The morning light flooded into the makeshift den with ease, and Zee's eyes squinted against it in her waking state. She specifically made her den so that the early sun did not shine into it's mouth. What gives? One eye was pulled open with annoyance against the glare, and her stomach dropped as she realized she was not in her cave. Sirius. He wasn't there, and the room was large and empty without him. Likely he snuck out before dawn. The little slave pulled herself out from under the thick ox coat, shaking her fur out and letting the cool breeze touch her skin. She gave it a longing look - Sirius had never said she could keep it, after all. - and then marched out into the Ravine. Her first stop as every other morning was to Deathbelle's. The trip was much shorter then usual, and Zee realized exactly how close Sirius had built his den to her own. The sworn guard was undoubtedly devoted. Her ears pinned to her skull as she wondered anxiously where her friend had gone. Was he angry with her for needing shelter from the storm? She came up quickly upon the Empress' den, plopping herself down against the outer wall patiently. If her mistress was still sleeping the slave would never dare intrude on the den to wake her. She needed all the energy she could muster to grow Ashen's little heirs. Zee wanted to be nearby if she would need anything however, so she settled in for a potentially long stay. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Deathbelle was practically nocturnal, especially with the children on the way. However, when she had found her way to her first morning nap the sun hadn't risen above the horizon. The air was cool and Belle wished to snuggle into the furs her subjects had collected for her. She had been asleep for an hour and some when the nausea really gripped her. ”Ugh.” The Empress uttered eloquently as she rushed to her paws. Ducking past the first and second curtains keeping her from the outside world Belle exploded from the entrance to throw herself at the side of the patio and rid her poor stomach of dinner.

She whined softly as she dry heaved for a moment after everything solid was gone. Her eyes watered and her skin grew hot, she shook her disheveled fur as she attempted to rid herself of the terrible feeling. Still draped unceremoniously on the stone the rest of her lay limp as she felt sorry for herself and her current condition. Again fear tickled at her conscious as she tried not to think of the eventual birth. This was uncomfortable, but what happened when they got closer to the day?

She coughed again, head hanging over to almost touch the water, completely unaware of her surroundings.

Zee began to drift off as she waited outside her Empress' den, but her eyes shot open as a figure tore out hurriedly from the cavern. Her mistress made it just outside the mouth before heaving over the stones, and Zee sprinted up alongside her with a panicked expression. "Mistress, oh my, are you okay?" She called with alarm as she approached, moving herself next to the royal wolf very close to press her head gently against her neck. It was a touch that may have been forbidden, but in that moment she was more concerned with giving her master some much needed comfort. She'd take the punishment she saw fit. Brazenly she moved to gently lick at the underside of Belle's chin and lips, doing her best to clean the harsh sickness from her face. Her night with Sirius was forgotten, her attention focused only upon the woman before her. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Belle barely heard her voice, but she didn’t hesitate to lean into the comforting touch as it was offered. She breathed hard as her body recovered from the upheaval. She whined softly as her handmaiden dabbed lovingly at her chin with her own tongue. She closed her eyes and allowed Zeitgeist to attend to her. She leaned back, her breathing ragged as she cleared her airways of any lingering phlegm or sickness. This was already an unpleasant start to the day. She whined softly again and returned the affection to her favorite and only slave.

The Empress had her doubts that Archon or even Hannibal would have lowered themselves to the level Zee did to ensure her care. ”Thank you, Zee. You’re very kind.” She murmured as she shifted again to take a few deep gulps of the clear if shallow stream. The water rinsed away the terrible taste. ”Something’s got the babies upset today.” Belle muttered as she lifted her head and lay back on the sunning rock, her breath still not returned to normal. She felt exhausted already.

"Anything for you, Mistress."  She responded gently, leaning down herself to the lake to take a few sips and wash the foul taste away. This sickness must have been something normal for pregnancy, otherwise Deathbelle more then likely would have called for Luce right away. Zee felt very badly for her having to suffer throughout the long time ahead until the babies were born. "I'm sure it only means that they are as feisty and powerful as you are." She complimented easily, a smile upon her face. "I absolutely cannot wait to meet them. Who is their father? Do I know him?"  Her tail wagged with excitement, a large gap of contrast noticeable between her exuberant self and her Empress' exhaustion. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Zee offered a promise of service and Belle smiled softly, trying to steady her breath as the handmaiden took a sip herself. The Empress worried not for the normalcy of her symptoms, but would mention them the next time she saw Luce. While she was mostly enjoying the experience of pregnancy, it was moments like this that caused her alarm and dread for having to endure more of it. This was her duty, her price to pay for the lives growing within her.

