Blood and Ice Ch. 22

"We're not sure, but we think about a month or two. We just noticed that she stopped bleeding and we had a test done. It showed up positive."

I shrieked with excitement.

"I take it that you're okay with this then?"

"Of course I am father!"

He hugged me tightly. "Melissa, you can come in now." father said.

Mother must have been outside the door. She came in slowly. I ran over to her and hugged her tightly. "Mother, I'm so happy for you and father!"

Mother pulled away and looked at me. "You're happy about this?"

Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Mother just looked at me in amazement.

Finally she spoke, "I'm so glad you're okay with this. I don't want you to hate the new baby."

"And, pray tell, why would I do that? It's almost like you don't know me at all."

Then they both laughed. "Well, now that Alexandria knows, I will inform the council. Would you like to come Melissa?" father said..

"No, I think I will just stay here Lucifer."

"Can I stay with mother father?"

Father kissed my forehead. "Of course you can!"

Father left and mother and I sat on the bed discussing the new baby. Then there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" I said.

James entered the room. "Is your father about Alexandria?"

"I think he's in the council hall James. He left about two seconds ago." James nodded and left the room and Peter came back into the room.

Peter walked over to my mother. "Lord Lucifer just told me the good news. Congratulations!" he kissed the back of mother's hand.

"Thank you, Peter."

Peter sat next to me and kissed me. As he was doing this father barged into the room with James in tow. James was just behind father and he was grinning.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"James has some news of his own." father said.

James said, "Sarah's pregnant!"

I jumped up and hugged him. I knew what this meant to him. He and Sarah had been trying to have a baby for as long as I had known them. "Oh James, I'm so happy for you. I can't believe it! Two babies at once!"

"I know the council is over the moon that I have a second heir and that you're okay with it." father said.

"Have you told grandfather yet?" I asked, breaking away from James.

"Come to think of it, no I haven't." Father burst out laughing. Mother and father went off to tell grandfather. I could tell that father was over the moon about this. He had put his hand on mothers stomach and kissed her as they were going out of my room. James went after them.

I was, again, alone with Peter. He pulled me into his arms. "Hopefully well be starting a family of our own someday!"

"Well we better start somewhere." I said with a glint in my eye.

"Yes, let's!" he said as he pulled me down onto the bed.

Over the next few days there were many celebrations. Grandfather was in tears when father told him about both mother and Sarah being pregnant. He couldn't believe that both of his sons here going to be blessed with children at the same time.

I had trouble believing it too. I was talking to grandfather when Peter came up and linked his arm with mine. When he did I felt a all to familiar twinge in my stomach. I saw Alexander carrying towels and a basin of water.

"How is Sarah doing?"

Drake replied, "Her dilation is nearly ten. What about Melissa?"

"She's only at four, so we have some time." I followed Alexander as if I was standing behind him.

"Alexandria are you okay?" Alexander asked.

There I was, sitting up in a bed with Damien behind me. I said, "I'm fine. I never thought this would happen."

"I know. Neither did I. Just remember to breath through the contractions. I'm just going to check how far along you are." Alexander said. I saw him slide his hand under the night dress I was wearing. "Your fully dilated. You need to start pushing." Alexander said.

"Lex! Are you okay?" Peter jogged me out of the vision I was in. Everyone was looking at me.

Father stepped forward and asked, "What did you see?" I couldn't tell him. I just turned and ran out of the hall. I went straight to the bathroom in my room and locked the door. I vomited a few times before my father, Peter and James arrived. They knocked on the door. I just ignored them.

Peter was saying, "Lex, please open the door. Whatever you saw we can deal with it."

"I'm going to have to tell them at some point. I may as well get it over with." I said to my self.

I opened the door. Father looked at me. "How bad was it?" he asked.

I started to cry. Peter pulled me into his arms. "Shhh.... whatever it is we'll deal with it together."

