Autumnal Equinox

I woke up a few hours later. I was still alone in my bed and the sun was down. I sat up, looking around for Pendragon, but he wasn’t around. Frowning, I stood only to sway dangerously.

“Where is that dragon?” I muttered, holding onto one of the posts on my bed for stability.

As if on cue, the door opened and Logan and Pendragon came in. Logan was laughing about something until he saw me desperately clinging onto the bedpost.

“Are you all right?” he asked, rushing to my side.

“I woke up and everyone was gone,” I said simply as he helped me sit back down. “Where did you go, Pen?”

It is unimportant, Mother. I glared at him and I could tell the dragon was doing his best not to look at me. Father had someone he wanted me to meet.

I looked to Logan. “Someone?” I repeated. “As in a lady dragon?”

The smirk on Logan’s face gave me my answer. Pendragon shot out a jet of flame in the air in embarrassment and settled on his bed by the window, his back facing us. I giggled as Logan sat beside me.

“Is she another pocket dragon?” I asked and he nodded, holding my hand. “How did you find her?”

“From what we can tell, she found us. She heard of Pendragon and she wanted to see if it’s true.”

“Can she speak with anyone?”

Logan shook his head. “Just Pen.”

I nodded thoughtfully, staring at the dragon’s back. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him having a female in his life but, after all, I now had Logan. Perhaps a female dragon’s companionship would do him good.

Logan wrapped his arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder, my hand instinctively going to my stomach.

“How was the war meeting?” I asked as his thumb rubbed my hip.

He sighed. “Long. There are four generals and they’re all as rude and egotistical as they come. It took an hour just to decide where they were going to sit!” I smiled at the annoyance in his voice. “Then one general insisted on drawing up a map of King Zeke’s kingdom and mine- ours. Then another general wanted one drawn up of the land in between.” He ran his free hand through his hair. “Finally, we started battle strategies. Three are on the offensive, and the fourth on the defensive.”

“Which one did my father pick?”

“The defensive,” Logan answered. “Since all we know about my mother attacking is she plans after our baby is born, there’s no point trying to plan an offensive. At least, that was my argument.” He smirked. “Those generals weren’t happy I was there.”

“Because you’re her son?”

“And because I’m so young. King Zeke shot them down on that one. He was my age when he had to take the throne.”

I nodded, remembering my father telling me about his abrupt rise to kinghood.

“Can we go to the kitchens?” I asked eventually and he nodded, helping me to my feet. “Come, Pen.”

After what Father did, I should stay away.

I laughed at the surly tone in his voice as the dragon landed on my shoulder. I led the way to the kitchens, my heart rate increasing as I did so. When I got to the kitchen, I looked around. Then I saw her. She had her back turned to me as she stirred a thick pot of soup.

“I was wondering when you’d come visit,” Michelle said before turning to me.

I grinned and hugged her tightly. “It’s so good to see you again!”

She laughed and hugged me back. “Why are you here? Zeke and Hope refuse to say anything.”

I smiled sadly. “I’m sorry. If they won’t say, we shouldn’t either.” I grabbed Logan’s hand and pulled him beside me. “Michelle, this is my husband, Prince Logan.” Michelle curtsied as Logan bowed. “Michelle is my mother’s best friend.”

“Your aunt and uncle are coming for dinner next week,” Michelle informed me, passing the three of us some sweet bread.

I fed one to Pendragon who ate it happily. He loved Michelle’s cooking more than I did.

“Really?” She nodded and I grinned. “I haven’t seen them in several years.”

Michelle sat down and grinned at me, her eyes twinkling. “So, I hear there’s going to be another little one joining the family soon.”

I smiled down at my stomach fondly, placing my hand on it. “Yes. We think I’m about 6 weeks along.”
We spent the afternoon catching up on what had happened while I was gone. It felt strange to be so peaceful even though, at this very moment, a woman out there wanted us dead.

--

With each passing month, my pregnancy became harder for me to manage. When I was five months along, I was put onto bedrest after an unfortunate falling incident. My mother started spending every free minute she could with me and Logan. Though I was experiencing discomfort, I felt bad mostly for Logan. The first time I fell, he about had a heart attack. Now he barely slept.

“You know we still have three months,” I said one day.

He was staring at my belly with huge eyes.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” he asked, putting his hand on it then he jumped. “I felt it kick!”

I smiled. “It feels amazing, doesn’t it?” He nodded. “We still have to pick names.”

“Hmm. If it’s a boy, I’d like to name him Vincent,” he said and I frowned.

“You wouldn’t want to name him after you?”

He shook his head, smiling sadly. “Vincent was my father’s name.” I kissed his fingers. “What would you want for a girl’s name?”

I looked at my belly curiously. “Guinevere,” I said finally. “I like that name.”

Do not forget, if you really want to know I can tell you.

I smiled at Pendragon. “Thanks, Pen, but I want it to be a surprise.”

If you wish.

--

The first thing I was aware of was the feeling that I peed myself. I was reading a book, my mother knitting by the fire. Logan was snoozing, his hand on my stomach. Then, without much time for me to register it, I felt a terrible cramping feeling that made me cry out in pain.

“Mother!” I gasped and she hurried over. “Mother, I think it’s time!”

Logan was pale as a sheet as he hurried out to get the nurse maid. My mother stayed beside me, holding my hand and reminding me the breathing exercises she had taught me. I whimpered in pain as another cramp ripped through my body. Logan, the nurse maid, and my father ran back in. Logan climbed on the bed beside me and held my other hand.

Then the labor began. I’ve experienced some pretty painful things in my life, but that took the cake. I pushed for almost two hours before my son entered the world. Panting, I fell back on the propped up pillows. Logan was crying as the nurse maid passed him the baby. I smiled until my stomach clenched again.

“Oh!” the nurse maid said in shock. “Okay. Looks like we have twins here; come on, Princess Autumn.”

I groaned just as my daughter followed her brother. Finally, the pain subsided and I closed my eyes, the exhaustion of labor pushing me into sleep.

-

A few hours later, I woke up. Logan was staring at the two babies crying in his arms with a look of fascination and horror on his face.

“They’re ready to nurse,” the nurse maid told me and helped me sit up.

It was the strangest sensation, nursing my babies, but I felt only love as I held them close. I smiled over at Logan and he kissed me deeply.

“You did great, baby,” he whispered, watching the two babies nurse as well.

I was crying in joy as the two children then fell asleep.

“I guess we get to use both names,” I laughed.

Just then, the castle shook.