Deathbelle blinked open her lilac gaze at Zee showered her with attention and compliments. ”I pray that you are right.” She offered, her voice alluding easily to the exhaustion in her voice. ”I am excited as well,” more than she thought she would be. Every day they grew more real. ”You do know him, the one who gifted you the first day we met. Archon.” Her eyes glittered with pleasure as she spoke his name. ”We created them in hopes of forming a stronger alliance between ourselves and our families. But..” She started, wondering if she should be speaking of things of this nature to her slave. She offered Zee another glance, hesitating before deciding she could trust the girl.

”He spoke soft and sweet, and held me so tight last night..” She trailed off with a melancholy sigh. Marrying Archon would appease her family and her deep desire for him. She couldn’t forget Sirius though. He had given up so much for her, and she really felt as though they were on the right path to releasing him of his slave stigma. She loved Sirius, there was no doubt in her mind. Ever since they were young, he would always hold her heart, but Archon soothed the ache she had for him so well.

Belle hadn’t confessed her love for Seer to anyone but her vessel himself. Zee couldn’t know the whole of the story.

Zee's muzzle parted in a soft sigh as her mistress spoke. The sound was half pleasure and half longing. Deathbelle was so very lucky, and Zee was glad she could live the experience through her. "Oh, Archon."  She was surprised, though the gifting made much more sense now that she knew. "Well then I am very glad that I gave myself to him, in turn making my way to you. It seems some things do happen for a reason." It was true - in throwing herself into slavery she had met an idol to one day model herself against as well as her guard who became her only friend. "I'm so very glad they will have a powerful father, they will grow to be mighty leaders." She settled herself beside her mistress, head upon her paws to look at her in her exhaustion. She wished she could do more to help her through it, but she knew that not even the most devoted slave could fight the energy-drain of pregnancy. "I envy you so much." Zee admitted after a while. "Do you think... that maybe one day I might be allowed a litter of my own?"  Her cheeks flushed as heat rushed to her face with the shame of asking permission to be allowed to breed. She still hadn't quite come to terms with being considered property, but she knew that those kind of choices were not her own. "To spend the night being held by another, oh I hope to earn the right to such joy."  She thought of her nights spent huddled against Sirius' side, but it felt different then the bliss the Empress seemed to have experienced. Sirius was a dear friend to her and she drew so much comfort from him, but she yearned to be loved and touched as intimately as Deathbelle had been. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Belle watched her handmaiden through lidded eyes as she sighed heavily and expressed surprise at the name she had been given. She could hear the admiration in Zee's voice and it made her heart swell. Archon's gift, his many gifts to her, made her the happiest she had ever been. His gift of purpose: were it not for him she would have never grabbed this pack she ruled now. His gift of life, of the tiny babes that grew within her. Archon continued to shower his bounty upon her. God had indeed blessed the Abraxas and through him herself. "They will rule the world." She agreed softly, her voice quiet but more certain than she had ever been. There was much turmoil in her life but of this she was sure.

Zee settled near the Empress' paws and looked up at her enviously. She put voice to her emotion as well, making clear how highly esteemed Deathbelle was in her eyes. "Perhaps, but I'd prefer if you would be able to make the choice for yourself." She told her quietly, admitting she wished to see her slave free to make her own choices. "However much i would enjoy seeing your children become to my children as you are to me."

She hummed softly as the handmaiden made her wishes known. "It is no fairy tale i live," she tried to chuckle despite her pain. She wanted to love archon but.. "There is another who owns my heart truly. But i may not have him." She put her head to her paws and sighed softly. "Maybe that is just the way of the world. You want most what you can not have."