I pulled away from him. "What I saw wasn't a bad thing and its not going to cause anyone any harm. At least I hope not."

All three men looked at me confused. "What's wrong Alexandria?" father said. I took a deep breath and just said it.

"I'm pregnant!"

Peter fainted as soon as I said that.

"Your what?" father said.

"Pregnant! The vision was of me in labour." I said.

"Yes but that doesn't mean your pregnant right now it could be a vision of the future." father said.

"Mother and Sarah were in labour as well!"

"Oh!" father said.

I started to cry. James pulled me into his arms since Peter was still out for the count. "It's okay. This isn't a bad thing. We just can't believe it. Three at once!"

"James is right. I'm okay with this. Honestly! I knew your were going to have a child at some point." father said.

When he said this, grandfather and the rest of the council came running into my room. They looked at Peter and then at me crying in James arms.

"What the hell is going on?" grandfather demanded.

Michael went over to Peter, "what happened?" he asked.

Father said, "Well there's no point in hiding it. Alexandria is pregnant!"

Everyone looked at me.

"Are you sure?" grandfather asked.

Father answered grandfather's question. "Well, she hasn't done a test yet, which we will leave for a week or two as am sure it was conceived not that long ago. It probably won't show on a test yet, but she had a vision that she, Melissa and Sarah were all in labour at the same time. So, I'm guessing that she is!"

Grandfather looked at me and then at Peter. "So what happened to him? Did you knock him out?"

James looked at father, then me, and we all burst out laughing.

"No grandfather. He fainted when I told him I was pregnant."

James held me tightly. I was glad of the support.

Michael must have picked up on my thoughts.

"Alexandria, it's not that were not pleased that your pregnant. Were just over the moon! It's just a shock with you, your mother and Sarah all being pregnant at the same time. I'm sure that when Peter comes around he'll be fine. If he isn't fine, I will make him fine!"

I nodded. It took him the better part of an hour for Peter to fully regain consciousness. I had been sitting at the window with a blanket over me when he sat up slowly and looked at me.

"Is it true are you pregnant?"

"I strongly think so Peter, yes! But we won't know for sure for a few weeks yet."

Peter got up, walked over to me, and kissed me.

"Are you okay Peter?"

He nodded. "The shock has worn off, I'm fine Lex.", he said; putting his hand on my stomach.

All this time father and grandfather were sitting on my bed. "I think we should leave these two alone. Alexandria, make sure you get plenty of rest!" father said.

"Father, will you tell mother please?"

"Of course Alexandria." he said as he and grandfather left me alone with Peter.

"I can't believe your pregnant, Lex!"

"Neither can I." I went to get up to go to bed when Peter picked me up and laid me down on the bed.

Peter he kissed me and said, "You get some sleep. I'll be back in a minute. I just need to talk to my father, okay?"

I nodded. I heard him leave the room and I drifted off to sleep. When I awoke Peter was no where to be seen. So I thought I would go down and do some sword practice. Gabriel was gone, but I still needed to defend my self. I changed, strapped my sword to my waist, and headed down to the games hall. There I found Peter in a fierce battle with my father, who won of course.

I drew my sword. "Okay, my turn." I said.

Father turned to see who it was. "Alexandria what are you doing here?"

"Sword practice, what else? Come on father." I said as I squared up to meet him. Father looked at Peter. Peter nodded and father walked over to me and took my sword from me.

"What are you doing?" I said.

"Since you're pregnant, I'm not letting you have any sword fighting. It could be bad for the baby." father said.

I looked at him, stunned.

"Lex, this is for you and the baby. Please?"

"How am I supposed to defend my self then?" I asked. Peter took my hands.

"That's my job now. Why don't you go and relax." he said.

I didn't know what to say. "Let me get this straight. Your not letting me have sword practice?"

"No, not until the baby is born." father said.

"So what exactly am I supposed to do with my self for nine months?"

"Why don't you find your mother." father said.

