experience and her medical knowledge, the clouded fae knew exactly what to do and what to expect. That still didn't make it any easier though as her muscles contracted again, drawing a pained whine from her while she grit her teeth and bore it until they passed again. Chimera, the dutiful mate that he was, was already up and gathering her materials for her. They'd gone through basic drills of what he needed to bring her when the time came, and gods bless that wonderful man, he remembered everything! As soon as her supplies were within reach, Ali snatched up a small bottle of clear liquid she'd mixed—extracts of trillium, motherwort, and alfalfa. As she removed the cork stopper, she felt the strong muscle of Chi's body slide smoothly behind her, giving her a sturdy foundation to support her through the birth. He asked if she wanted him to call for Siren or Dalila. Ali simply downed the contents of the bottle and shook her head.

"No, I can do this. It doesn't feel as bad as the others-" Her words were broken by a grimace as the contractions hit her again, then passed, coming closer together now. "-and I don't want to wake them." That was Aliana, selfless as ever. But more than thinking of her sister wives' sleep schedules, the ash and snow fae wanted to do this to prove something to herself. She'd blamed herself for the loss of their first litter, for not being strong enough to bear their children. This time she would prove she could with no one else but Chimera. Steely aquamarine eyes glanced up at her mate, lifting a faint paw to rest over his on her side. "I can do this."

Aliana settled in against Chimera, returning to her breathing exercises while she timed her contractions. Time passed, and they came more frequently. She could feel the movement in her womb while the pups inside prepared to be brought into the world. Then the pain increased, and Ali knew it was happening for real. She panted, grit her teeth to muffle her growls of pain, pressed back into Chimera when she needed him to hold her steady. Compared to birthing her six large sons, this was far easier, but it was still no cakewalk. After some effort and a few good pushes, Aliana cried out in sharp pain and then utter relief as she brought their newest child into the world. Ali wasted no time, sitting up as best she could to curl around to greet their pup. With Chimera's help maneuvering the pup to her side, Ali cleaned it off and was rewarded with a chorus of mewling cries from the tiny creature. Aliana's heart melted in an instant when she heard those soft, familiar yet wholly unique cries.

As the pup was placed at her side to receive her first meal, Ali licked her damp puppy fur dry, studying their child. She was female, small but not incredibly—she likely wouldn't be her father's size at least—and wore a coat of blending smoke gray and jet black fur. She was utterly perfect and breathtakingly beautiful, and Aliana loved her so already. "A daughter," she gasped, looking up to Chimera with nothing short of pure love and total bliss in her shimmering eyes. "We have a little girl!" So lost was Aliana in her joy that she didn't realize her contractions had stopped. When she did, she looked down at her own body, brows furrowed in confusion. Was there only one? A quick gentle prodding around her belly confirmed that yes, there were no more pups waiting. Nothing had gone wrong. They simply had one little girl—a perfect Fenmyrian princess. Compared to the six massive princes she'd birthed last time that had nearly torn her in half, it was almost laughably ironic!

"Chimera & Aliana"