Zee hummed thoughtfully as the pair lay, imagining the tiny masters who would grow to become fierce and unyielding commanders. She wondered on how they might look - would they inherit their father's woodsy palate or the distinctive tones and markings of the Klein? There was so much to wonder on and get excited for, Zee wished they could come now. Her Empress said something she was not expecting, then. Zee would be free to make those choices on her own? Her brows furrowed in confusion, looking to Belle worriedly. Since when was a slave permitted to mate and birth a litter as they pleased? Zee had heard rumors of a slave master in the pack who would be tasked with breeding the perfect servant. Was it only because of her position as Deathbelle's handmaiden that she would be afforded that kindness? Zee meant to ask further, but her mistress continued and threw a wrench in things. "However much i would enjoy seeing your children become to my children as you are to me." Did... did she mean, a slave? Would her pups be raised to serve the Klein Empire, beaten and bullied when they spoke in a way deemed disrespectful? Or did she mean only that her children would grow to be a loving friend? Zee was taken aback and did not know what to say. "Me too."  She responded carefully, unwilling to bring her concerns to her Empress' attention. She spoke of her life and love, and Zee jumped on it in hopes to shed her mind of the thoughts of her little servant babies. "Mistress you are the most beautiful and powerful wolf I know, if you want a man then you can have him. Nothing could ever keep you from what you desire, your pack will stand at your back to defend your right to anything."  Zee wondered who perhaps the Empress loved so desperately that to choose Archon was a consolation prize, though she didn't feel it was appropriate to ask. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Belle had similar sentiments toward Zee that Sirius did, she loved her spirit and would hate to see her broken. She wanted her handmaiden to work her way through the ranks and become a wolf that served of her own free will and love. The Empress perked her mismatched ears as the woman spoke, agreeing with her desire to see their children grow up together and more as she went on. Deathbelle should have been able to have whomever she wanted, but it was so much more complicated than that. She could have commanded Seer to do whatever she wanted, but forcing herself upon him was not the same as both of them blissfully entering into a relationship they both wanted. Sirius didn't see himself as worthy and neither did her family. She had to do what was right for the Klein name, not what would make her most happy.

"He has spurned me twice, and though i feel our emotions are the same there is more complication than it seems." Archon was very much in love with her, and she could easily see herself with him. All she wanted was to spend her life beside Seer. "My family…" she sighed softly, wanting so bad for them to accept him and see him exactly as she did. Maybe one day they would, maybe if Seer did make himself true Daimyo, they could finally be together.

Zee growled quietly as Deathbelle spoke of the man who'd rejected her, ears flattening slightly against her skull. "Then he is stupid, and frankly does not deserve you."  She gave an indignant huff, frustrated that anyone would dare turn down her beloved mistress. "But Empress your family should be no excuse. I don't care who your family thinks they are - you are Deathbelle Ravage Klein, Empress of Ashes. You may not have been back then, but you are now and damnit there is no reason you should live by your families stupid rules if they do not make you happy."  It felt good to get some of the frustration she held over the other Klein masters out, and she hoped her Empress would not disapprove. It felt like an intimate enough talk that perhaps Deathbelle could let a little bit of disrespect slide, though so far she'd not ordered any punishment that Zee was aware of. She was so much kinder then the others. Zee sighed, the fierceness of her anger on behalf of Deathbelle becoming exhausting. She pulled herself slowly to her feet, turning to watch her sick Mistress with sad eyes. "With your permission I'd like to see Lucretia, perhaps she'll have some herbs I can keep with me for the next time your babies are causing trouble in there."  A small smile touched her lips. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Deathbelle managed a smile as Zee told her that Sirius didn’t deserve her anyway, how close she was to the truth and she didn’t even know it. ”It’s funny, that’s what he said too.” Her words were barely a whisper to the breeze as she looked on some long forgotten memory. Belle’s attention was quickly swept up in her handmaid's passionate speech. The Empress found herself warming further to her young slave. She smiled softly and reached forward, finally finding herself recovering from the sickness, and kissed Zee on the forehead.

”You give me hope my dreams may happen.” Sirius was a Samurai now, he only had to more fully embrace that position, and show her he deserved his place as Daimyo. Maybe then he would finally see himself as she did. Her perfect protector and companion, the one who held her heart. She watched as the slave got to her paws and asked permission to seek out Lucretia. Maybe if Zee had herbs on the ready her morning sickness would not be as terrible.

”Yes, you have my leave.” She said gently, noting how riled up the woman got in her defense. The woman’s loyalty warmed the Empress’s heart, Zee was becoming invaluable. Her dedication and passion already earning her a place in Belle’s inner circle despite her rank. Something that would have to be addressed soon. ”Best get used to their antics now.” She mused, the children were giving her a hard time and they weren’t even born yet.