I stormed out of the games hall and went to my room and locked the door. I was furious! How dare they take my sword away from me? I was storming about my room when there was a knock at the door.

"What?!" I shouted.

"It's me, do you want to talk?" I went to the door and unlocked it.

Mother said, "What's with the bad mood?"

"Father took my sword away! He says that I can't do any sword practice!" I yelled "It's not fair!"

"Well, I think that it's about time!" mother said.

I glared at her.

"What am I supposed to do for nine months?" I said raging about the room.

"Well, the bottom line is that swords are for men and you know how I feel about them. It's time you started acting like a princess not a prince!"

"But that's not me! That's not who I am, like it or not!"

"Well tough! You're pregnant and you have to start thinking of your baby!"

I knew she was right. I just didn't want to admit it! I could see that it was going to be a long nine months.

The next few months went past very quickly. Father confirmed that I was pregnant as he did tests, and they all came back positive. We were all glad of that fact.

Mother and Sarah had started to show a bump, but I didn't. I was nearly six months pregnant and I had no bump. I was worried but father said that the baby was healthy and there was nothing to worry about. I hadn't gotten any symptoms, whereas Sarah and mother were almost always being sick.

I was walking the corridors one night as the baby thought it would be fun to keep mommy up all night when father was walking the opposite direction. "are you okay Alexandria?"

"I'm fine just your grandchild thought it would be fun to keep me up tonight."

Father laughed. "Your mother was the same when she was pregnant with you. I never thought we could have an other child."

I could see a tear in his eye.

"This time I will make sure that you raise this one father!"

He looked at me, "I would have dearly loved to see you grow up. I take comfort that you were raised by James, the brother I never knew about."

"How are you getting on with him?"

"Fine, though I have to admit I'm a little scared to get close to him after Gabriel."

I saw James standing behind father looking a little hurt.

"Father, what happened with Gabriel was out of your control. He turned against you and I know James he would never harm anyone. It's not in his nature. Give him a chance, he is your brother!"

"I know!; And you're right. I should give him a chance, and I will! You better get to bed before Peter finds you out of bed. He wouldn't like that."

I laughed. All of a sudden I felt this bang! I winced in pain.

"Alexandria what's wrong?" father said.

James stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I think the baby just started kicking." I winced again when the baby gave me a kidney shot.

Father put his hand on my stomach. "My god the baby really is kicking!"

James felt it too.

I ran back to my room. "Peter! Peter! Wake up!" I shook him awake.

He groggily said, "What's wrong!?"

"The baby is kicking!"

Peter put his hand to my stomach. "My god! It's kicking up a storm in there!"

We spend the rest of that night sitting up feeling the baby kick.

Mother and Sarah came in the next morning to feel it kicking. The next few months went by like a blur. Peter and father built a nursery next to our room. I was nearly nine months and still not showing but mother and Sarah were as big as houses.

It was getting late one night. I had been going to the library to keep my self occupied. Flash was at my feet. She had been keeping me company all night. I had just finished reading a book when I felt a snap then a fluid ran down my leg I felt the first squeeze of a contraction.

"FATHER!!!" I yelled. I knew that father was in the next room.

He came running in. "What? What's wrong?"

"My water just broke."

Father lifted me and took me to a room that had been set aside for the birth. He sat me down on the bed. "I'm just going to get the council.", he said as he rushed out the door. It only took father a few seconds to get the council to the room where I was. Peter came rushing in and held my hand and kissed me.

Father put his hand on his shoulder. "You can't be in here for the birth. The fathers have to wait outside."

Peter nodded and left with father. Mother and Sarah were woken up and taken to the room as well. They got changed into long white night dresses. I had to be helped into mine as the contractions were getting stronger and I could hardly stand.

Damien sat behind me helping me through each one. Alexander examined me. "Your only five centimetres dilated, so it could go on for some time. Just relax and breath."

