Moved Statue

When the fighting had ceased, Nathaniel brought Katherine to a camp in the woods, where his people and the young magicians they freed gathered. Somehow, Katherine mused, she spend quite a lot of time in camps in the last few months - far more than in proper buildings.

Since the tiredness of pregnancy was seeping into her again as soon as the adrenaline left, Katherine couldn't bring herself to see the children just now. Like with Frey, she suspected that some would not be very welcoming and she needed the power to pull through their accusations.

Besides, she worried that they might ask her to heal their wounds. Nathaniel would always let her do what she wanted without questioning her thus it was no wonder that he didn't ask her to heal his people - the injuries were mostly minor anyways. However, these children... they were just children.

The ones she met before knew about her healing power, but nothing about her child and how it could be affected. Maybe they had told the new faces as well. Katherine could see from afar that there were about two dozen more than she had expected. How would she decide if they asked her to treat their injuries?

First and foremost, she had to talk to Nathaniel. Nervously, she tugged on his shirt before he could follow his soldiers to the campfire. "Dear, there are some things you need to know..."

She trailed off when he turned with an expectantly raised brow. It looked cold and somehow cute at the same time. Suddenly, she lunged forward and clasped her arms around his waist to cuddle him. "Aw, I missed you so much!"

"You said that already." A teasing smirk filled his voice as he patted her hair.

She huffed. "I know. But you have no idea just how - "

"- How much you missed me?", he broke her off while lifting her head with a finger. "I wonder about that. Hmm, let's see..."

There was no room for protest - not that she wanted to - before his lips sealed hers in a kiss. It was sweet and slow, yet deep and soul-rendering gentle.

A yearning sound escaped her throat and she raised on her tiptoes to meet him back. As her tongue pressed against his, his hand in her hair tightened, then he angled her anew to reach deeper into her mouth. His arm snaked around her waist to press her against him, but nothing was close enough. If possible, he would melt them together never to be separated again.

And she felt the same way. Her arms were slung around his neck, pulling him down while taking his shoulders as leverage to reach higher. Opening her mouth wider, she wanted to taste more of him and give him more of her.

He followed suit, licking and savoring the inside of her cheeks, her tongue, her taste.

It was a silent battle not of lust, but of longing. Who had missed whom more? Each wanted to be the one to prove their deeper feelings, and since they both wouldn't back down, their breathing picked up instead. Katherine's breasts grew hot and heavy as they rubbed against his hard chest sensually. Their teeth clacked together once or twice. The moans and sighs were directly swallowed from the source.

Suddenly, Katherine realized what an obscene picture they must make. Though they were out of earshot, the same wasn't true for the eyes. Heat flushed her cheeks and she bit Nathaniel's lip in frustration. "Fine, you win!"

Mirth glittered in Nathaniel's eyes as a sparkling haze over the darker red that was desire. He licked his cracked lower lip like a satisfied cat and grinned. "If you say so."

What was he licking his lip so provocatively for? Katherine almost kissed him again to teach him a lesson but the others were looking, so she stomped her foot on his instead. Of course, she made sure to do it gently and complained only in a whisper. "You're a minx! Stop distracting me! I really have something important to say."

"Alright, alright." He leaned down to lend her his ear and as if accidentally brushed his lips by her cheek. "Tell me. I'm all ears."

Instead, she bit his earlobe that was dangling in front of her face and his body jerked. "Katherine..."

There it was, the sexy warning growl that made her tingly all over. She'd missed that one as well. Suddenly, her eyes welled up and her throat constricted.

"I... We..." How could she tell him what had happened? The little wonder that grew in her, a mixture of him and her. Would it have black hair or white? Red eyes or violet ones? She wanted to know, to see the product of their love. Her love for him. His love for her. Wasn't it wonderful?

Hearing her sniffle, Nathaniel was startled. What terrible thing must've happened to make his wife cry? His brows knitted as he lifted his head to gaze at her. Their eyes met.

"I a-am pregnant." She finally stuttered out, tears falling down her face like rain drops.

He blinked and his brows, if possible, locked even tighter together. "What?"

"Pre~gnant!" The lengthening was half her emphasis, half sniffles. To stop the latter, she tapped against her chest and cleared her throat. "Me. I am - I am carrying your child!"

And suddenly she smiled. Brilliantly, like the sun breaking through the rain and forming a sparkling, colorful bow. "Damn, I am so happy!"

While she laughed and took his hands to swing them around, all thoughts had fled his mind thanks to the double blow. Not even confusion was left, just the tiny sound his mouth formed: "Huh?"

Yet, even this was drained out by the blood rushing in his ears, the crackle of the fire, the quiet conversations in the background of which he didn't get a word. For seconds to go, his brilliant mind shut down completely.

When Katherine noticed that her husband stared blankly in the air as she all but swirled him around, she let go of his hands and waved hers in front of his face. "Hello? Everything okay?"

There was no response. While his arms dangled in the emptiness, he stood there like a statue carved from stone. Well, he made for a very beautiful statue. His white hair and black coat even swayed in the wind. Still, the sight let uneasiness creep up Katherine's back. Her smile faltered.

"Are you not happy? I know, it's a bad time but... Hey, do you even listen?" This time, she shook his stiff shoulders. The only thing that happened was that he started to sway like a statue being toppled and she cried out in alarm as she tried to hold him.

A few months ago, this might have worked but Nathaniel gained several pounds in muscles since then. He wasn't the skeleton he was at the start of their relationship. Instead of holding him, they just fell together and she landed on top.

"What the heck?!"

"Oi, what happened?"

"Are you injured?"

Instantly, they were surrounded by soldiers. They might have heard nothing, but when their commander fell like a tree in the forest, they all but ran to his side. Their worried and concerned faces moved Katherine to tears yet again - and that didn't help at all.

As clamor broke out, Katherine suddenly felt fingers graze her cheeks and sweep away the wetness. She looked down to see the man she straddled regain some consciousness. His white brows were still locked but his lips moved as he stared up at her. She had to lean down to hear him over the noise.

"... thought I was infertile."

This time, it was her who didn't trust her ears. "What did you say?"

His cheeks blushed an adorable pink as he pulled her closer. "Because of my magic. I always thought... well, it was likely that I couldn't give life. But this... Is it... really in there? Our baby?"

As she felt his hand wander up her hip, she moved it to her stomach and held it there. "Yes. Yes, it's right here."

"Oh." His brows finally relaxed when he gazed at their overlapping hands with wonder. The reverie in his eyes made Katherine tear up for the third time.

"You will be such a good Dad", she sniffled.