I nodded. About an hour later Sarah's water broke and soon after that so did mother's. Alexander, Damien, drake and Michael had their hands full as the rest of the council were down stairs with Peter, father and James. They were anxious about how we women were handling the labour

Alexander carried in towels and a basin of water. "How's Sarah doing?"

Drake replied, "She's nearly ten centimetres dilated What about Melissa?"

"She's only four centimetres dilated so we have some time." he said.

"Alexandria, are you okay?" Alexander said.

I was sitting up in a bed with Damien behind me for support. "I'm fine. I never really thought this would happen." I said.

Alexander said, "I know, neither did I. Just remember to breath through the contractions. I'm just going to check how far along you are."

I saw him slide his hand under the night dress I was wearing. I felt him feel my cervix. "You're fully dilated. You need to start pushing!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! This baby is ready to come out now!"

He got a few towels and placed them underneath me. "Okay, push! Damien hold her up."

Damien responded, "Okay!" Damien pushed me up so I was sitting almost upright.

"Now push!" Alexander said.

I nodded and pushed. I could feel the baby move slightly.

"Okay, now relax and then push on your next contraction." Alexander said. I nodded and fell back on Damien who kept me up. I felt a contraction so I pushed.

"Okay! I can see the babies head! Keep pushing!" Alexander said.

Wow this was painful! It felt like I was being split in two.

"You're almost there! Keep pushing Alexandria. It will be over soon!" Alexander said. But I knew different!

I pushed as hard as I could and felt relief from the pain. Then there was the cry of a baby filling the room. I looked down. Alexander was wrapping the baby up. He had already cut the cord. He handed me a small bundle of blankets.

I looked at it. "Is it a boy or girl?"

"Have a look and see." Alexander said. I opened the blankets it was a boy!

"Well?" Damien said

" you have a nephew " I said Damien kissed me on the head

Drake said, "Alexander you better get over here. Melissa is ready to deliver!"

Three hours later both mother and Sarah had given birth. Both had delivered boys!

Drake said, "Damien, will you go down and tell the men they can come up now."

Damien left. About five minutes later father, James and Peter came in.

Peter sat down next to me. "I'd like you to meet your son." I said, handing him the bundle of blankets. Peter burst into tears.

I looked over and all the men were in tears. Grandfather joined us some time later. He was so proud as he had three new descendants in one night! And, all of them were male!

Peter and I took our son to the nursery, got him changed into clothes, fed him, and put him down for the night.

Peter held me tight and said, "You've made me the happiest man in the world. I love you so much!"

"I love you to Peter." I kissed him. "Now, what about a name for our son?"

"Hmmmm, I don't know. Have you any ideas?"

"I was thinking of Luke, after grandfather."

"Yeah, why not? Now why don't you go and lie down while I go and tell your father and grandfather, okay?"

I nodded and lay down on the bed. I hadn't been lying down long when Luke started to cry. I went over to him and picked him up. When I did, I got a twinge in my stomach.

I saw the most horrific scene but I saw how to stop it. I sat Luke down. I knew that it would be the hardest thing I had to do, but it must been done for the sake of my son I left a note explaining to peter what was happing I grabbed my cloak I felt so bad leaving my new born son but what other choice did I have I managed to get into the forest unseen that's where I met them.

"come to pick on a new born baby you've gone low Jess" I said

Jess stepped out "how did you know we were here?" she asked

"That's my business not yours" I said

"Fine it doesn't change anything" she said

"Why don't we make a deal" I said

"What kind of deal?" she asked

"Simple you never attack the castle or my son and you can have me to do with as u wish am not armed so if you wish to kill me you may" I said

Jess thought about it for a few seconds "does anyone know that am here?" she asked

"no I didn't tell any one" I said

"very well it's a deal then" she said

I looked up at the castle hoping that father and the council found me quickly as I felt my heart breaking slightly with the thought of leaving my new born son.